Senior Educational Psychologist (SEP)

Job Title: Senior Educational Psychologist (SEP)
Contract: Permanent
Hours: 37
Salary:  Soulbury Scale B ( Bands 5-8 plus up to 3 SPA points) £63,638 - £67,526
Location: Herefordshire

The Role

Herefordshire Educational Psychology Service (HEPS) is seeking to recruit an experienced candidate to the role of Senior Educational Psychologist (SEP).  As a SEP you will be supporting the Service in applying psychology to improve outcomes for children and young people with SEN and additional educational needs in Herefordshire. 

Key Responsibilities:

• To support the Principal Educational Psychologist (PEP) in providing a strategic and professional lead to the Educational Psychology Team.
  
• To provide line management and supervision for a small group of main-grade psychologists, trainee EPs and Assistant EPs as required; facilitating their ability to apply psychology to meet the needs of children, young people/adults, schools, settings and families in Herefordshire.
  
• To take a strategic lead in areas of expertise.
  
• Support the provision of statutory and early-intervention educational psychology services settings and schools across Herefordshire (currently our traded work with school has been paused due to high number of statutory casework but this will change with introduction of the DfE’s ‘Expert at Hand’ model).
  
• Support service development and both design and implement a range of training for schools.
  
• Support the service’s quality assurance (QA) processes
  
• Work collaboratively with Senior Officers and Intervention and Support teams, and through effective inter-agency working, to improve Inclusive policy, practices and provision for all vulnerable children and young people/adults including those with additional and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
  
• Attend panels and meetings with professionals from a range of services that facilitate the local authority’s work supporting SEN.

We are looking for a SEP who is highly motivated, passionate, dynamic and flexible. 

You will need:

• To be a HCPC registered Educational Psychologist.
• At least five years of experience working within a team of educational psychologists.
• You will need to have highly developed communication and interpersonal skills along with knowledge of the context in which psychological services, schools and settings work. 
• Lead by example, responding flexibly to the needs of the whole team with integrity, accountability, compassion and care.
• The SEP will need to conform with HEPS’s co-produced, shared values: ‘Our mission is to apply psychology with kindness, empathy, and relational understanding to empower schools, families, and young people across Herefordshire. Through collaborative, reflective, and evidence-informed practice, we create safe spaces for communication, promote inclusion and wellbeing, and inspire positive systemic change so that every child and young person can thrive and reach their potential.’
• To meet the criteria set out in the job description and person specification documents.

Herefordshire Educational Psychology Service is small but established and respected service.  We provide high quality, evidenced based assessments and support to schools. Although the focus has been on EHC work for many years, recruitment will allow school based early intervention support for our pupils with SEN to expand.

We offer flexible working arrangements, structured induction, CPD opportunities, regular supervision and the support of an excellent IT system, which includes working from home.  We are a busy, friendly team of highly supportive colleagues, who will make you feel welcome and involve you immediately in a range of work with schools. 

This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure Application to the Disclosure and Barring Service. 

The role will require the applicant being able to travel independently to carry out this work.

Come and join us on our Restorative Journey of Improvement to gain the best for children and families in Herefordshire

For an informal discussion or should you require any further information, please Caryl Griffiths – Principal Educational Psychologist on 07792 881930 or e-mail [email protected]  

We Offer

A competitive salary, holiday entitlement, and access to our contributory pension and staff benefits scheme, which includes:

• Salary range of £63,638 - £67,526
• Enrolment in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Career progression: clear pathways to progress
• Annual Leave: 31 days’ annual leave (pro rata) plus bank holidays. You can also purchase an additional 10 days per annum during the request period
• Flexible working: including the potential for job-sharing, part-time hours and agile working.
• Employee Assistance Programme: 24/7 access to support and counselling
• Payment of professional membership fees (based on role requirements)
• Pick your perks – our benefits include access to a range of retail, leisure, holiday and health benefits. This includes savings, cash back and discounts.

Why Choose Us?

We're proud and excited to unveil our new recruitment video, a celebration of Herefordshire's people, places, and purpose. Set in the heart of England and filled with pride, compassion and possibility, the video brings to life what it means to work somewhere you truly belong.

At Herefordshire Council, every role matters and every person makes a real difference for our communities. We’re a team where people feel valued, supported and empowered to grow together.

Herefordshire is a beautiful, historic county on the Welsh border, one of England’s most rural and unspoilt areas, with vibrant market towns and a strong sense of community.

Our priority is clear: to keep children safe and give them the best start in life. We do this through passionate, dedicated professionals who build strong relationships with children, families, and partners to make a lasting difference.

It’s an exciting time to join us. We’re investing in our people and our relational practice approach, working alongside our improvement partner, Leeds City Council. You’ll be supported by experienced managers, continuous professional development, and a genuine team ethos that values collaboration and care.

If you’re committed to helping children and young people thrive, come and join the journey in Herefordshire - where your work truly matters.

Herefordshire Council Plan

The Council plan sets out how we will make our contribution to achieving a better and more successful Herefordshire, please see the link below to find out more:

Herefordshire Council Plan 2024-2028

Reasonable Adjustments

Our recruitment process runs in partnership with Hoople Resourcing. If you require any reasonable adjustments or alternative methods for the online application process, please contact the resourcing team by email: [email protected].

If you’re shortlisted for interview and require any reasonable adjustments, our Children & Young People Recruitment Team will be happy to support you.

Creating an inclusive workplace

We encourage our employees to feel empowered and to use their voices to help embrace diversity, promote inclusivity and shape our organisation. We have eight employee network groups, collectives of colleagues who often share identities, life experiences or cultures and offer support and community. They also play an important role in strengthening the voices of employees at Herefordshire Council. Embedded in the Council's values is a commitment to listen to people's views and needs.

For more information on our Employee Network Groups please view our dedicated recruitment website: www.spiritofherefordshire.com.

Commitments, Covenants and Statutory Obligations

The following candidates will be interviewed if they meet the essential criteria for the post they are applying for:

• Those who indicate that they have a disability. This is part of our commitment to the “Disability Confident” scheme.
• Those who indicate in their application that they are an Armed Forces Veteran or Reservist. This is part of our pledge to support the Armed Forces Covenant.
• Those who indicate in their application that they are a Herefordshire care leaver. This is part of our commitment to supporting young people leaving our care.

We take our commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults seriously and expect all of our staff, visitors and volunteers to share in this commitment.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children & young people and vulnerable adults. If you are offered this position, it will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service enhanced check and further pre-employment checks.

How to apply

To apply for a position, please upload an up-to-date CV and complete the application form demonstrating your experience, skills and abilities for the role.

Be sure to include reference to the job description and person specification or role profile! If you are successfully shortlisted, the C&YP Recruitment Team will contact you via email to arrange your interview and/or assessment. They will confirm the date, time and location of your interview, so please keep an eye on your email inbox - check your spam/ junk folder too.

Good luck, we’re looking forward to meeting you!