Job title: Trainee Educational Psychologist
Salary: £29,872 to £31,770
Hours: 37
Contract: Fixed term (2 years)
Location: Leeds
As an educational psychologist you’ll thrive on working collaboratively with children, families and educators to make a real difference to children’s wellbeing, communication and learning.
To join us as a Trainee Educational Psychologist (EP), you will be due to enter the second year of the doctoral training course and start your employment with us in September 2025. You will be employed on a 2-year full-time (37 hours per week) contract as a Trainee EP with Leeds City Council. On successful qualification as an Educational Psychologist, you will be offered a permanent contract.
Leeds Educational Psychology Team can give you a flying start to your career with exciting opportunities to develop and progress. As a trainee, you will benefit from a strong support network and supervision while you combine your ongoing studies with work placements, building the competencies you need to achieve your doctorate.
As a team we work through a delivery model that encourages multi-agency working, consultation and problem solving. We are proud to be part of Leeds children’s services, rated by Ofsted as outstanding in overall effectiveness. We are committed to the ambition of Child Friendly Leeds. We want Leeds to be a city where all children are safe, happy and healthy, do well at school, fulfil their potential and grow up to be active citizens with voice and influence.
Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.
About you
As a Trainee Educational Psychologist, you will be on a recognised educational psychology doctorate course with eligibility for Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration on completion.
You will bring to the role:
* Knowledge of children’s development and appropriate assessment and interventions to support their progress in learning
* Organisational skills to plan and prioritise a varied workload, manage casework and fulfil academic requirements within the relevant timescales
* Effective communication skills with the ability to engage with children, young people and their families
* Confidentiality and sensitivity to ensure the safety and wellbeing of young people and manage their information appropriately
* Excellent written skills and accuracy with the ability to author reports and draft documents
About the role
As a Trainee Educational Psychologist, you will be integral to our committed and close-knit team, which has a strong ethos of peer supervision, support and collaboration. Our hybrid working model encourages connection and team relationships, with regular team meetings and whole team professional development days.
All our educational psychologists work at the heart of the community, in a cluster of schools and settings, applying creativity and psychological expertise to promote inclusion for children and young people from birth to 25 years of age. From the start, you will see the impact you are having on children’s lives and learning.
Leeds offers you the interest, challenge and reward of a big, complex city, with opportunities to work system-wide through close links with partners in health, education and other sectors.
What we offer you
We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:
* a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
* membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
* flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
* a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
* a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further
How to apply
Please complete the online application form.
Read our guidance for further advice. Please check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application. If you would like to speak to a member of the leadership team about these roles please contact the Educational Psychology Team on 0113 378 2888 or email SEND@leeds.gov.uk with the subject line 'for attention of EP leadership team'.
A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be carried out on preferred candidates. Read our recruitment of ex-offenders policy.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.
We promote diversity and want a workforce that reflects the population of Leeds. Leeds City Council is recognised in Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index 2024. We are also an Age-friendly Employer, a Mindful Employer and a Disability Confident Leader.
All new Leeds City Council appointments are made subject to the satisfactory completion of a six-month probationary period.
This role is based in the UK. Employment is conditional on confirmation of the right to work in the UK - either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa. If you do not have the right to work in the UK and the role does not meet eligibility for sponsorship, please consider carefully whether you meet the eligibility to apply.
Job Description
Job purpose: To support the effective delivery of outcomes for children and young people and support schools, settings and other agencies. The postholder will undertake duties across the Educational Psychology Team (EPT) to deliver a psychological service to a cluster of schools, under supervision of a qualified EP.
Responsibilities
* Undertake and achieve the Educational Psychology doctoral training qualification.
* Attend university as specified in the BPS guidance on the days specified and fulfil the academic requirements of the course, adhering to specific timescales and expectations.
* Fulfil the placement requirements of the BPS in relation to the training of Educational Psychologists.
* Carry out a research project that contributes to the EPT's priorities and fulfils the requirements of the doctoral training course.
* Provide assessment and intervention services to children and young people 0-25 and their families.
