Job info |
Job info details |
Job title |
Principal Educational Psychologist |
Strategic team/Directorate |
Education & SEND |
Service |
Education Psychology |
Business unit |
Children’s Services |
Responsible to (day to day issues) |
Head of SEND |
Accountable to (line manager) |
Head of SEND |
Salary grade |
Soulbury 6-9 |
JE ref |
SOUL07 |
1. Key purpose of job
- To provide strategic direction to deliver an effective and supportive service for children and young people from 0-25, (Educational Psychology) and ensure the quality of its contribution to the work of the Directorate of Children and Young People’s Services.
- To promote the development and education achievement of children and young people from 0-25 years by:
- Strategic Leadership which enables a high-quality Educational Psychology service for children, families, and schools.
- Lead on and work with partners across the Local Area towards strategic aims to improve the Services for SEND and therefore the Lived Experience of children and young people across Torbay.
- Provide professional advice and support to decision makers including Senior Management, SENDIAS and other professionals.
2. Anticipated outcomes of post
- Children and young people achieve stretching national education standards and make accelerated progress. Attainment gaps are closed for identified groups of underachieving children and young people.
- Schools are supported early in achieving the highest standards for all young people in Torbay, 0-25.
- High quality services to educational settings, so that outcomes for children and young people improve.
- Children and young people with additional needs have their needs identified along with suitable educational arrangements and provision to meet those needs in a timely fashion, ensuring positive partnership with all stakeholders and within the pertinent statutory framework. This for young people aged 0 to 25, with a focus on high achievement and positive preparation for independent adulthood.
3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post
- To ensure the Educational Psychology Expertise is used to best effect in all SEND Strategic Improvement work across the Local Area, providing excellent value for money and a striking impact upon the improvement area of focus.
- To represent the service and the LA at SEND forums, participate in and influence SEND strategy and developments.
- To ensure compliance with government legislation relating to Inclusion e.g. 2014 SEND Code of Practice.
- To widen the scope of the role of Educational Psychologists through the application of research informed practice to enhance school improvement functions and system led management processes.
- To promote the participation of the Educational Psychology Service in multi-agency activities in support of children across professional boundaries in Torbay. prioritising support for Children in Care and vulnerable groups.
- To take on appropriate budget responsibility.
- To monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the work of the Educational Psychology Service including income generation, targets, and strategic priorities.
- To ensure appropriate representation of specialisms at various professional forums in Torbay and beyond.
- To advise the Directorate on psychological issues affecting the performance of the Directorate.
- To promote the training and research role of the Educational Psychology Service.
- To provide line management for senior EPs and other service areas of the inclusion service.
- To ensure EP’s receive professional line management and supervision and to coordinate the supervision of EPs as a professional group.
- To be responsible for the LA’s Critical incident planning and to support the debrief of the associated professionals post dealing with an incident.
- To develop the ongoing trading and commissioning arm of the EPS to ensure that stakeholders receive a quality service at a systemic, team and individual level whilst ensuring that the service is delivered within timescales., and within budget. To contribute to the in-service training of teachers and other professionals as requested.
- To contribute to the effective development and working of multi-agency working practices.
- To work with early years settings, schools, parents, and professionals to develop strategies for the early identification of needs and provision to meet those needs.
- To ensure that the inclusion service works collaboratively and in partnership both internally and with respect to work with all clients, ensuring that the young person and his or her family is kept central to practice and process.
4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post
- To monitor the budgetary performance of the service within the Scheme of Delegation, being responsible for ensuring that budget spend is online and appropriate action is taken to address any pressures.
- To secure resources for the delivery of plans including creating and taking opportunities to gain external funding including Schools commissioning Educational Psychology services.
- To make optimal use of available resources in support of policy and strategy.
5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post
- Undertake direct Line Management and supervision responsibility for the following posts:
- Senior Educational Psychologist.
- Undertake in-direct Line Management responsibility for the following posts:
- X FTE Educational Psychologists.
6. Working environment and conditions of the post
- Normal working environment and conditions.
7. Physical demands of the post
8. Specific resources used by the post
10. Other duties
- To undertake additional duties as required, commensurate with the level of the job.
