International Schools Partnership Careers

School Counsellor Profile

Purpose of Role

The Counsellor’s priority is to support the academic and social welfare of pupils by initiating and maintaining a positive relationship with pupils, staff and families in order to enhance the school’s academic mission of providing amazing learning. He/she is also responsible for engaging the community in building cooperative partnerships for the sake of a pupil’s success. He/she is expected to develop a healthy, safe and productive environment in which pupils can achieve their potential and are required to counsel and support pupils on personal development issues or when dealing with complex and sensitive issues. The Counsellor will also be available to staff who need counselling support.

ISP Principles

Begin with our children and students. Our children and students are at the heart of what we do. Simply, their success is our success. Wellbeing and safety are both essential for learners and learning. Therefore, we are consistent in identifying potential safeguarding and Health & Safety issues and acting and following up on all concerns appropriately.

Treat everyone with care and respect. We look after one another, embrace similarities and differences and promote the well-being of self and others.

Operate effectively. We focus relentlessly on the things that are most important and will make the most difference. We apply school policies and procedures and embody the shared ideas of our community.

Are financially responsible. We make financial choices carefully based on the needs of the children, students and our schools.

Learn continuously. Getting better is what drives us. We positively engage with personal and professional development and school improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Fully support the mission and vision of Park House English School
• Fully support ISPs vision of learning for the school
• Helping children manage their feelings and deal with a range of incidents
• Providing group and individual support on an ad hoc and planned time to talk basis
• Managing playground games, buddies and other systems within the school
• Monitoring and managing pupil attendance and punctuality
• Providing formal counselling with consent of the family
• Supporting staff in managing incidents and behaviour
• Supporting families – individuals, support groups and larger groups e.g. through workshops
• Working with staff to analyse in school assessments
• Working with the inclusion team, medical and safeguarding staff to provide the very best pastoral care for children
• Taking responsibility for personal professional development, keeping up to date with research and developments which may lead to improvements in the counselling service provided, arranging and delivering relevant training for staff as and when needs are identified.
• Meeting the requirements of the local regulatory body
• Contributing to the safe and smooth day to day running of the school

Health and Safety

• Emphasises the importance of safety in all areas of the curriculum, communicating to the pupils the importance of a responsible attitude towards personal safety, the safety of others and respect for Park House English School’s property and equipment
• Safeguard Park House students
• Take all necessary and reasonable precautions to protect students, equipment, materials, and facilities
• Assist in implementing all policies and rules governing student life and conduct
• Ensure that, all the necessary health and safety rules and procedures are being followed
• Maintain an awareness of all the health and safety measures to be taken when in school

Profile

• Psychology Degree
• Counselling certification,
• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience
• Supporting the emotional wellbeing of children in a school setting
• Must hold a current Enhanced Criminal Records Bureau Disclosure, or equivalent, for countries lived in outside of the UK
• English is mandatory
• Child Care and Protection training

Skills and Abilities

Competencies

• Outstanding performance in counselling & wellbeing in a school setting
• Excellent communication skills and command of the English language, in spoken and written form
• Presentation skills with the ability to present information in a concise and professional manner to a variety of audiences
• Organization skills: well organized and able to prioritize, multi tasks and meet deadlines
• The ability to work on a regular and punctual basis
• Flexible and work well under pressure
• Customer service
• Critical thinking
• Ability to negotiate, persuade and motivate others
• Willing attitude to be a part of the school team
• Strong sense of professionalism
• Safeguarding and welfare of children
• A collaborative team-player with excellent interpersonal skills
• The ability to develop good personal relationships within a team
• Behaviour management
• Demonstrated competency to use computer applications related to the role, including word processing and spreadsheet applications
• Record keeping and report preparation methods
• Interpersonal skills including tact, courtesy and patience
• Customer focused
• Willingness to undertake appropriate Professional Development

Attributes

• Empathetic listener
• Integrity and confidentiality
• Internationally minded
• Emotional intelligence
• Intercultural awareness, creative
• Flexible and a can-do attitude
• Passionate about delivering quality education
• Able to command respect of pupils, colleagues and parents
• Driven by wanting to improve quality and develop the school
• Reliable with an attention to detail and a commitment to quality
• An innovator with a willingness to embrace change

ISP Commitment to Safeguarding Principles

ISP is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

All post holders are subject to appropriate vetting procedures, including an online due diligence search, references and satisfactory Criminal Background Checks or equivalent covering the previous 10 years’ employment history. 

ISP Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

ISP is committed to strengthening our inclusive culture by identifying, hiring, developing, and retaining high-performing teammates regardless of gender, age, disability status, neurodivergence, socio-economic background or other demographic characteristics. Candidates who share our vision and principles and are interested in contributing to the success of ISP through this role are strongly encouraged to apply.