Educational Psychologist

Overview

Buckinghamshire Council’s Educational Psychology Service (EPS) is expanding, and we want dynamic psychologists to be part of our thriving team.

"Working in Buckinghamshire Educational Psychology Services is a real pleasure. I’m surrounded by a knowledgeable, caring, dedicated, skilful and innovative team of people who are always eager to help one another and make a positive difference in the communities we support. My line management experience has been exceptional, whereby over the years, I’ve felt well supported to develop my skills and interests to help meet local need as well as to manage some of the challenges that inevitably arise in the profession. Anyone joining our team can expect a very warm welcome!" - Dr Tiffany Kearns (Educational Psychologist)

"Working for an EPS with such a dynamic and vibrant team at the heart allows for growth and development at both an individual and service level. Having worked for Buckinghamshire EPS for nearly 15 years, I have had opportunities to develop key areas of interest in response to local need to support children, families and educational settings...A commitment to delivering high quality work through applied psychology, an emphasis on developing positive and trusting relationships and professional autonomy are all key strengths of Bucks EPS. It's a real privilege to work for such a forward thinking service and I feel excited about our future." - Dr Steph Noble (Educational Psychologist)

Following several years of successful recruitment to the service and delivery of a diverse offer to schools, the council has invested in permanently extending the service. This extension and progression to new senior posts within the team have created vacancies at the main grade level.

About us

Our large and talented team consists of Educational Psychologists (EPs), Assistant EPs, and Trainee EPs. The EPs are led by a dynamic leadership team of Seniors, Deputies and the Principal EP, providing excellent line management and good potential for progression within the service. We offer a hybrid model of consultation and assessment-based advice, blending face-to-face and remote working opportunities.

Our non-statutory offer is comprehensive and includes a link EP model to our mainstream and special schools as well as several countywide projects which align with strategic plans to meet the needs of the local population. This currently includes the projects outlined below and will continue to evolve with the growth of the service and newly created specialisms for Senior EPs meaning there is an exciting opportunity to further shape system-wide delivery of educational psychology across the LA:

• School workforce development: clinical supervision for Head Teachers; group supervisions for SEMH practitioners (including ELSA, Nurture and EBSA leads); production and ongoing expansion of an e-learning platform for new to role practitioners in schools.
• Vulnerable groups support: drop-in sessions delivered in conjunction with the Virtual School; the EBSA pathway including drop-ins, assessments and consultations to compliment delivery of the local EBSA toolkit; pilot projects in the impact of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy principles in schools.
• Early Years provision: group supervision with our early years practitioner team; previous delivery of the Holding Hands Project now being re-visited in order to develop an offer to children with significant SEMH needs in the foundation stage.
• Post 16: we are looking to develop our post-16 offer with the creation of a new strategic lead.

We collaborate closely with the Integrated SEND service, delivering multi-professional problem-solving spaces (TEAM UP), supervision for ISEND colleagues, and training for children’s services staff.

Our EPs benefit from excellent clinical supervision and long-established peer supervision networks, fostering creativity and professional growth.

About the role

As an EP with us, you’ll engage in a rewarding array of work at the preventative, early intervention, and statutory levels. You’ll have the opportunity to practice across individual, family, school, and whole LA system levels.

Contributing to EHC Needs Assessments is a key part of the role, with statutory work allocated outside the link EP model as a fixed portion of the week allowing you protected time for your link role and non-statutory projects.

We value individuality, encourage creativity, and foster autonomy, allowing you to shape your role and maximize your impact.

Mobile:

A ‘mobile’ role gives you the flexibility to schedule your own diary, so you can meet with colleagues and clients in a variety of locations. You’ll access digital folders and resources on your laptop and be able to use the network wherever you are based. Working from home will be common, as well as meeting your team in the office where necessary.

About you

We’re looking for dynamic individuals with up-to-date psychological skills and knowledge to make a tangible difference in the lives of children and young people in Buckinghamshire. You’ll need excellent interpersonal skills, be a committed team player, and be eager to contribute to the development of EP practice both locally and nationally.

We pride ourselves on nurturing the professional development of all team members, whether you’re an experienced practitioner or newly qualified. We welcome applications from Trainee EPs at all stages of the doctorate, as well as those already on the HCPC Register.

We will consider applications for full time or part time hours.

Other information

If you would like to find out more about this role, please contact Jenny Feeney at [email protected]

Closing date: Midnight on Sunday 13th April 2025

Interview date: TBC

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent convictions and conditional cautions
• All spent convictions and adult cautions that are not protected (i.e. that are not filtered out) as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020 and 2023).

For further information on filtering please refer to Nacro guidance and the guidance published by the Ministry of Justice (see, in particular, the section titled ‘Exceptions Order’).

Our values and culture

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:

• a fair and inclusive culture
• the chance to really make a difference to those around you
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

About the Business Unit

Ensuring that children and young people in Buckinghamshire reach their potential is a primary focus within our Education service. It’s essential that we provide inclusive and life-long learning opportunities for all of our young people - so we look to raise standards, attainment and aspirations in a number of ways.

Our key priorities include: improving the quality and timeliness of Education, Health and Care Plans and the support families of children with SEND receive; reducing the number of exclusions both permanent and fixed term; and providing the children of Buckinghamshire with the highest quality education possible.

We aim to provide the right support, at the right time for families requiring non-statutory intervention, and provide sufficient, high quality early years and school places for children in Buckinghamshire. Despite Buckinghamshire having a higher percentage of good or outstanding Early Years providers and schools than national averages, we are not complacent.

We are keen to strengthen the services we deliver to provide the children of Buckinghamshire the highest quality education possible.

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements. We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants, shops and auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme. In addition to the opportunity to gain membership to Costco, we have discounted gym memberships and much more.

https://jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/working-buckinghamshire-council/