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School CounsellorCV Example

A template for school counsellors who support young people through difficult times.

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What Does a School Counsellor Actually Do?

School counsellors support students' academic, social, emotional, and career development — running individual counselling sessions, small group interventions, class lessons, and working with families and external agencies. They report to a deputy headteacher or inclusion manager and work across all year groups. A typical week involves one-to-one sessions with students experiencing anxiety, bereavement, family difficulties, or academic pressure, alongside safeguarding meetings, SEND reviews, and data tracking of student wellbeing outcomes. Referral management and multi-agency working with CAMHS and social services are a significant part of the role.

Joanna Peters
School Counsellor
📍 Birmingham, UK✉️ joanna.peters@email.com
Summary

BACP-registered School Counsellor with 5 years of experience providing therapeutic support to children and young people aged 5–18. Specialist in CBT, play therapy, and bereavement counselling. Manage caseload of 25+ students with 90% reporting improvement.

Work Experience
School Counsellor at King Edward's School Birmingham
  • Provide 1:1 and group therapeutic support to 25+ students weekly addressing anxiety, self-harm, and family difficulties
  • Deliver PSHE lessons on mental health, resilience, and healthy relationships to Year 7–11 classes
School-Based Counsellor at Place2Be
  • Delivered counselling to 30+ primary-age children using play therapy, art therapy, and CBT approaches
  • Completed Place2Think clinical supervision training and supported 2 trainee counsellors
Skills
BACP RegisteredCBT for Young PeoplePlay TherapyRisk AssessmentSafeguarding (Level 3)Bereavement SupportPSHE DeliveryClinical Supervision

What Recruiters Look For

School Counsellor CVs must show your BACP/UKCP registration, therapeutic modalities, and experience working with young people. Include your caseload size, age range, and safeguarding qualifications.

Key Skills to Include

BACP/UKCP registration, CBT for young people, play therapy, art therapy, risk assessment, safeguarding (Level 3), bereavement counselling, PSHE delivery, and clinical supervision.

Common Mistakes

Not specifying your supervised client hours and therapeutic orientation. Schools want counsellors who can work with a wide range of presenting issues. Include your referral-to-outcome data.

Formatting Tips

One to two pages. Lead with BACP registration and supervised hours. Include your therapeutic modalities and the age range you work with.

Average SalarySchool Counsellor

United States
$50,000 – $75,000
United Kingdom
$28,000 – $45,000
Germany
$35,000 – $55,000
UAE / Dubai
$38,000 – $60,000
Canada
$50,000 – $72,000
Australia
$55,000 – $75,000

Figures in USD. Ranges reflect mid-level experience (3–7 years). Senior roles and major metro areas typically sit at the top of these bands.

Top 5 Interview QuestionsSchool Counsellor

1How do you handle a disclosure from a student that triggers a safeguarding concern?
Show clear knowledge of procedure — listen without leading questions, don't promise confidentiality, report to the DSL immediately, and document accurately. No hesitation here.
2Describe your therapeutic approach when working with a young person experiencing severe anxiety.
Name your modality — CBT-informed, person-centred, solution-focused — and explain how you adapt it to adolescents. Flexibility and age-appropriateness both matter.
3How do you measure whether your counselling interventions are making a difference?
Mention standardised outcome measures like WEMWBS, RCADS, or SDQ, plus qualitative feedback and teacher and parent observations. Show you think about evidence.
4Tell me about a time you worked with a student whose needs were beyond what school counselling could address. How did you manage the transition?
Show knowledge of CAMHS referral pathways, EHCP processes, and how you communicated sensitively with the family throughout. Signposting well is a core skill.
5How do you maintain self-care and professional boundaries when dealing with high emotional demand on a daily basis?
Talk about supervision, peer support, and the specific habits you use to decompress. This isn't a trick question — schools want resilient practitioners who will stay in post.

How to Tailor Your CV

Local authority maintained schools, academy trusts like Oasis and Harris Federation, independent schools, and pupil referral units all hire school counsellors. Academy trusts often employ counsellors centrally across multiple schools and value flexibility and consistent data recording. Independent schools frequently want counsellors with BACP accreditation and experience supporting high-achieving students with performance anxiety and exam stress. PRUs and specialist SEND schools look for trauma-informed practice and experience with complex safeguarding cases. Always list your accreditation body, therapeutic modalities, and any ELSA or designated safeguarding training on your CV.

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