School Councellor

School Counsellor Role Profile

Purpose of Role

The Counsellor’s priority is to support the academic and social welfare of pupils by initiating and maintaining a positive relationship with pupils, staff and families in order to enhance the school’s academic mission of providing amazing learning. He/she is also responsible for engaging the community in building cooperative partnerships for the sake of a pupil’s success. He/she is expected to develop a healthy, safe and productive environment in which pupils can achieve their potential and are required to counsel and support pupils on personal development issues or when dealing with complex and sensitive issues.

About The School

Aspen Heights British School (AHBS) is a truly inclusive school based on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi. We are proud of our inclusive ethos and our commitment to ensuring all children are provided with personalised learning experiences and the proper support to ensure they can make progress in learning in all areas.

ISP Principles

Begin with our children and students. Our children and students are at the heart of what we do. Simply, their success is our success. Wellbeing and safety are both essential for learners and learning. Therefore, we are consistent in identifying potential safeguarding and Health & Safety issues and acting and following up on all concerns appropriately.

Treat everyone with care and respect. We look after one another, embrace similarities and differences and promote the well-being of self and others.

Operate effectively. We focus relentlessly on the things that are most important and will make the most difference. We apply school policies and procedures and embody the shared ideas of our community.

Are financially responsible. We make financial choices carefully based on the needs of the children, students and our schools.

Learn continuously. Getting better is what drives us. We positively engage with personal and professional development and school improvement.

School Counsellor Key Responsibilities

LEARNING AND TEACHING

Set high expectations which inspire, motivate and challenge pupils

• Establish a safe and stimulating environment for pupils, rooted in mutual respect
• Set goals that stretch and challenge pupils of all backgrounds, abilities and dispositions
• Demonstrate consistently the positive attitudes, values and behaviour which are expected of pupils
  
  

Promote good progress and outcomes by pupils

• Be accountable for pupils’ attainment, progress and outcomes
• Be aware of pupils’ capabilities and their prior knowledge, and plan teaching to build on these
• Guide pupils to reflect on the progress they have made and their emerging needs
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of how pupils learn and how this impacts on teaching
• Encourage pupils to take a responsible and conscientious attitude to their own work and study
  
  

Demonstrate good subject and curriculum knowledge

• Have a secure knowledge of the relevant subject(s) and curriculum areas, foster and maintain pupils’ interest in the subject, and address misunderstandings
• Demonstrate a critical understanding of developments in the subject and curriculum areas, and promote the value of scholarship
• Demonstrate an understanding of and take responsibility for promoting high standards of literacy, articulacy and the correct use of standard English, whatever your specialist subject
  
  

Plan and teach well-structured lessons

• Impart knowledge and develop understanding through effective use of lesson time
• Promote a love of learning and children’s intellectual curiosity
• Set homework and plan other out-of-class activities to consolidate and extend the knowledge and understanding pupils have acquired
• Reflect systematically on the effectiveness of lessons and approaches to teaching
• Contribute to the design and provision of an engaging curriculum within the relevant subject area(s)
• Contribute to the development of schemes of work and department resources
  
  

Adapt teaching to respond to the strengths and needs of all pupils

• Know when and how to differentiate appropriately, using approaches which enable pupils to be taught effectively
• Have a secure understanding of how a range of factors can inhibit pupils’ ability to learn, and how best to overcome these
• Demonstrate an awareness of the physical, social and intellectual development of children, and know how to adapt teaching to support pupils’ education at different stages of development
• Have a clear understanding of the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs; those of high ability; those with English as an additional language; those with disabilities; and be able to use and evaluate distinctive teaching approaches to engage and support them
  
  

Make accurate and productive use of assessment

• Fully support the mission and vision of Aspen Heights British School
• Fully support ISPs vision of ‘Amazing Learning’ for the school
• Helping children manage their feelings and deal with a range of incidents
• Providing group and individual support on an ad hoc and planned time to talk basis
• Providing group and individual interventions to support the development students’ non-academic skills
• Managing playground games, buddies and other systems within the school
• Monitoring and managing pupil attendance and punctuality
• Providing formal counselling with consent of the family
• Supporting staff in managing incidents and behaviour
• Supporting families – individuals, support groups and larger groups e.g. through workshops
• Working with staff to analyse in school assessments
• Working with the inclusion team, medical and safeguarding staff to provide the very best pastoral care for children
• Taking responsibility for personal professional development, keeping up to date with research and developments which may lead to improvements in the counselling service provided, arranging and delivering relevant training for staff as and when needs are identified.
• Meeting the requirements of the local regulatory body
• Contributing to the safe and smooth day to day running of the school
  
  

Providing training to support staff understanding of mental health needs and disorders

