Harris Federation
Counsellor
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Job Description: Counsellor at Harris Academy Chobham
Are you a counsellor or have school counselling experience? Support our students. We are looking for a qualified counsellor to provide a counselling service within Harris Academy Chobham, responding to the social, emotional or educational concerns of our students.
The actual salary for this role will be £21,546.96 (26 hours per week, 38 weeks per year).
CLICK HERE FOR A FULL JOB DESCRIPTION AND PERSON SPECIFICATION.
About Us
Chobham Academy is always on the lookout for inspirational and influential staff. Most of all, we are on the lookout for potential colleagues who like our students and want to help them succeed. In order to help our staff have the best possible experience and achieve a proper work-life balance, we have put into place a range of measures to benefit both our teaching and students services colleagues.
These include:
- An extra week of holiday for all Chobham staff. This takes the form of a two-week half term in October. We work fewer days than most other schools.
- Outstanding professional development both at Chobham and through the wider Harris Federation
- Excellent promotion opportunities
- A constant dialogue about workload and how to manage it most effectively. We have regular workload audits, and frequent campaigns to tackle unnecessary work and identify quick wins
- Rapid and effective support with any student behavioural issues arising
- A high-quality staff induction programme
- Marking protocols devised by departments themselves
- Manageable and flexible lesson planning expectations
- Clear communications and manageable deadlines. We only ask staff to do what is necessary and avoid complication and confusion. Chobham is an exceptionally well-run school
- Learning walks rather than formal lesson observations. These are not graded
- Nursery on site
- Flexible and part time working encouraged whenever possible
- Additional time for leadership responsibilities
- Focus on effective outcomes rather than time spent
- High levels of administrative support for all teachers
- Ongoing celebration of staff excellence
- Generous Harris rewards and benefits package, including an extra £2000 annually for all teachers working in our Academy.
We place high emphasis on staff wellbeing at Chobham. This helps colleagues to be happier and more effective in their work. Staff are regularly consulted about their wellbeing and the outcomes of these consultations have a direct and rapid impact upon the Academy's approach to supporting staff wellbeing.
We understand that while it is incredibly rewarding, teaching is also a physically and emotionally wearing job. We want Chobham teachers to be as fit and fresh as possible and to know that the school as a community really cares about how they are. We have tried to put these principles into practice with a number of initiatives which we think give Chobham teachers one of the best wellbeing packages to be found anywhere. These include:
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- A meeting free week every half term
- An extra week of holiday with a two-week half term in the Autumn
- A late start or early finish for every teacher on one day each week
- A staff mindfulness programme led by trained colleagues and supported by a free mindfulness app
- Subsidised gym membership
- Staff fitness and exercise classes
- Guest speakers on wellbeing
- Regular special events such as comedy nights
- Staff discounts at shops and restaurants in the local area
- Access to the Harris Federation's staff counselling service
Our staff are regularly consulted on the wellbeing services the school provides and we always try to respond to staff suggestions. In this way, staff feel empowered and get more of the services they really want. We are very proud of our wellbeing programme at Chobham and hope you will agree that it shows our commitment to making the school an exemplary working environment.
Main Areas of Responsibility
As our Academy Counsellor, your responsibilities will include:
- Providing professional counselling support for students experiencing social, emotional or educational difficulties
- Assessing referrals and determining the suitability of counselling interventions
- Promoting a safe, supportive and inclusive environment that supports student wellbeing and mental health
- Delivering counselling services in line with BACP ethical guidelines and professional standards
- Maintaining accurate, confidential and secure clinical records
- Engaging in professional supervision, training and continuing professional development
- Contributing to Complex Needs Panel meetings and multi-agency support planning
- Liaising with academy staff and external professionals to support student needs and outcomes
- Identifying trends and emerging concerns, recommending appropriate interventions and support strategies
- Supporting safeguarding processes and adhering to academy policies and procedures
- Evaluating the impact of counselling provision and contributing to service reports
- Promoting the safety, wellbeing and welfare of all students throughout the academy community
Qualifications & Experience
We would like to hear from you if you have:
- A recognised professional counselling qualification to diploma level or equivalent
- The ability to make use of counselling supervision (evidenced by a counselling supervisor's statement)
- Ability to maintain confidentiality within Academy safeguarding procedures
- The ability to work within a time limit
- Effective communication skills both orally and in writing
- Ability to work effectively with a range of colleagues both within the Academy and from external agencies
- Counselling experience in a secondary school setting
- Evidence of pastoral experience
- Experience of working with key stakeholders such as a range of vulnerable students, outside agencies, SENCO, AWO, senior leaders, teaching staff, support staff, a range of parents, governors etc
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Next Steps
If you have any questions about this opportunity, please send us an email, or call to arrange a conversation.
Before applying, please download the Job Pack for full details on the job responsibilities and person specification. This will be helpful for you when completing your application, and throughout the recruitment process.
We encourage you to apply as soon as possible as we may interview and offer to a candidate before the closing date. Please note that we only accept applications submitted before the closing date via our careers website.
Rewards & Benefits
Our people are at the heart of our success. We have developed a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top-quality training programmes delivered at every level.
In addition to the opportunities for career development and progression, we also offer a competitive rewards and benefits package which includes our Harris Allowance for teachers on MPS/UPS, an Annual Loyalty Bonus, Pension Scheme with generous employer contributions, a Wellbeing Cash Plan and many other benefits. Learn more about our benefits on our website.
Safeguarding Notice
The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, an online search, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.
Equal Opportunities
The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.
We value the diversity of our staff and students, and everyone at the Harris Federation is equally valued and respected. We aim to be an inclusive employer that reflects the communities we serve. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment.
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