School Counsellor

Taaleem is dedicated to the protection and welfare of children. We uphold high standards in child safeguarding practices and expect all staff to share this commitment. Candidates selected for employment will undergo several background checks, including the provision of quality references, verification of relevant qualifications, identification checks, and police clearances, which may include checks from overseas.

Job Purpose:

The School Counsellor plays a crucial role in fostering the social, emotional, personal, and academic development of all students. Acting as an advocate for students, the Counsellor takes a proactive approach by collaborating with teachers, parents, colleagues, and both local and international communities to equip students with the resources needed to engage with the curriculum effectively, ensuring their academic success and overall wellbeing.

Key Relationships (Internal and External):

• Senior Leadership Team
• Whole School Counsellor
• School Staff
• Parents and Students
• External Agencies and Service Providers

Key Accountabilities:

Communicate, build relationships, and inspire confidence among all stakeholders.

The Counsellor achieves this through:

• Ensuring that staff are adequately trained and supported regarding common student wellbeing issues.
• Establishing a clear communication channel for parent inquiries and concerns, offering guidance and connections to external resources when necessary.
• Engaging in regular discussion forums on topics relevant to parents.
• Actively participating in all Taaleem Job-a-Like meetings.
• Providing relevant reports on student matters to Year Leaders and the Secondary Leadership Team.
• Cultivating trusting partnerships with external service providers.

Delivery: Individual Student Planning

In collaboration with teachers and parents, assist students in setting meaningful goals and developing effective strategies and skills to achieve them:

• Identify specific goals and create strategies for achieving these objectives.
• Guide teachers and parents in understanding assessment results and creating Individual Learning Plans (ILPs).
• Utilize assessment data to pinpoint individual student needs and inform goal-setting and targeted interventions.
• Accurately interpret assessment data and present findings clearly to parents and the Inclusion Team.
• Conduct formal observations to enhance student support planning.
• Explain and clarify statistical concepts used in assessment tools.
• Ensure appropriate use of assessment data, avoiding over-interpretation and maintaining confidentiality at all times.
• Make recommendations based on evaluation results.

Responsive Services

Provide counseling to individual students and small groups based on identified needs:

• Collaborate within a multi-disciplinary team to assess and address counseling needs.
• Offer counseling support as necessary (e.g., for anxiety, grief, trauma, family separation).
• Assist students in creating clear, practical behavior plans that target specific concerns.
• Advocate for students, promoting their wellbeing and ensuring they are heard.
• Consult effectively with students, parents, colleagues, and other professionals.
• Gather and prepare necessary information prior to consultations.
• During consultations, interpret information and communicate ideas effectively.
• Propose various strategies and interventions.
• Respect diverse opinions and foster a spirit of collaboration.
• Coordinate the development and execution of action plans.
• Encourage feedback and input from relevant stakeholders.

Implement an effective referral process within the Inclusion Team framework:

• Assess the need for and make appropriate referrals.
• Maintain an updated list of local community referral resources.
• Support students and parents throughout the referral process.
• Collaborate with external agencies and assist in implementing their recommendations.

Accountability

Deliver a comprehensive and balanced counseling program. Apply via the WhatSchool platform.