Wellington College Education (China)

JOB TITLE

School Counsellor

DEPARTMENT

Pastoral / Pupil Support / Wellbeing

Reports to

Reports directly to the SENCo, with a dotted line to the Designated Safeguarding Lead.

OBJECTIVE:

The School Counsellor plays a key role in supporting the emotional wellbeing, personal development and mental health awareness of pupils in a bilingual school setting. The postholder will provide appropriate school-based counselling, early intervention, wellbeing education, parent engagement and staff guidance.

The School Counsellor will work closely with pastoral leaders, teachers, parents and the safeguarding team to ensure pupils are supported in a safe, caring and developmentally appropriate way. Where pupils require specialist or clinical support beyond the school’s provision, the School Counsellor will support appropriate referral pathways in collaboration with the school and family.

Key Responsibilities

1. Pupil Counselling and Wellbeing Support

The School Counsellor will provide timely and appropriate support for pupils experiencing emotional, social or psychological difficulties.

Responsibilities include:

• Providing one-to-one counselling or wellbeing conversations for pupils, normally through short, focused sessions appropriate to a school setting.
• Supporting new pupils with school transition through individual check-ins, short conversations, orientation activities and adjustment support.
• Introducing pupils to the counselling room, counselling procedures and the booking process in a clear and age-appropriate way.
• Supporting pupils with common school-related concerns, including friendship issues, emotional regulation, confidence, stress, anxiety, family relationships and adjustment to school life.
• Offering regular check-ins, observation and follow-up support for pupils identified as needing additional pastoral or emotional support.
• Maintaining appropriate records of counselling support, interventions and follow-up actions in the school’s designated system.
• Ensuring confidentiality is explained clearly to pupils, while following safeguarding and child protection requirements at all times.

2. Support for Pupils with Additional or Complex Needs

The School Counsellor will work as part of a wider pastoral and safeguarding team to support pupils with more significant needs.

Responsibilities include:

• Supporting pupils with psychological distress or social-emotional difficulties through structured school-based intervention.
• Working closely with Heads of Phase, form tutors, SENCo, boarding team, safeguarding staff and senior leaders to develop support strategies for pupils.
• Advising teachers on appropriate classroom and pastoral strategies for pupils with emotional or behavioural needs.
• Encouraging and supporting parental engagement where pupils require additional support.
• Contributing to individual support plans where appropriate.
• Monitoring pupil progress and adjusting support strategies in collaboration with relevant colleagues.
• Referring pupils to external specialists, clinics or hospitals where concerns are beyond the scope of school-based counselling, particularly in cases involving self-harm, suicidal ideation, severe emotional distress, trauma, or significant family concerns.
• Cooperating with the safeguarding team and external professionals when serious mental health or child protection concerns arise.

3. Safeguarding and Crisis Response

The School Counsellor must work within the school’s safeguarding framework and understand the limits of school counselling.

Responsibilities include:

• Identifying and reporting safeguarding concerns in line with school policy.
• Working closely with the Designated Safeguarding Lead and pastoral team on cases involving risk of harm, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, abuse, neglect or significant family difficulties.
• Supporting risk assessment and crisis response procedures where appropriate.
• Communicating with parents sensitively and professionally in cases requiring urgent support or external referral.
• Ensuring that all counselling records and sensitive information are handled confidentially and securely.
• Understanding that the role is not a substitute for long-term clinical therapy, psychiatric treatment or specialist medical intervention.

4. Wellbeing Education and Pupil Programmes

The School Counsellor will contribute to the wider wellbeing education of pupils across the school.

Responsibilities include:

• Work with academic team to designing and delivering age-appropriate wellbeing sessions, workshops or assemblies.
• Supporting pupils in developing self-awareness, resilience, emotional regulation, healthy relationships and positive coping strategies.
• Organising annual wellbeing activities such as psychodrama, psycho-movie sessions, themed workshops or mental health awareness events.
• Providing pupil education on topics such as anger management, self-growth, parent-child relationships, abnormal psychology awareness, grief, family dynamics, empathy and inclusion.
• Supporting school-wide campaigns that promote kindness, inclusion, mental health awareness and help-seeking behaviour.
• Running or supporting a Psychological CCA, such as a psychology club, psychodrama group, psycho-movie discussion group or wellbeing activity programme.
• Promoting a positive and inclusive culture where pupils feel safe to seek help.

5. Mental Health Champion Programme

The School Counsellor will lead or support pupil mental health ambassador or champion programme.

