School Counsellor

Birmingham Ormiston Academy, Birmingham, West Midlands, B4 7QD

18 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  ASAP

• Closing date

  12 October 2026 at 10am

• Date listed

  24 September 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Pastoral, health and welfare
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Full time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full time equivalent salary: £28,608.00 - £36,581.00 Annually (FTE) Support Staff Pay Scale 10 to 24 (£28,608 to £36,581 FTE – Pay Scales 2026) - This position is TTO or TTO + 5 days

School Counsellor job summary

Job Overview

Birmingham Ormiston Academy (BOA) is a 14 to 19 academy specialising in Creative, Digital and Performing Arts. The Academy opened in September 2011 and has over 1,000 students. BOA is 100% selective and students must earn a place at the academy through an aptitude process, meaning they value their place at the academy. As a result, behaviour and attitudes to learning are excellent.

We are rightly proud of our most recent Ofsted report (May 2023), which gives a true picture of what life in the academy is like. We highly recommend that you read the report before applying and that you book a tour with a member of the senior leadership team to get a feel for our ethos, meet our fantastic students and gain an impression of the learning environment. Our report can be found here: (https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50223511)

We are delighted to offer this exciting opportunity for an experienced and suitably qualified School Counsellor to join our pastoral, safeguarding and wellbeing team.

The successful candidate will provide a professional and confidential counselling service to students aged 14-19, supporting their emotional wellbeing, mental health and personal development. Working closely with colleagues across the academy, the School Counsellor will help students to overcome barriers to learning, develop resilience and coping strategies, and achieve positive educational outcomes.

We are looking for someone who has a genuine commitment to improving the emotional wellbeing of young people and who can build strong, trusting therapeutic relationships whilst maintaining clear professional boundaries.

The successful candidate will have:

• A recognised qualification in Counselling, Psychotherapy, Counselling Psychology or equivalent
• Membership or accreditation with a recognised professional body such as BACP, UKCP, NCPS or equivalent
• Experience of providing counselling or therapeutic interventions to young people
• Experience of working with adolescents experiencing mental health and emotional wellbeing difficulties
• Experience of safeguarding and risk assessment
• A sound understanding of adolescent development and common mental health difficulties affecting young people
• An understanding of trauma-informed and relational approaches
• The ability to build effective therapeutic relationships with young people whilst maintaining professional boundaries
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to manage complex and sensitive situations with professionalism and empathy
• Strong organisational and record-keeping skills, with an understanding of confidentiality and data protection requirements
• The ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team
• A commitment to inclusion, diversity and equality
• Evidence of ongoing professional development
• Experience of working within a secondary school, sixth form or further education setting would be desirable, as would experience of supporting students aged 14-19.
• Training or experience in trauma-informed practice, suicide prevention, self-harm intervention or risk management would also be advantageous, alongside experience of delivering group interventions or wellbeing programmes.

The successful candidate will work collaboratively with our safeguarding, pastoral, attendance and SEND teams, as well as external professionals and agencies where appropriate. This may include CAMHS, mental health practitioners, Educational Psychologists, social workers and other specialist services.

Safeguarding is central to this role. The successful candidate will be expected to maintain an up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding legislation and guidance, including Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE), and to understand the limits of confidentiality and circumstances in which information must be shared to safeguard a young person.

NB: Please also read the attached Job Description and Person Specification.

In return, we can offer:

• A stimulating and supportive working environment with well-motivated staff and students
• The opportunity to make a meaningful difference to the emotional wellbeing, development and educational outcomes of young people
• The opportunity to work as part of a committed pastoral, safeguarding and wellbeing team
• Experience of working with students across a broad range of creative, digital and performing arts pathways
• Professional development opportunities
• Opportunities to contribute to wider academy wellbeing initiatives and staff development
• Regular professional supervision and opportunities for continued professional development

Annual Salary:

• Support Staff Scale Point 10 to 24 (£28,608 to £36,581 FTE per annum) - Pay Scales 2026
• This is a permanent position either on a term-time only or term time + 5 day basis
• £24,909 to £31,851 per annum pro rata for term-time only - Pay Scales 2026
• A Local Government Pension Scheme

Holiday and paid leave:

This is a term-time only / term-time only + 5 days position.

For the term-time only + 5 days option, the additional 5 days will be worked during academy closure periods, at dates agreed in advance with the academy.

Annual leave entitlement is incorporated into the salary and is taken during designated academy closure periods, in accordance with the academy's terms and conditions.

Bank holidays and academy closure days will be treated in accordance with the academy's terms and conditions.

We reserve the right to interview ahead of the closing date if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

Further information about the job

The candidate will be required to undergo a full enhanced DBS check and must be eligible to work in the UK.

Visas cannot be sponsored.

If you're interested in teaching or training to teach in England as an international citizen, we can help you understand your next steps.

Commitment to safeguarding

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment.

Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.

Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant):
childcare disqualification
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
medical
online and social media
prohibition from teaching
right to work
satisfactory references
suitability to work with children

You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.

Applying for the job

This school accepts applications through their own website, where you may also find more information about this job.

CVs will not be accepted for this application.

About Birmingham Ormiston Academy

• Organisation type: Academy, ages 14 to 19
• Education phase: Secondary school
• Size: 1016 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 14 to 19
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• Website: Birmingham Ormiston Academy website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/birmingham-ormiston-academy-birmingham

We are pleased to advertise an exciting opportunity to work in a unique and vibrant creative and performing arts academy with staff and students who are truly delightful. Specialising in Creative, Digital, and Performing Arts, students must earn a place on their chosen arts pathway through an aptitude process which means they value their place at the academy. As a result, behaviour is exemplary.   

We are rightly proud of our recent Ofsted report (May 2023) which gives a true picture of what life in the academy is like. We highly recommend that you read the report before applying and that you book a tour with the Vice Principal to get a feel for our ethos, to meet our fantastic students, and to gain an impression of the learning environment. Our report can be found here: (https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50223511) 

We are seeking to appoint a passionate, creative, and committed Teacher of Media Production and Media Studies to join our successful and innovative team. The successful candidate will deliver high-quality teaching across Media Production and Media Studies, inspiring students to develop strong practical skills, critical understanding, and a genuine enthusiasm for the subject. The role offers the opportunity to contribute to a forward-thinking curriculum and to play an active part in the wider life and ethos of the Academy. You will work collaboratively with Academy Senior Leaders, Directors, Sponsors, and external Partners to support outstanding outcomes for young people. 

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