Plymouth City Council - Senior Educational Psychologists

Senior Educational Psychologists – Plymouth

Shape practice. Enjoy the coast. Thrive in a city built around nature.

Plymouth offers something genuinely different: a vibrant waterfront city where your working day is never far from open sea, coastal paths and the wild beauty of Dartmoor National Park. Whether it’s paddleboarding before work, coastal walks at sunset, or weekends exploring moorland landscapes, Plymouth provides an exceptional environment to support both professional fulfilment and personal wellbeing.

Our Educational Psychology Service sits within a friendly, motivated and highly regarded multi-professional team, including psychologists, teachers and specialist support staff. Psychological thinking underpins all we do, and we have strong, valued partnerships with schools who actively invest in deeper, impactful work.

Why join Plymouth?
This is an exciting time to be part of our One Children’s Service, with psychology influencing a broad range of strategic and early intervention developments. Be part of our newly developing Experts @ Hand Team.

We offer:
• A strong work–life balance – including 43 days annual leave
• Flexible working – including hybrid and part-time options (0.6+)
• Manageable statutory workload – capped at 40% of your total allocation
• Opportunities to specialise and shape your areas of interest
• A generous CPD programme with active support for professional growth
• Structured supervision – including peer and individual support
• A supportive induction, including buddy systems for new starters

The role

You will:
• Deliver consultation, assessment and intervention within schools
• Contribute to early intervention and inclusion through a graduated approach
• Work collaboratively with schools, families and multi-agency partners
• Support strategic initiatives and service development
• Undertake a balance of traded and core work
• Apply psychology to promote inclusion, wellbeing and positive outcomes

There are also opportunities to:
• Lead or contribute to city-wide projects and policy development
• Work alongside services including Virtual School, SEND teams and Attendance Services
• Engage in training and development activities, including links with trainee EPs

About you

Prospective Senior Educational Psychologists will:
• Have substantial EP experience
• Lead and influence strategic or project work
• Act as a role model within the service
• Be committed to early help, co-production and family engagement
• Work collaboratively and build strong partnerships
• Apply psychology holistically to support inclusion
• Use consultative, solution-focused approaches

We welcome applications from HCPC-registered EPs and Year 2 & 3 trainees, as well as interest from EPs seeking associate work.

We would also welcome conversations with any EP looking to return to Local Authority life following a period away and will seek to make it as enjoyable and fulfilling as possible. If you are thinking about it please get in touch.

Why Plymouth stands out
Few places offer this combination: a compact, connected city with a strong professional community, set between coastline and National Park. Here, you can develop innovative psychological practice while enjoying a lifestyle that prioritises space, nature and wellbeing.

The Disclosure & Barring Service Check requirement for this post is: Enhanced Check + DBS Children’s Barred List 

 We are a flexible employer and provide a variety of working arrangements tailored to the needs of each role.

Plymouth City Council is an equal opportunities employer. All applicants will be considered for employment regardless of age, care experience, disability, gender reassignment, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity, race, religion/belief, sex or sexual orientation.     

As part of our commitment to promoting equality we offer guaranteed interviews to those who meet the essential criteria and are considered disabled, care experienced or are an Armed Forces Service Leaver within the last two years.

Please note, this role is not eligible for visa sponsorship and we can only consider applicants with existing right to work in the UK.
Further information
For an informal conversation, please contact:
Dr Barry Sullivan or Dr Alan Ebbens
01752 224962
psychology.service@plymouth.gov.uk