Principal Educational Psychologist

Principal Educational Psychologist – Lead With Purpose, Make a Real Difference Inspire. Support. Belong.

At BCP Council, we believe every child and young person deserves to thrive — and we know the right leadership in Educational Psychology can help make that happen. If you’re passionate about inclusion, excited by innovation, and looking for a place where your expertise will genuinely be valued, we’d love to welcome you to our team.

We’re a friendly, forward‑thinking service built on collaboration, creativity, and continuous improvement. Through our link EP model, we work alongside schools and settings to embed evidence‑informed practice and meaningful change.

You’ll be joining a warm and committed team who care deeply about doing what’s right for children, families and education communities. We encourage professional curiosity, shared learning and leadership at all levels — because great ideas come from everyone.

(You can learn more about us in our 2025 Service Brochure.)

Every EP has the opportunity to lead in areas they care about — from SENCo supervision and the ELSA programme to our Nurture Network, EBSA interventions, PINS, and delivering central training.

We work closely with the Virtual School and College, contributing to innovative supervision models, engaging training and impactful therapeutic support. Our Multi‑Element Plan consultations and EHC assessment processes champion inclusion, co‑production and genuinely listening to families.

We value growth at every stage — supporting trainee EP placements, offering high‑quality CPD, and ensuring you have the space and support to continually develop your practice and leadership.

Education

As our Principal Educational Psychologist, you’ll play a key role in shaping the vision for our service and championing positive experiences for children and young people across BCP. You will:

• Lead and develop an ambitious and compassionate vision for the Educational Psychology Service.
• Oversee recruitment, supervision and performance management to ensure we deliver high‑quality, timely support.
• Promote early intervention, inclusion and strengths‑based practice in line with our Children and Young People’s Partnership Plan.
• Ensure robust evaluation, quality assurance and accessibility across the service.
• Lead commissioning activity to support effective service delivery and meet financial goals.
• Contribute to strategic developments across Children’s Services, particularly our Inclusion and Belonging agenda.
• Strengthen partnerships with schools, Public Health, the NHS and wider SEND teams, sharing psychological insight across the system.

We’re looking for someone who is not only highly skilled, but thoughtful, collaborative and committed to making a positive difference.

• A postgraduate qualification in Educational Psychology and HCPC registration.
• Experience as a senior or principal EP (or equivalent), leading and developing services that improve outcomes.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills — someone who can inspire, support and work alongside others.
• A passion for partnership working across education and multi‑agency teams.
• Confidence using data to guide decisions and shape services.
• A commitment to truly hearing and valuing the voices of children, young people and families.
• Knowledge of financial and budget management.
• A belief in reflective practice, supervision and coaching as tools for growth.

• We want you to feel supported, valued and able to thrive in your role. We offer:
  • Competitive salary and benefits
  • Flexible working options
  • A wide range of professional development and training
  • Local Government Pension Scheme
  • Family‑friendly policies
  • Local discounts and a comprehensive Wellbeing Programme
  • Relocation support up to £8,000 (subject to eligibility)
  • Generous annual leave
• And of course, you’ll be living and working in the stunning BCP area — miles of golden beaches, the Jurassic Coast, and the New Forest all on your doorstep.