Extended Services North West Leeds Cluster

Extended Services North West Leeds Cluster

Ralph Thoresby School

Job Title: Educational Psychologist

Service Area:ESNW

The ESNW is a cluster of schools who work collaboratively to offer targeted support for both the child and the family.

Vision and Values

Leeds is one of the largest local authorities in the country and aspires to become the UK’s first ‘Child Friendly’ city. The ESNW cluster shares the vision for Leeds to be recognised as a ‘child friendly city’ ensuring that:-

All children and young people are safe from harm
All children and young people do well at all levels of learning and have the skills for life
All children and young people choose healthy lifestyles
All children and young people are happy and have fun growing up
All children and young people are active citizens

Our Goals

We believe that every employee working with and on behalf of children and families can make a unique contribution to realising our vision and values. Each employee will be encouraged to work as part of team to shape and develop our approach to developing ‘Child Friendly Leeds’ by:-

Helping children to live in safe and supportive families
Ensuring that we protect the most vulnerable
Encouraging activity and healthy eating
Improving support where there are additional health needs
Promoting sexual health
Encouraging readiness for school
Improving behaviour, attendance and achievement
Helping to reduce the numbers of young people who are not in employment, education or training
Reducing youth crime and anti-social behaviour
Increasing participation, voice and influence

Job Title: Educational Psychologist (22.2 hours per week)

Grade: Soulbury A - Point 2 to 7

Responsible to: Targeted Services Leader(ESNW)

Responsible for: Delivery of Educational Psychology services to the ESNW cluster of schools

Job Purpose:

To deliver a psychological service to the ESNW cluster of schools and their communities. To undertake duties across the ESNW cluster in support of the Targeted Services Leader. To apply psychology in the creative and efficient promotion of inclusion.

Responsibilities:

The post holder is specifically responsible for the effective application of psychology through the following duties:

To implement policies, plans and guidelines of the ESNW Cluster ensuring high quality psychological service delivery.
To offer direct consultation and active psychological support for families and staff working with children/young people with SEN/LDD in schools.
To advocate for vulnerable/young people and ensure their welfare is paramount.
To provide effective advice, psychological assessment and evidence-based intervention in order to raise achievement, improve outcomes and promote inclusion of children and young people with SEN/LDD.
To provide recommendations on h ow contexts can be changed to ensure vulnerable children/young people and those with SEN/LDD, achieve their optimum potential and are included as fully as possible.
To monitor and review progress of children/young people who may have SEN/LDD and provide written advice as appropriate.
To provide quality psychological advice for statutory assessments in a timely and efficient manner.
To contribute to the annual review and reassessment procedures for children/young people with a statement of SEN/LDD, including transition planning.
To provide consultation and psychological advice to support ESNW funding systems where appropriate.
To represent ESNW in SEN Tribunals as an expert witness
To devise, deliver and evaluate bespoke training (including advice on curriculum development, interventions and resources) to build capacity of front-line staff.
To support SENCO’s and senior managers in self-review, strategic direction and development of processes and provision re: inclusion and teaching/learning for children and young people with SEN/LDD.
To support schools where significant issues have been identified in order to improve overall provision and achievement of children and young people with SEN/LDD.
To work within appropriate legislation, DfE guidelines and the Code(s) of Conduct of the British Psychological Society; Association of Educational Psychologists and requirement of Health Professional Council registration.
To effectively manage work-load and maintain up-to-date record keeping in relation to individual casework and other activities, through active engagement with the ESNW data systems and protocols.
To ensure high quality service delivery through data collection, monitoring and self-review processes.
To gather, analyse and interpret data and undertake and promote research based practice.
To undertake additional duties as required by the Targeted Services Leader (ESNW).
To provide efficient and effective communication, team working and delivery to children, schools and families within the ESNW cluster.

Personal and professional development:

To identify areas for continuing professional development, ensuring highest personal and professional standards and an up-to-date awareness of national and local initiatives.
To actively engage in performance management, supervision and problem solving.
To contribute to service planning and development.