Other Information
- All staff must commit to Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discriminatory Practice.
- The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements. Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement.
- The post-holder is expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.
- The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
- The post is eligible for hybrid working.
- The post-holder must be committed to the Council’s Core Values for employees – “Torbay Council employees are committed to being forward thinking, people orientated and adaptable - always with integrity”. Evidence will be sought during the probation and appraisal processes.
- If you are required to use your own vehicle on Council business or drive a council vehicle you will be asked to provide information on any driving endorsements by accessing gov.uk/view-driving-licence and providing a code to your Line Manager in order to share your driving licence information with the Council.
- As this post meets the requirements in respect of exempted questions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, all applicants who are offered employment will be subject to a criminal record check (Disclosure) from the Disclosure & Barring Service before the appointment is confirmed. This will include details of ALL cautions, reprimands or final warnings as well as convictions, whether “spent” or “unspent”. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post.
- Torbay Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo the checks appropriate to the post applied for.
- The post holder is expected to work in a way that ensures vulnerable children and adults are safeguarded and report any safeguarding concerns in accordance with established policies and procedures.
- As this post meets the requirements of the Immigration Act 2017 (part 7) the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.
Person Specification
Note for Candidate
All Candidates
The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement.
In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.
Candidates who consider that they have a disability
Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.
If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.
Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.
If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.
Job info |
Job info details |
Job Title |
Principal Educational Psychologist |
Strategic team/Directorate |
Education & SEND |
Service |
Education Psychology |
Business unit |
Children’s Services |
Skills and effectiveness
Essential skills and effectiveness
- Ability to provide effective and visible leadership to a team of professionals.
- Ability to capture the child’s voice and ensure that their journey is documented and shared in order to influence practice.
- Management of people and resources.
- Able to collect, monitor and analyse management information to enable strategic decisions to be made on service priorities, performance, and resource allocations.
- Presenting clear written and oral information.
- Demonstrates effective communication and inter-personal skills.
- Evidence of successful training and disseminating information.
- Computer literate with the ability to use IT packages competently.
Desirable skills and effectiveness
Knowledge
Essential knowledge
- Considerable knowledge of the professional practice of educational psychology in accordance with the ethical principles of the British Psychological Society.
- Excellent knowledge and understanding of the factors that lead to improvement in levels for children and young people with SEND; of best practice in educational psychology; and of how psychology supports learning and wellbeing.
- Knowledge of educational systems, SEND Code of Practice, statutory guidance, and recent legislation in relation to vulnerable pupils and multi-agency working Understanding of principles of effective person management.
- Knowledge of solution-focused, strength-based practice, a range of assessment tools and interventions to support change in children, young people and families.
- Knowledge and skills to monitor the quality and impact of service delivery.
Desirable knowledge
N/A
Experience and achievements
Essential experience and achievements
- Significant experience working successfully as a Registered Educational Psychologist.
- Experience of operational and strategic multi-agency working with professionals and stakeholders demonstrating high level ability to work collaboratively whilst having the confidence to challenge assumptions.
- Experience of promoting the inclusion and safeguarding of children.
- Experience of supporting and promoting pupil progress.
- Budget responsibility, including traded income to achieve a sustainable service.
Desirable experience and achievements
- Experience of successfully managing a successful Educational Psychology service or equivalent role.
- Experience of motivating colleagues in their professional development Qualifications/professional memberships.
Qualifications/professional memberships
Essential qualifications/professional memberships
- Honours degree in Psychology or equivalent recognised by British Psychological Society (BPS).
- Postgraduate qualification (MSc. Or Doctorate) incorporating professional training in Educational Psychology.
- Membership of professional and academic bodies (e.g., BPS, Assoc. Educational Psychologists) and their relevant sub-sections/divisions.
Desirable qualifications/professional memberships
- Additional qualification in Special Educational Needs.
- Management and Leadership Qualification.
Other requirements
Other requirements of the job role
- Demonstrates a commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people.
- Ability to travel efficiently around the Bay/Southwest in order to carry out duties.
- Ability to accommodate occasional homeworking.