Specialist Virtual Schools Educational Psychologist

Role Responsibility

Specialist Virtual Schools Educational Psychologist

Salary: £42,811 - £52,440 per annum (Soulbury Scale A 3-8 - newly qualified EPs will start at pay point 5) | Plus up-to 3 SPA points (previously awarded SPA points will be honoured)

Full-time or part-time

Flexible Work Location

We are seeking an excellent applied educational psychologist for an exciting new post supporting a multi-disciplinary team within our virtual school.

Kent’s Virtual School acts as a local authority champion to promote the progress and educational attainment of children and young people who are or who have been in care so that they achieve educational outcomes comparable to their peers.  It is the first virtual school in the country to be awarded Nurture UK accreditation.  The award is evidence of Kent Virtual School’s success in implementing and embedding a nurturing culture that responds to the social, emotional and mental health needs of its pupils, alongside their academic studies.

We are seeking an EP with an interest in trauma-informed practice who understands the application and evidence for a focus on nurture in mainstream schools to improve attendance and young people’s engagement with learning.  

The role is split 0.6fte with Virtual Schools Kent and 0.4fte within Kent EP Service. The EP who is appointed will provide support to schools, children and young people, and their families/carers who are experiencing complex challenges. He/she/they will be providing advice and guidance, using a range of innovative, evidence-based interventions, engaging with a broad range of partnerships, and contribute to the leadership and development of the virtual school offer. This role offers the opportunity to develop your practice with a focus on gaining specialisms and expertise to support career development and positive outcomes for our children and young people.

Educational psychologists joining Kent EP Service are rewarded with a generous financial package that includes a “golden hello” of £2000 and an annual retention payment of £3000. There are also relocation expenses of up to £8000 payable for those moving to Kent.  

We offer flexible working arrangements supported by a laptop and smartphone, structured induction, highly regarded CPD opportunities, individual and peer group supervision and the support of an excellent dedicated administrative team. 

Kent Educational Psychology Service is an effective, creative, friendly team of highly supportive colleagues, who will make you feel welcome.  Work base locations can be discussed at interview.  There are excellent road links to the wider county which has beautiful countryside and a wonderful coast. It also benefits from high-speed rail links to London and Europe. If you would like to be part of a creative, innovative Service then we would welcome an application from you. 

This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure Application to the Disclosure and Barring Service. Applicants must be professionally qualified and registered with the Health and Care Professions Council.

This post is considered by KCC to be a customer-facing position. The Council therefore has a statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) to ensure that post holders have a command of spoken English/Welsh sufficient for the effective performance of the job requirements. The appropriate standards are set out in the Job Description/Person Specification.

This advert will run until midnight on Sunday 5^th November.  We will arrange interviews at a mutually convenient time, as and when applications are received and will appoint applicants during the period of recruitment.  This advert may be withdrawn before the advertised closing date if position is filled before this time.

Contact Details

For more information regarding the Service, please click here.  Alternatively for an informal chat please contact Alison Farmer, Principal Educational Psychologist, by emailing Alison.Farmer@kent.gov.uk or Dan Jones, Deputy Principal Educational Psychologist by emailing Daniel.Jones@kent.gov.uk – or alternatively call us on: 03000 422698. 

About the Company

KCC is committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of the county's working residents, encouraging applications from people of all ages, abilities, genders, sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds and faiths, and aspires to create an inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves at work.

Please note – if you are interested, please apply as soon as possible as the closing date for this advert may be earlier than stated should a number of suitably qualified candidates apply.