Core

Acting positively
Behaving ethically
Team working
Striving for excellence
Managing personal learning and development
Customer focus

Role specific

Developing and influencing others
Controlling emotions
Communicating
Planning and prioritising
Managing change
Taking decisions
Using information
Analysing and conceptualising

Economic conditions
Annual leave: 28 days per annum plus 5 days per annum for 5 years local government service pro rata plus statutory holidays
Hours: 22.2 hours per week
Equal opportunities
Extended Services North West Leeds Cluster is committed to its value of Treating People Fairly; this includes our staff and the people of Leeds. We will make sure that we do not discriminate against people because of their age, impairment, ethnic origin, nationality, religious belief, social class, gender, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, and marital status, responsibility for dependants, trade union activity or for any other unfair reason.
Qualifications
It is essential that the post holder has a Degree in psychology (with eligibility for graduate membership for the British Psychological Society), post graduate qualification in Educational Psychology, a) Qualified Teacher Status (with a minimum of 2 years teaching experience) and MSc training in Educational Psychology or b) minimum of 2 years’ experience of working with children and young people and 3 year doctorate training in Educational Psychology.
SPECIAL CONDITIONS
This post is subject to a higher level check with the Disclosure and Barring Service. In discharging its function under the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970, the Directorate is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions Order 1975) and any applicant is obliged to disclose ALL convictions and cautions, no matter how long ago they occurred and regardless of whether the offences were committed as an adult or a juvenile.
Please note that a criminal record will not necessarily be a bar to obtaining employment; this will depend on the circumstances and background to any offence.

PERSONAL SPECIFICATION ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

It is essential that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role. Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate on the application form that they meet all the “Essential Requirements”. The points detailed under “Desirable Requirements” are additional attributes to enable the applicant to perform the position more effectively or with little or no training. They are not essential, but may be used to distinguish between acceptable candidates.

SKILLS / Ess / Des / MOA
The post holder should be able to demonstrate the following essential skills through the application of psychology:

Managing Information, a) individual pupils and b) training, support and systems work – to gather, analyse and interpret information through consultation in order to assess individual and school needs at systems level. Determine appropriate teaching and learning strategies, plan and deliver interventions, training and or support and formulate written advice as appropriate. Monitor and evaluate the impact of interventions and outcomes.
Managing self and resources – demonstrate effective interpersonal and communication skills. Deliver sensitive messages in a constructive way and deal effectively with conflict. Present feedback with sensitivity, honesty and clarity. Manage change, respond flexibly to new ideas and promote change as a natural process. Demonstrate effective time management and organisational skills with ability to plan, prioritise and manage a challenging workload with identified deadlines.
Managing and developing performance – identify and agree actions that are likely to lead to child/young person progress and school improvement. Reflect on and share practice with others. Evaluate outcomes.
Inter-agency/service partnership working – provide effective links and maintain relationships with colleagues and partners at a range of levels, to maximise impact in terms of focussed outcomes for children/young people within school settings and their communities.
Use ICT and technology effectively and encourage others to develop technical solutions in response to change.

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KNOWLEDGE / Ess / Des / MOA
The post holder will be required to have the following knowledge and understanding:

Knowledge and understanding of national legislation and good practice in relation to inclusion, SEN/LDD.
Recent working knowledge of Educational Psychology and able to meet the qualification requirements of the British Psychological Society towards registered status with Health Professionals Council (HPC).
Knowledge of a variety of methods of psychological assessment and intervention at the individual child, group and systems level.
Knowledge of using applied psychology in a range of settings.
Degree in Psychology (with eligibility for graduate membership for the British Psychological Society)
Post graduate qualification in Educational Psychology

a) Qualified Teacher Status (with minimum of 2 years teaching experience) and MSc training in Educational Psychology, or
b)Minimum 2 years’ experience of working with children and young people and 3 year doctorate training in Educational Psychology. / 
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EXPERIENCE REQUIRED / Ess / Des / MOA
Of effective practice as an Educational Psychologist with ability to provide sound professional advice.
A practitioner that understands the statutory assessment process, SEN Code of Practice, national and local legislation in relation to inclusion, SEN and LDD.
Newly qualified and experienced Educational Psychologists / 
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BEHAVIOURAL & OTHER RELATED CHARACTERISTICS REQUIRED / Ess / Des / MOA
Committed to continuous improvement
Ability to understand and observe the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy
To carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under the Council’s Health & Safety Policies
Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities to ensure up to date knowledge, skills and continuous professional development. / 
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METHOD OF ASSESSMENT (MOA) / A = Application Form
T = Test
I = Interview
C = Certificate