Therapeutic Counsellor

Full or part-time, permanent position, starting September 2019.

A committed and highly professional BACP-registered counsellor, with school-based experience, is sought to make a genuine difference to the experience of pupils needing one-to-one counselling support.

Our employees are inspiring and creative, transforming the futures of intelligent pupils who experience challenges in their learning due to literacy and language-related difficulties, by empowering them.

The School:

Nationally celebrated, More House School provides an exceptional, mainstream education for boys with Specific Learning Difficulties.  Providing a transformative education repeatedly recognised as ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted over more than a decade, we offer a specialised learning environment for 470 day and boarding boys from Year 4 to Year 13.  Our pupils are taught to recognise their strengths and develop their self-belief so that they achieve independence and extraordinary results at GCSE, BTEC and A Level, above the national averages.

About the department:

More House School teaches wellbeing and positive mental health strategies within the curriculum.  A comprehensive pastoral support capability is in place, comprising dedicated form-tutors and residential housemasters and mistresses, year-group pastoral leads (Heads of Year), the school surgery and its Registered Nurses, a Lay-Chaplain, the Safeguarding team, and senior leaders, including the Deputy Head (Wellbeing and Designated Safeguarding Lead) - Mrs Ruth Hammond, and the Principal Deputy Head - Mr Andy Williamson, who provides leadership of behaviour and attendance.

Vital within the school’s offer to pupils is the provision of one-to-one counselling for those pupils who are identified as benefitting from such specialist support.  The school has provided such support for several years, and the service is well-established.

About this post:

We are looking to appoint a committed and highly professional BACP training accredited Counsellor who has previous school-based experience.  The role is primarily to provide one to one counselling to pupils, to maintain appropriate records and liaise regularly with the Head of Wellbeing, Head of Pastoral Care and with other professionals as necessary.

Full or part-time considered.

The successful applicant will work very closely with the school’s Mental Health Lead, Mrs Hattie Brandreth – a highly experienced BACP accredited Integrative Therapist. The main duties of the role include:

to provide an independent and confidential counselling service to boys and staff at More House School, through individual sessions, responding to their personal, social, emotional or educational concerns;

to promote a caring and supportive environment where such concerns may be explored, thereby promoting the mental and emotional health of the community;

to maintain confidentiality (except in those circumstances, in line with BACP practice and the school’s Safeguarding policy where this should be breached);

to uphold good practice as described by the BACP ethical guidelines;

to be responsible for own Professional Development maintenance, and updating knowledge and awareness through Continuing Professional Development (CPD);

to make referrals, where appropriate and with the pupil’s consent, to other agencies;

to liaise, where appropriate and with the pupil’s consent, with members of the staff;

to liaise, where appropriate and with the pupil’s consent, with parents;

to maintain appropriate records and to keep these secure;

to liaise with school staff and other professionals as appropriate to ensure the effective operation of the service;

to be alert to trends and patterns of problems, to identify causes and recommend corrective action;

to play an active role in Safeguarding pupils, and to adhere to school policies;

to maintain a high level of knowledge and awareness of changes and developments in the fields of counselling and education, and their impact on the delivery of counselling;

to ensure that as a Counsellor you are properly and regularly supervised, as required by the BACP;

to contribute in any other reasonable fashion to promote the safety and wellbeing of the boys.

The above list of duties is not exhaustive, and the post-holder may be required to perform such other duties as may be, from time to time, deemed necessary by the Headmaster.  This is a non-residential post.

The above list of duties is not exhaustive, and the post-holder may be required to perform such other duties as may be, from time to time, deemed necessary by the Headmaster.  This is a non-residential post.

A comprehensive induction programme is offered, and ongoing professional development is supported through INSET days and training opportunities.  Lunch is provided free of charge, daily, as is parking within the school’s beautiful grounds.