* Engage in a range of experiences including visits, shadowing and joint work.
* Work with a group of schools, other educational settings and partner agencies as specified by the Educational Psychology Team’s Senior Managers.
* Advocate for vulnerable children/young people and ensure their welfare is paramount.
* To apply psychology in the creative and efficient promotion of inclusion.
* Provide effective advice, psychological assessment and evidence-based intervention in order to raise achievement/attainment/attendance, improve outcomes and promote inclusion of children and young people with SEND (within the framework of the SEN Code of Practice (2015) and Children and Families Act (2014) etc.).
* Promote the Graduated Approach of Assess-Plan-Do-Review, in supporting the needs of children and young people with SEND.
* Comply with requirements and expectations in relation to policies, procedures and practices of the Local Authority and HCPC.
* Responsible for the resources necessary for their work and development (e.g. office equipment, assessment and intervention materials, local induction, and facilities).
* Access a minimum level of formal supervision of one half hour per day on placement.
* Implement and have regard to Leeds’ policies and procedures, Child Friendly Leeds Vision.
* Responsible for maintaining confidential records on children and young people, families, and work settings, and for confidential information disclosed by other agencies.
* Contribute to the delivery of the Educational Psychology Team’s Traded Offer by promoting and delivering traded work with schools; educational settings; and partner agencies.
* Provide advisory and consultative services to Leeds City Council services relating to policy and practice concerning the psychological well-being of children and young people and the adults responsible for their education and care.
* Provide advisory and consultative services to other agencies in the local areas for children and families.
* Participate in Educational Psychology Team projects.
* Improve own practice through observation, evaluation, discussion with colleagues and development programmes.
* Work collaboratively with colleagues, knowing when to seek help and advice.
* Contribute to the overall ethos, work, and aims of the service by attending relevant meetings, training days/events as requested.
* The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.
Qualifications: No formal qualifications are required on commencement however it is a requirement of the role that you are in your second year of the educational psychology doctoral qualification and have completed this qualification within 2 years of appointment. Progression - On successful completion of the Ed.D doctoral qualification within 2 years (and registration with the HCPC), the Trainee Educational Psychologist will progress to the Educational Psychologist role and job description.
Essential requirements: It is essential that the candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria. Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate that they meet all the essential requirements.
* Able to achieve the Educational Psychology doctoral qualification, adhering to specific timescales and expectations.
* Able to work flexibly across different work locations and areas as appropriate.
* Able to manage day to day casework and administrative functions of EP
* Able to set challenging targets in all areas of development to ensure good progress for children with additional needs.
* Able communicate effectively and engage with children, young people and their families.
* Able to commission, develop, deliver or co-ordinate effective learning and development courses or programmes.
* Able to demonstrate excellent written skills, author reports and draft documents in a logical and accurate manner.
* Able to gather and share information appropriately to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and young people.
* Able to plan, prioritise and manage workload from a variety of sources while maintaining a high standard of quality and working under time constraints and manage the demands of the role.
* Due to the Government’s Fluency in English Duty for posts where employees speak directly to members of the public the post holder is required to meet either the Advanced threshold level (which will be implemented where the post requires a greater level of sensitive interaction with the public e.g. in children’s centres) – where the person is able to demonstrate that they can during the interview:
* a) Can express themselves fluently and spontaneously, almost effortlessly
* b) Only the requirement to explain difficult concepts simply hinders a natural smooth flow of language
* Understand and use knowledge of physical, intellectual, linguistic, social and emotional development to assess and intervene in children’s learning.
* Experience of working with children and young people as a Trainee Educational Psychologist ready due to start year 2 of a doctoral programme in September of the forthcoming academic year.
* Experience of using a wide range of basic computer applications including Excel and Word and able to maintain and manage electronic data management systems.
Essential Behavioural & other Characteristics:
* Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct. Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon.
* Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council equality and diversity policies.
* Carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.
* Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities.
* Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
* Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities.
* Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
* Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity policies of Leeds City Council.
* Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person.
* The council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.
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