Wilds Lodge School – Rutland
School Counsellor
Salary: £20,585 (actual salary) | £40,000 (52wk FTE)
Permanent, Part Time, Term Time Only (39 weeks)
3 days / 24 hours per week
To start in September 2026

This is an exciting and rewarding opportunity to help nurture and shape the lives of our learners at Wilds Lodge School. We are currently looking to appoint an inspiring and dedicated Counsellor to manage approximately 24 hours of clinical work per week with our learners for individual and group counselling sessions.

Job role
Our therapy/Counselling service is widely used and available to all learners. The successful candidate will provide therapeutic support to children/young people exhibiting emotional and/or behavioural problems, or who are at risk of developing such problems. You will hold and manage a caseload of learners for one to one counselling sessions and group work and will contribute to the promotion of a therapeutic understanding within the wider community of the school amongst the whole staff team.

Key responsibilities include:
● To provide both individual and group counselling sessions, supporting learners where there are concerns about their emotional wellbeing.
● To manage your own case load of approximately 24 hours of clinical work per week, taking referrals from the school SENCo and Multi Disciplinary Team.
● To be able to work with a diverse range of needs including bereavement and loss, eating disorders and self-harm, suicidal ideation, depression, substance abuse, sexual issues, anger management and erratic behaviour, abuse of any kind, anxiety (including that related to exams) and fears.
● To assist in assessing learners needs and advise staff on strategies to support learners experiencing difficulties as part of the universal, targeted and specialist offer.

Essential Requirements:
● Qualified to at least a Level 4 diploma or foundation degree in counselling (level 7 Scotland) with evidence of additional CPD linked to working competently with children and young people; or hold a Level 5 in a CYP counselling certificate
● HCPC, UKCP or BACP registration.
● Experience working with children with a high level of social, emotional and behavioural issues
● Full driving licence.

About Wilds Lodge School

Wilds Lodge School is an independent 38 week specialist boarding and day provision for boys and girls (girls are accepted as day learners only) for learners aged between 5 and 19 with social, emotional and mental health difficulties, set in Empingham, Rutland. All the learners at the school have an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP). It was established in 2007 and aims to place an equal emphasis on the educational, social and psychological development of our learners. The key to the success of the school is a strong ethos, developed by a highly experienced and capable staff, and the strength of the relationships between the staff and the learners.

We are a friendly school where staff are supportive of each other inside and outside of the classroom. We pride ourselves in ensuring all members of staff including our support staff have access to regular training. All our members of staff attend regular training on child protection; mental health and multi-agency working. All staff access a wide range of training on areas of SEN such as Autism, attachment and ADHD.

Benefits Include:
● Free onsite parking
● Free refreshments and meals whilst on duty
● Company events
● Gym membership
● Access to an employee assistance programme
● Group life cover 2 x salary from day 1
● Excellent CPD packages, paid induction training and opportunities for
● Part funding of further training including HLTA, Master Degrees and Teacher Training
● Excellent promotion and career progression
● Sick pay
● 3 days off paid for dependants sickness
● Enhanced paid family friendly leave

Our learners are incredibly important to us; if you have the energy and enthusiasm to make a real difference to the lives of our learners, we would love to hear from you. Visits to the school are welcome and encouraged.

How to apply:
For more information, to arrange a visit and a full application pack, please contact Mike Sherwin on the below details:

E: [email protected]
T: 07525 889925

Closing date for applications: Sunday 19th July 2026

Strong applications may be considered upon receipt

The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The following is expected of all staff: All post holders are subject to appropriate vetting procedures and a satisfactory enhanced DBS check