KS3/4 Counsellor and Learning Mentor

Aston Community Education Trust are a forward thinking and ambitious multi-academy trust, comprising of three secondary academies and nine primary academies across the Rotherham, Sheffield and North Derbyshire areas.

We are seeking to appoint an enthusiastic, conscientious and experienced KS3/4 Counsellor/Learning Mentor, to work as part of our dedicated Inclusion team at Aston Academy.

The purpose of this is role is to raise the attainment and support the well-being of young people who are struggling with accessing mainstream school for a variety of reasons, including repeat suspension, challenging behaviour and social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) issues.

We are looking for an organised, empathetic, and committed professional to work collaboratively with our dedicated Inclusion team, working closely with students and external agencies to support wellbeing, attendance, and achievement. You will be part of an experienced and supportive team, making a real difference in the lives of young people.

The successful candidate must hold a diploma-level counselling qualification and be registered with a professional body such as BACP. They should be able to work creatively and adapt therapy and interventions to suit the developmental needs of children and young people, using tools like YP Core and SDQ.

Strong communication, interpersonal, and teamwork skills are essential, along with a commitment to safeguarding and confidentiality. The successful candidate should demonstrate empathy, respect, and a genuine desire to support young people, while aligning with the ethos of Aston Academy.

This key role will ensure that pupils receive high-quality clinical support through assessment, one-to-one intervention, group work and proactive pastoral engagement.

This is an exciting role and is a key appointment in ensuring pupils receive the support they need to remove barriers and enable them to reach their full potential both academically and socially.

The role is based at Aston Academy and will involve working collaboratively with other academies across the trust. If you are looking for an exciting new role, then you are warmly encouraged to pursue an application with us. We would also welcome you if you would like to visit us. If you have any questions or wish to visit, then please contact - Katy.wright@astoncetrust.org

Key Responsibilities of the role include:

• Have strong organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise workload, manage competing demands, and maintain accurate records.
• To liaise with parents to ensure the young person is supported well.
• To provide a drop-in service for all students.
• To independently plan and deliver tailored 1:1 & small group support for KS3 & KS4 children with SEN based on the assess, plan do review model.
• To liaise with school staff, including the Designated Safeguarding Lead, and other professionals as appropriate to ensure the effective operation of the service.
• To support parents.
• To attend meetings and briefings as required and to provide an evidenced based graduated response.
• To maintain confidential notes on all counselling sessions.
• To promote a caring and supportive environment where concerns can be explored, thereby promoting mental and emotional health.
• To uphold good practice as described by the BACP ethical guidelines.
• To liaise with relevant staff within the academy, making them aware of problems experienced by students and to make recommendations as to how these may be managed/resolved, as appropriate.
• To liaise with other professionals, including attending meetings within the academy and with outside agencies, as appropriate.
• To be alert to trends and patterns of issues that affect children and adolescence.
• To play an active role in safeguarding children and adhere to the academy policies.

The successful candidate will have:

• A recognised professional counselling qualification to diploma level or equivalent and be a BACP member/registered to a professional body.
• The Certificate in National Learning Mentor Training is desirable.
• The ability to be creative/playful in their work in consideration of the child’s developmental age.
• The ability to adapt the therapy/intervention in a meaningful/useful way for the young person.
• The ability to maintain confidentiality within the academies’ safeguarding procedures.
• The ability to work effectively with a range of colleagues both within the academy and from external agencies.
• Excellent interpersonal and team working skills.
• To demonstrate the key personal qualities of empathy, respect, and a genuine desire to support young people.
• A desire to make a difference to the lives of young people
• Excellent communication skills with both pupils and staff
• Engage fully in Aston Academy’s ethos by promoting positive values, attitudes and behaviour and by thinking creatively and reflectively within a forward-thinking aspirational team, whilst keeping the needs of the students firmly at the centre.

Safeguarding

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

All applicants should read our safeguarding Policy and Safer Recruitment Policy, which are available on the ‘policy’ section of our academy websites.

It is an offence to seek employment in regulated activity if you are barred from working with children. This post will involve regular contact with children and therefore is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Applicants are therefore not entitled to withhold information about convictions, cautions or bind-over orders which for any other purposes are “spent” under the provisions of the Act. Any information that is “protected” under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 will not appear on a DBS certificate and does not need to be declared. Guidance on this can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-guidance-on-the-rehabilitation-of-offenders-act-1974

Successful candidates will be subject to a DBS check at the appropriate level. Shortlisted candidates will be asked to complete a self-declaration related to their criminal record or any information that would make them unsuitable to work with children. Additional checks in relation to the Childcare Disqualification Regulations will be undertaken for successful candidates to junior academies. If you have lived or worked outside of the UK, additional information may be required from you to satisfy safer recruitment checks.

Equality

ACET is committed to ensuring equality of opportunity throughout the recruitment process. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, and your application will be assessed purely on your ability to do the job.

We undertake to make any ‘reasonable adjustments’ to a job or workplace to counteract any disadvantages a disabled person may face. Where required, we will make reasonable adjustments to the selection process for an applicant with a disability.