Educational Psychologist for Inclusion

Role Purpose

The Educational Psychologist will be part of a multi-disciplinary therapeutic and assessment team, that will enable all children and young people to thrive within our organisation through the development of inclusive practices that remove barriers to learning. This will be achieved through working directly with children, young people and their families through the support and development of our colleagues to be able to deliver appropriate universal and targeted support within our sectors of Alternative Provision, Specialist College and Education and Skills Training Academies.

The Educational Psychologist plays a strategic and integral role in promoting inclusive, trauma -informed and psychologically grounded practices and will lead on the psychological understanding of student needs. This role combines direct psychological assessment and intervention with whole-organisation leadership, staff development, and multi-agency collaboration.

The Educational Psychologist will ensure that every student receives tailored, evidence-based support that enables them to thrive academically, socially and emotionally. They will also play key role in shaping policy, evaluating impact and embedding a culture of inclusion, equity and emotional wellbeing throughout the college.

Key Responsibilities

Psychological Assessment and Intervention

• Conduct in depth psychological assessments to understand the cognitive, emotional and behavioural needs of students.
• To design and implement interventions to help pupils overcome challenges and improve their personal development and academic performance.
• To work effectively with a range of key stakeholders across our organisation including our SENCOs, teaching and pastoral teams to enable them to ensure practice is inclusive of identified needs
• Provide direct therapeutic support to students, using approaches such as CBT, solution-focused therapy or trauma informed practices.
• To develop strategies and skills for the implementation of a range of therapeutic interventions to be delivered by non- therapists
• To provide supervision to colleagues as required.
• To determine if additional assessments such as speech and language, occupational therapy or dyslexia evaluations are necessary
• To support colleagues to facilitate collaboration between parents/ carers and Navigators to address and discuss concerns within the educational setting
• To provide support and guidance to teachers, parents, and other school staff in creating a positive learning environment for all students

Strategic Inclusion Leadership
• Lead on the development and implementation of inclusive practices across the organisation.
• Contribute to the design and evaluation of whole organisation strategies that promote emotional wellbeing, engagement and achievement.
• Support the leadership team in embedding a psychologically informed approach to behaviour, curriculum and pastoral care.
• Contribute to organisational policy and planning

Staff Development and Consultation
• Deliver training and professional development sessions for staff on topics such as trauma informed practice, emotional regulation and inclusive pedagogy.
• Provide psychological consultation and coaching to staff to support reflective practice and inclusive classroom strategies.
• Promote a culture of continuous learning and emotional literacy among staff.

Multi agency Collaboration and Family Engagement
• Work Collaboratively with external professionals including CAMHS, Social Care, and local authority SEND teams to ensure coordinated support.
• Engage with families and carers to share insights, build trust and support joined up planning for students.
• Contribute to multi-disciplinary meeting and reviews, including EHCP planning and safeguarding discussions.

Monitoring, Evaluation and Supervision

• Monitor the impact of psychological interventions and inclusion strategies using data to inform practice and planning.
• Maintain accurate records and contribute to reports for internal and external stakeholders.

Skills and Abilities
• Advanced Psychological Assessment – Expertise in conducting cognitive, emotional and behavioural assessments using a range of standardised tools and frameworks.
• Inclusive Practice Leadership – Proven ability to lead and embed inclusive strategies across educational settings, particularly for students with SEN and SEMH.
• Therapeutic Intervention Skills – Skilled in delivering and overseeing evidence- based interventions e.g. CBT, solution focused approaches, trauma informed practices.
• Consultation and Coaching – Strong ability to provide psychological consultation to staff, supporting reflective practice and capacity-building within the team.
• Safeguarding and Risk Management – Deep understanding of safeguarding principles and the ability to assess and manage risk in complex cases.
• Multi- agency collaboration – confident in working with external professionals e.g. CAMHS, social care, SEND teams to ensure coordinated support for students.
• Training and Development – Experienced in designing and delivering CPD sessions for staff on topics suck as emotional regulation, attachment and inclusive pedagogy.
• Data analysis and impact Evaluation – Ability to analyse data to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions and inform strategic planning.
• Communication and interpersonal skills – Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to build trust and rapport with students’ families and professionals.
• Resilience and Emotional intelligence – High level of self-awareness, empathy and resilience when working in emotionally demanding environments.
• Strategic Thinking – Capable of contributing to whole college development planning and policy making from a psychological and inclusion focused perspective.

Experience and Qualifications
Essential
• HCPC – registered Educational Psychologist
• Significant experience working with children and young people with SEND and SEMH needs.
• Proven ability to lead inclusion initiatives and influence whole-organisation practice.
• Experience in alternative provision, special education or therapeutic settings.
• Knowledge of relevant legislation and guidance e.g. SEND code of practice, Children and Families Act, Safeguarding frameworks.

Desirable
• Training in therapeutic approaches e.g. CBT, DDP, EMDR, mindfulness.
• Familiarity with trauma-informed and restorative practices.

Behaviours and Attitudes

• Empathy: Foster a supportive environment that encourages understanding and compassion among students and staff.
• Integrity: Uphold honesty and strong moral principles in all interactions and decisions.
• Resilience: Encourage students to develop coping strategies and the ability to bounce back from challenges.
• Trust: Build a culture of trust where students feel safe to express themselves and take risks in their learning.
• Authenticity: Encourage students to be true to themselves and embrace their individuality.
• Commitment: Instil a sense of dedication to personal growth and the learning process.
• Honesty: Promote transparency and truthfulness in all communications and assessments.
• Enjoyment: Create a joyful learning environment where students find pleasure in their educational experiences.
• Learning: Encourage a lifelong love of learning and curiosity about the world.
• Respect: Cultivate an atmosphere of mutual respect among students, staff, and the wider community.