Responsibilities include:

• Recruiting and training pupil Mental Health Champions or wellbeing ambassadors.
• Adapting the number and structure of pupil champions according to school needs.
• Providing pupils with basic knowledge of peer support, active listening, empathy, boundaries and referral procedures.
• Ensuring pupil champions understand that they are not counsellors and must refer concerns to adults.
• Supporting pupil-led wellbeing initiatives, campaigns and peer awareness activities.

6. Parent Engagement and Workshops

The School Counsellor will support parents in understanding pupil wellbeing and adolescent development.

Responsibilities include:

• Designing and delivering parent workshops on topics such as self-growth, parent-child relationships, learning support, adolescent development, emotional regulation and abnormal psychology awareness.
• Encouraging parents to participate in positive parenting workshops or training sessions.
• Providing general guidance to parents on supporting children’s emotional wellbeing at home.
• Communicating sensitively and professionally with parents regarding pupil concerns.
• Supporting the school in building a shared understanding between home and school in relation to pupil wellbeing.

7. Staff Guidance and Professional Collaboration

The School Counsellor will work collaboratively with teaching and non-teaching staff to strengthen pastoral care across the school.

Responsibilities include:

• Providing practical strategies to teachers for supporting pupils with emotional, behavioural or social difficulties.
• Supporting tutors, class teachers and pastoral leaders in understanding pupil needs.
• Offering staff guidance on early identification of wellbeing concerns.
• Contributing to staff training or CPD on pupil wellbeing, adolescent psychology, positive communication, emotional support and safeguarding-related mental health awareness.
• Working closely with the SENCo where pupils have both learning and social-emotional needs.
• Supporting a whole-school approach to pupil wellbeing and pastoral care.

8. Record Keeping, Confidentiality and Professional Standards

The School Counsellor will maintain professional standards in all aspects of the role.

Responsibilities include:

• Keeping accurate, concise and confidential records of counselling sessions, interventions, referrals and follow-up actions.
• Recording key information in the school’s designated management system, in line with school policy.
• Maintaining professional boundaries with pupils, parents and colleagues.
• Following the school’s policies on safeguarding, data protection, confidentiality and professional conduct.
• Participating in relevant meetings where pupil wellbeing, pastoral care or safeguarding is discussed.
• Engaging in appropriate supervision, professional learning and reflective practice.

Person Specification

Essential Qualifications and Experience

The successful candidate should have:

• A degree in psychology, counselling, education, social work or a related field.
• Relevant training or professional qualification in counselling, school counselling, educational psychology or child and adolescent wellbeing.
• Experience working with children or adolescents in a school, counselling, wellbeing or pastoral setting.
• A strong understanding of child and adolescent development.
• Knowledge of common pupil wellbeing concerns, including anxiety, stress, emotional regulation, friendship issues, family relationships and school transition.
• Understanding of safeguarding principles and the limits of school-based counselling.
• Ability to communicate effectively with pupils, parents and colleagues.
• Strong record-keeping skills and respect for confidentiality.
• Fluency in Chinese and a good working level of English, or the ability to work effectively in a bilingual school environment.

Desirable Qualifications and Experience

It would be an advantage to have:

• Experience working in a bilingual or international school.
• Professional counselling accreditation, licence or membership of a recognised counselling or psychology association.
• Experience leading parent workshops or pupil wellbeing programmes.
• Experience supporting pupils with SEND, emotional needs or complex pastoral concerns.
• Training in crisis intervention, trauma-informed practice, child protection, positive psychology, CBT-informed strategies, play therapy, psychodrama or other relevant approaches.
• Experience designing mental health awareness campaigns or pupil ambassador programmes.

Key Skills and Attributes

The School Counsellor should demonstrate:

• Warmth, empathy and patience when working with pupils.
• Strong listening and communication skills.
• Professional judgement and emotional maturity.
• Ability to remain calm and effective in sensitive or high-pressure situations.
• Clear understanding of confidentiality and safeguarding boundaries.
• Collaborative working style with teachers, pastoral leaders and parents.
• Cultural sensitivity and the ability to work effectively in a bilingual and bicultural school context.
• Proactive approach to wellbeing education and early intervention.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage a caseload appropriately.
• Commitment to the holistic development of pupils.

Safeguarding Statement

The school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. The successful candidate will be expected to share this commitment, follow all safeguarding policies and procedures, and undertake appropriate child protection training. All appointments are subject to satisfactory background checks and safer