Fulfil wider professional responsibilities

• Make a positive contribution to the wider life and ethos of the school, including fulfilling extra-curricular activity expectations and other ‘out of hours’ requirements
• Develop effective professional relationships with colleagues, knowing how and when to draw on advice and specialist support
• Deploy support staff effectively
• Take responsibility for improving teaching through appropriate professional development, responding to advice and feedback from colleagues
• Contribute fully to the extra-curricular program within the department and assist in the organization and running of curriculum days.
• Communicate effectively with parents with regard to pupils’ achievements and well-being
  
  

General

• To complete all other tasks that can be reasonably expected of a teacher
• To be fully aware of Health and Safety across the school
  
  

Health and Safety

• Emphasizes the importance of safety in all areas of the curriculum, communicating to the pupils the importance of a responsible attitude towards personal safety, the safety of others and respect for Aspen Heights British School’s property and equipment
• Perform all playground duties on time and with due diligence to safeguard Aspen students
• Take all necessary and reasonable precautions to protect students, equipment, materials, and facilities
• Ensure that, all the necessary health and safety rules and procedures are being followed
• Maintain an awareness of all the health and safety measures to be taken when in school
  
  

Communication with Parents

• Communicates with parents on a regular, informal basis and to deal with day to day queries
• Attends Parents’ Evenings as required and to provide accurate, honest information regarding the progress of individuals at these meetings
• Reports to the parents in the form of written reports twice yearly or when required by the SLT
  
  

Staff Development, ECA & Cover

• Attends and participates fully, in Staff Development, staff meetings and briefings as set
• Provides cover for absent colleagues as and when necessary
• Contributes to the extra-curricular activity program to enrich the school experience for the pupils as reasonably directed by the SLT and ECA Coordinator
  
  

Personal and Professional Conduct

All Teachers Are Expected To Demonstrate Consistently High Standards Of Personal And Professional Conduct. Teachers Must Maintain High Standards Of Ethics And Behavior, Within And Outside School, By

• Treating pupils with dignity, building relationships rooted in mutual respect, and at all times observing proper boundaries appropriate to a teacher’s professional position
• Having regard for the need to safeguard pupils’ well-being
• Showing tolerance of and respect for the rights of others
• Not undermining fundamental British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect, and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs
• Ensuring that personal beliefs are not expressed in ways which exploit pupils’ vulnerability or might lead them to break the law
• Teachers must have proper and professional regard for the ethos, policies and practices of the school in which they teach, and maintain high standards in their own attendance and punctuality
• Teachers must have an understanding of, and always act within, the cultural expectations of UAE and the policies and expectations of the school which set out their professional duties and responsibilities.
  
  

Whilst every effort has been made to explain the main duties and responsibilities of the post, each individual task undertaken may not be identified.

Employees will be expected to comply with any reasonable request from a manager to undertake work of a similar level that is not specified in this job description.

Employees are expected to be courteous to colleagues and provide a welcoming environment to visitors and telephone callers.

Skills, Qualifications And Experience

Minimum Educational Qualifications Required for the Role

• Bachelor’s Degree in teaching from an accredited institution
• Meet professional teacher education requirements of school
• Child Care and Protection
  
  

Minimum Years Of Experience Required

• 3 years’ full time teaching experience teaching from an accredited institution.
  
  

Knowledge

• In-depth knowledge and understanding of School curriculum (English National Curriculum – Primary) and associated assessment methods
• Up to date curriculum developments
• Application of effective teaching and learning theory and practice of providing effectively for the individual needs of all children (e.g. classroom organisation and learning strategies)
• Proven leadership and management skills
• Experienced curriculum and team leader
• Strong planning and time management ability
• Interpersonal skills including tact, courtesy and patience
  
  

Skills

• The ability to develop good personal relationships within a team
• An effective and experienced communicator (written and verbal) to a variety of audiences
• High level of IT competency
  
  

Personal Attributes

• Passionate about delivering quality education
• Able to command respect of pupils, colleagues and parents
• Organised with proven ability to meet deadlines
• Driven by wanting to improve quality and develop the school
• Reliable with an attention to detail and a commitment to quality
• Critical thinker
• Able to command respect of pupils, colleagues and parents
• Safeguarding and welfare of children
  
  

ISP Commitment to Safeguarding Principles

ISP is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

All post holders are subject to appropriate vetting procedures, including an online due diligence search, references and satisfactory Criminal Background Checks or equivalent covering the previous 10 years’ employment history.

ISP Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

ISP is committed to strengthening our inclusive culture by identifying, hiring, developing, and retaining high-performing teammates regardless of gender, age, disability status, neurodivergence, socio-economic background or other demographic characteristics. Candidates who share our vision and principles and are interested in contributing to the success of ISP through this role are strongly encouraged to apply.