Educational Psychologist

Job Description

Discover yourself in Lewisham where what you do makes a difference to our vibrant and culturally diverse communities !

We have a rich history of welcoming people from all over the world and are proud to be recognised as the UK’s first Borough of Sanctuary, for our work in championing the rights of refugees and migrants.

Introduction

Maingrade Educational Psychologist – Lewisham Virtual School

Supporting Children Looked After and Children with a Social Worker

Are you passionate about making a meaningful difference for some of the most vulnerable children and young people? Are you motivated by the opportunity to work creatively, collaboratively, and relationally within a dynamic multi‑agency environment? Lewisham EP Team and Virtual School are seeking an enthusiastic Maingrade Educational Psychologist to join our team under the leadership of our Senior Specialist Educational Psychologist.

This is a unique and rewarding opportunity to develop expertise in an area of practice that is rich in both depth and breadth, shaping outcomes for Children Looked After (CLA), and children who have a social worker. Your work will make a real difference to children’s lives.

Why Join Lewisham EP Team and Virtual School?

Lewisham is proud of its diversity, resilience, and commitment to inclusive practice. The Virtual School plays a crucial role in promoting high aspirations and educational success for CLA and other vulnerable groups, working closely with schools, carers, social care, and health partners. Lewisham Virtual School is a dynamic and highly responsive team and is the 2025 winner of an Attachment Research Community (ARC) award for the Relationally Safe Schools model. Your role as an EP with the Virtual School will be a key part of this work.

What’s the role ?

A Role with Depth, Breadth, and Purpose

In this role, you will have the opportunity to develop highly specialised skills in understanding and supporting children who have needs related to developmental trauma and averse childhood experiences. Under the guidance of a Senior Specialist EP, you will explore complex casework, develop your trauma informed formulation skills, and contribute to innovative practice across the borough. Yours will be a key role within the therapeutic offer of the Virtual School.

Your work will extend beyond traditional EP practice. You will have scope to:

• Engage intensively with individual children and young people whose lived experiences require thoughtful, compassionate, and responsive support.
• Provide psychologically informed consultations with carers, teachers, social workers, and wider professionals.
• Apply a trauma‑informed lens to your assessments, formulations, and recommendations.
• Contribute to systemic change across settings supporting CLA and children with a social worker.

A Truly Multi‑Agency Way of Working

You will become part of a vibrant multidisciplinary team within the Virtual School, collaborating closely with:

• Social workers
• CAMHS practitioners
• Specialist teachers
• Designated Teachers in schools
• Foster carers, residential staff, and families

This integrated approach creates real opportunities for joined‑up thinking, shared learning, and coordinated support for young people. You will be part of a team that values relationships, reflective practice, and collective responsibility for improving outcomes.

Creating Relationally Safe Schools Where All Children Belong

A significant part of this role involves shaping the environments in which our young people learn. You will help develop and deliver training to schools, ensuring they are places where children feel:

• Safe
• Welcome
• Connected
• Understood
• Able to thrive academically and emotionally

Our Virtual School is committed to promoting relational, restorative, and trauma‑informed approaches across Lewisham. You will contribute to building capacity in schools so that every child—especially those with a social worker—can feel a genuine sense of belonging.

What’s in it for you ?

Excellent training and development opportunities, plus a range of benefits including:

• Generous holiday allowance
• Local Government Pension scheme
• Flexible working and family friendly policies
• Season ticket and bicycle loans
• A range of staff discounts including local subsidised gym memberships
• Supportive staff networks

What We’re Looking For

We are seeking an Educational Psychologist who is:

• Curious, compassionate, and committed to social justice
• Skilled in relationship‑based practice

Location

The job is primarily based in Kaleidoscope, 32 Rushey Green, Catford, London, SE6 4JF a children's developmental centre in Rushey Green/Catford area, but we operate a hybrid approach where you will be required to work both in the office, in education settings, and from home on a regular basis. There will be times when you will visit children out of the borough of Lewisham.

Special conditions

• You must be a qualified educational psychologist with HCPC registration
• You will sometimes need to travel outside of the borough to visit children/education settings
• The job is subject to an enhanced DBS check

The recruitment process is anonymous and we don’t accept CV’s.

Applicant handbook - please read the guidance in this handbook when applying. It is essential that you complete the application fully and that your supporting statement covers how you meet each of the person specification criteria listed.

For an informal discussion about this job, please contact Amanda Davidson, Senior Specialist Educational Psychologist,amanda.davidson@lewisham.gov.uk

Please click here to view the Job Description and Person Specification

Salary

£51,893-£61,664 per annum (Soulbury A 5-10 plus 3 SPA) and Soulbury London Allowance £4,328.21 per annum

Starting salary will be increased inline with any increases established in the Soulbury Agreement for 2025.

N.B: All appointments will be offered at the minimum spinal column point (SCP) for the grade of the role. The only exception to this will be when matching current salary (up to the maximum of the scale), which is subject to evidential proof.

Diversity

Lewisham Council is a Disability Confident employer. We welcome and encourage job applications of all abilities. If you require any reasonable adjustments in the application or interview, please contact the lead contact on this advert. We will make reasonable adjustments to make sure our disabled applicants and those with health conditions are supported throughout our recruitment process. We support the access to work scheme, further details are available at www.gov.uk/access-to-work/apply

The Council has a dedicated employment support service, Lewisham Works, which offers Lewisham residents guidance in relation to applying for jobs. If you want to join Lewisham Works, please email JobsAndSkills@lewisham.gov.uk and an advisor will be in touch with you.

The Council reserves the right to close adverts early if there is a large response.

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