School Counsellor

JOB PURPOSE
The School Counsellor is a full-time member of staff who provides essential, confidential counselling and wellbeing support to students. Working collaboratively within the multidisciplinary student support team, the counsellor ensures a holistic and proactive approach to student wellbeing and success, fostering personal, social-emotional, and academic growth in alignment with Aiglon’s Mind-Body-Spirit philosophy. This role requires significant contribution to the full life of the school, including pastoral and co-curricular duties.
KEY TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Counselling & Student Support
Provide individual and group counselling to students.
Support students through personal, social, emotional, and academic challenges using a student-centered approach.
Maintain professional boundaries and uphold confidentiality in line with school policies and ethical standards, continually upholding the duty to disclose where a child is at risk of significant harm.
Encourage students to utilise house and tutor teams as early support for concerns, promoting the message that wellbeing is everyone's responsibility.
Wellbeing Coordination & Collaboration
Work closely with Tutors, Houseparents (HPs), Assistant Houseparents (AHPs), House Assistants (HAs), Assistant Heads, DSL, and the Health Centre to ensure cohesive and coordinated support services.
Work closely with House staff and the Health Centre to maintain high levels of joint student support.
Consult with teachers and administrators on student mental health needs, offering recommendations for intervention and helping to build staff confidence and capacity in dealing with lower-level emotional and mental health issues.
Assist in the development and implementation of school-wide wellbeing strategies, actively contributing to the action plans
Safeguarding & Confidentiality
Maintain accurate and confidential records in accordance with legal and professional guidelines.
Collaborate with the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), DDSLs, and Deputy School Director to assess, support, and implement interventions for students at risk.
Actively contribute to safeguarding meetings and participate in case reviews as necessary.
Share relevant information with key pastoral staff.
Continually support an open and supportive culture where students are encouraged to make disclosures.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Justice (DEIJ) Advocacy
Promote an inclusive and culturally responsive approach to student wellbeing and counselling.
Support students from diverse backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences with sensitivity and awareness.
Collaborate with school leadership and DEIJ teams to enhance inclusive wellbeing initiatives.
Reflection & Program Development
Monitor, assess, and evaluate the effectiveness of counselling services and wellbeing initiatives.
Prepare termly reports for senior leadership on current trends.
Collaborate within the department to continually assess and review the self-referral threshold to ensure the service capacity is focused on the most essential casework.
Training & Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)
Provide training and regular supervision to Wellbeing Ambassadors.
Contribute to the school’s SEL curriculum and support initiatives to ensure a clear developmental progression in wellbeing learning across year groups particularly in areas of emotional literacy, mindset, and strengths-based approaches.
Pastoral & Residential Life Contribution
Serve as a full-time member of staff, actively contributing to the overall life of the school.
Participate in the Boarding Duty Rota, including working approximately every third weekend (Saturday and Sunday activities/duties).
Actively participate in activities such as meal times and house visits, fostering a visible and approachable presence within the student community.
Co-Curricular & Wellbeing Programming
Offer one regular activity per week, contributing to the school's diverse co-curricular program and supporting student enrichment.
Contribute to school-wide wellbeing initiatives and curriculum, and support wellbeing-led talks.
Assist in developing age-appropriate mindset support and structured reflection for students, particularly around Expeditions, to build resilience and coping skills.
Community Engagement & Trips
Serve as a visible and approachable member of the school community to foster trust and accessibility.
Be prepared to provide support, consultation, or intervention on Community, Leadership, and Expedition (CLE) trips as needed, ensuring student emotional and psychological safety during challenging experiences.
Crisis Support
Be available to assist with urgent situations as reasonably possible.
Collaborate with leadership and external agencies in cases that require immediate intervention.