Are you an experienced Educational Psychologist looking for a role where your expertise can shape services, influence practice and make a lasting difference for children and young people with SEND? This Senior Educational Psychologist opportunity offers the chance to take a leading role in Bracknell Forest’s innovative Experts @ Hand service and contribute to our ambitious SEND reform programme.
You will join us at an important time for children, young people and families in Bracknell Forest. Working as part of a forward-thinking, needs-led service, you will use psychological thinking to strengthen inclusive practice, support early intervention and help build capacity across schools, settings and partner agencies. Through close collaboration with education, health and social care colleagues, you will help create a more responsive, equitable and effective SEND system for the future.
Please note that this role will work across both the new Experts @ Hand service and the established Educational Psychology Service.
At Bracknell Forest, we pride ourselves on being a council which is stable and well-managed where our employees can thrive in a supportive environment. We understand the importance of a healthy work-life balance and offer a variety of flexible working practices, including options for remote working and arrangements that allow you to work from home, dependent on the needs of the service. This role includes an expectation to work from our Time Square office one day per week, alongside flexible working arrangements.
You are a qualified and HCPC registered Educational Psychologist with considerable experience working within a local authority setting. You will use your expertise to influence practice, shape services and make a measurable difference to the lives of children and young people with SEND.
As a Senior Educational Psychologist, you will support the Principal Educational Psychologist in the development, leadership and management of the Experts @ Hand service, while also contributing to the established Educational Psychology Service. You will help strengthen workforce capacity, promote high-quality psychological practice and support the delivery of Bracknell Forest's wider SEND reform ambitions.
In this role, you will provide rapid access to educational psychology-informed consultation, advice, problem-solving support, intervention, training and research for schools, early years and post-16 settings, multi-agency partners and families. You may also provide supervision and/or line management for Educational Psychologists, Assistant and Trainee Psychologists, and other professionals, where agreed or commissioned.
You will join a small, highly skilled and supportive Educational Psychology Service (EPS) where collaboration, professional curiosity and shared learning are central to how we work. Our team works closely with children, young people, families, schools, settings and partner agencies to apply psychology in ways that promote inclusion, support progress in learning and strengthen emotional wellbeing and belonging.
As part of Bracknell Forest’s EPS, you will be encouraged to bring your professional strengths, develop specialist interests and contribute to service priorities that make a meaningful difference across the local area. We take pride in our inclusive, person-centred and trauma-informed practice and you will be supported through regular face-to-face team meetings at our central Bracknell office, peer supervision and ongoing continuous professional development.
You will also have the opportunity to work closely with fellow Educational Psychologists and wider local authority colleagues, helping to shape joined-up, needs-led support for children and young people with SEND.
- Provide consultation, advice, training and intervention to schools, settings and families.
- Support the development of inclusive practice and early intervention across the local area.
- Provide line management and supervision to qualified, assistant and trainee educational psychologists and other professionals as required.
- Contribute to the leadership of the Experts @ Hand service, workforce development and system-wide SEND reform.
- Work collaboratively with education, health and social care partners to improve outcomes for children and young people.
- Help shape strategy and innovation, including support for the SEND Priority Action Plan and Health Transformation Programme across the council and wider community.
- Provide high-quality psychological advice as part of statutory EHC needs assessments.
- Contribute to SEND decision-making groups by advocating for children and young people and bringing a psychological perspective.
- 28 days annual leave increasing to 33 days after 3 years’ continuous service, with the opportunity to buy up to 10 and sell up to 5 days.
- Previous SPA points will be honoured
- Hybrid working opportunities to support your wellbeing and work-life balance.
- Paid employee volunteering scheme.
- Local government pension scheme, with life insurance cover.
- Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme (subject to eligibility).
- Full reimbursement of your HCPC registration and one additional professional subscription (AEP or BPS)
- Essential car user allowance, monthly lump sum payment, and subsidised onsite parking
- A commitment to remain on Soulbury pay and conditions
- Recognition of continuous service attained within the NHS and UKHSA when calculating some benefits. (Terms and Conditions apply)
- Career development through internal and external training opportunities.
- Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and fostering leave.
- Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support your health and wellbeing
- Inclusive and social working environment with a variety of staff networks and a sports and social club.
At Bracknell Forest Council our values define who we are and what is important to us. Our core values are inclusive, ambitious, and always learning. These values influence the way we work with each other and the way we serve our residents and engage with our communities. We make our values real by demonstrating them in how we behave every day. If you are excited about joining a diverse team that celebrates learning and strives for excellence, we would love to hear from you.
We are committed to ensuring an inclusive recruitment process for all applicants. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support your application or interview, please let us know by contacting [email protected]. We will work with you to support you throughout the process. Find out more about reasonable adjustments.
Bracknell Forest Council is proud to be an inclusive employer. This means that if you have made us aware on the application form that you have a disability, are an armed forces veteran or you are a care leaver, you will be guaranteed an interview if you meet the essential criteria outlined in the person specification.
Interviews will be held on Monday 27th July 2026.
Interviews will be conducted in person, providing candidates with the chance to personally meet the team and experience our work environment.
We will be reviewing applications regularly and reserve the right to close the advert early if suitable candidates are identified. To avoid disappointment, you are advised to submit your application as soon as possible.
Please note AI is prohibited during the interview, any candidate using AI will be withdrawn from consideration.
For an informal discussion or to ask any questions about this role, please contact:
Catherine Reynolds, Principal Educational Psychologist: [email protected] or 01344 351227.
Bracknell Forest Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect everyone employed with us to share this commitment. All successful candidates for this role will be subject to a DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) check as part of our pre-employment checks process.
We can only accept applications from candidates currently residing in the UK.
Candidates currently residing in the UK who require sponsorship to work are encouraged to assess their eligibility for a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) based on the relevant criteria. Please be aware that sponsorship availability varies and is subject to eligibility requirements and budget limitations. As a result, we cannot guarantee sponsorship for all roles and will evaluate sponsorship requests on a case-by-case basis.
No agencies please.
Bracknell Forest Council – Working for Equality. We welcome applications from all sections of the community.
Please apply online via the link provided.
Please note, we do not accept CVs submitted without a fully completed online application form.
