School Counsellor

**9 Hours per week, 39 weeks per year**

(Flexibility and choice of days to work)

**Permanent**

**Grade G5 £26,421 - £32,076**

**(Actual Salary £5,692 - £6,914)**

(The pro rata salary for this post is shown to reflect the actual hours and weeks worked)

**About the role**

We are seeking a School Counsellor to support students through targeted counselling interventions and to promote the physical, mental health and emotional wellbeing of our pupils.

Your positive attitude and ability to engage and encourage young people will be essential, as will your ability to work flexibly to meet their individual needs; liaising with the Designated Safeguarding Lead, SLT and SENDCo.

A relevant qualification in Counselling/Psychotherapy is essential, and relevant experience of supporting young people within a secondary school setting is desirable.

**About us**

Blue Coat Church of England School & Music College is a successful and oversubscribed large secondary school in the heart of the city of Coventry. As a Church of England school, our intake draws from both the local area and across the city and surrounding areas. We are a member of Inspire Education Trust, a local multi-academy trust of faith and non-faith schools which sets out to provide an environment where both staff and students can thrive, putting children at the heart of everything we do.

Our vision at Blue Coat School is “Living life in all its fullness”. We exist to equip our students to live life in all its fullness by providing excellent education which is distinctively Christian and inclusive of all. At the heart of this education are the values of Care, Hard Work, Respect, Integrity and Servanthood, working Together for the good of all individuals, the school and wider communities.

**Benefits**

A career at Blue Coat offers a rewarding future, with the opportunity to make a real impact on the lives and outcomes of our young people. We understand the importance of providing a supportive and nurturing workplace for our staff. Our ethos is that a happy staff will deliver the best possible experience to our students.

As such, we offer a portfolio of benefits designed to enhance and support the working lives of our staff. These include, but are not limited to:

- A highly supportive and committed Senior Leadership Team
- An effective continuing professional development (CPD) programme, including personalised training sessions and opportunities for both internal and external training
- An employer which aspires to break the mental health stigma, giving our people the support they need
- Employee Assistance Programme which offers 24/7 confidential advice and support on a range of matters and access to accredited counsellors
- A focus on staff well-being including in-house counselling, a full time chaplain, a staff workload reduction group, strong relationships with Unions and a supportive working environment
- A wide range of trips and visits including international ones
- Time off during the school holidays (term time only role)
- Opportunity to join a committed and forward thinking team of support staff
- Employee Benefits programme which is being rolled out in Autumn 2020 providing staff access to a range of benefits such as shopping discounts.

**How to apply**

**Closing date: Wednesday 28th February 2024**

**Interview date: TBC**

Blue Coat is a successful and oversubscribed school in the heart of the city of Coventry. As a Christian school our intake draws from both the local area and across the city and surrounding areas. Consequently we have a diverse intake and a culturally thriving school. The school was graded 'Outstanding' in its SIAMS inspection and 'Good' by Ofsted in June 2016 and continues to perform exceptionally well academically. In 2018 our average grade at GCSE was 5.29 and our Progress 8 score was +0.33. The vast majority of our students stay on into the sixth form and continue their studies.

We have a large and successful Post 16 provision with 300 pupils on average studying either A levels or Vocational Level 3 courses. We have excellent rates of progression to universities, apprenticeships and employment.

You are considering joining the school at an exciting time as we strive to provide an outstanding education for every young person. You will be joining a hardworking and dedicated team of support staff, teachers and senior leaders. We believe that every child can succeed regardless of background or start point and expect the same commitment from all who work with us.

Staff are committed to providing a supportive and caring Christian environment where excellent educational provision, outstanding pastoral care and a wide and varied programme of extra-curricular opportunities blend together to create an environment where every individual is valued. The school revolves around its core values of Care, Hard Work, Respect, Integrity, Servanthood and Togetherness, creating an environment where students and staff work t