School Counsellor

Dear prospective applicant,

Thank you for taking the time to read about this role and our school. CHCC is in the top 12% of schools nationally and blends a 70-year history of inclusive education with an innovative, forward-looking approach to providing a state education like no other to 1500 students from inner city backgrounds.

Due to the retirement of the current post holder, the School now seeks to appoint a school counsellor that will form a part of the wider pastoral support team.

This is a fantastic career opportunity for a highly motivated professional to join a college that is looking to do things differently. Crown Hills Community College is an exhilarating and innovative school that produces exceptional progress for its learners and will make a significant contribution to the lives and opportunities of our families.

Over the past three years, the school has changed significantly not only in its performance but in the way it operates. We are not interested in the OFSTED grade or judgement and it is not something that we use to threaten staff with nor do we use it to set policy. We do what is best for the staff and the students underpinned by a set of clear values and we trust that everything else will take care of itself. I would therefore, urge you to visit us and to look at our website and the video about what it is that we stand for and why you would want to join us.

I want us to be at the forefront of educational excellence because we want to provide the best educational experience possible for the children in our care. This is extremely difficult in a climate of ever-increasing accountability and diminishing resources. However, I sincerely believe that if we lead this community by staying true to our values then it is possible.

I have therefore spent time with staff and exploring what it is we stand for and, after a school-wide consultation, we have decided that ASPIRATION, COMMITMENT and SUCCESS are the three key drivers that will support the development of our pupils.

Crown Hills is a founding school within the “WelI Schools” movement and I sit on the board as well as being an advocate Head teacher for the YST. My approach and therefore our approach to leadership at CHCC is summarised in my podcast with the Youth Sport Trust. You can expect to be led in this way too and if not have the license to challenge it.

We are very clear that the gender, background, colour, poverty, wealth or social status of a child should have no bearing on how well they perform and staff here work extremely hard in trying to close that gap between the different groups of pupils.

Please read the attached job description and person specification.

Commitment to safeguarding

Crown Hills Community College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and requires all staff and volunteers to share and demonstrate this commitment. The successful candidate will have to meet the requirements of the person specification and will be subject to pre-employment checks including an online search, an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references. Online searches will only take place on shortlisted candidates and will be carried only to identify any matters that might relate directly to the employer’s legal duty to meet the safeguarding duties set out in Keeping Children Safe In Education. Shortlisted candidates will be notified of the form the search will take and any information gathered through an online search that gives rise to legitimate areas of concern will be raised with the candidate directly in the interview. 

Please read the attached job description and person specification. If you are interested in applying, please fill in the application form available on our eteach portal. Please include e-mail addresses of all referees, together with a letter of application (no more than 2 sides of A4, font 12) outlining your skills, qualifications and experience relevant to this post by 9am on Monday 17th April 2023. Please include your cover letter in the supporting statement section.

Interviews likely to be Thursday 20th April

I look forward to meeting you and receiving your applcation.