Health & Wellbeing Nurse

Required: As soon as possible
Reporting to: Deputy Head Pastoral

The Role

We are seeking to appoint a dedicated, empathetic and enthusiastic Nurse to join the Welfare Department at The King’s School, Gloucester.

This is a highly collaborative and varied role, working at the heart of a well-established pastoral system to support the physical and emotional wellbeing of our pupils. As part of a team of three Health and Wellbeing Nurses (with two on site each day), you will play a key role in providing responsive, compassionate care, from day-to-day medical needs to more complex mental health support.

Working closely with the Deputy Head Pastoral, Heads of Section, Heads of Year, and wider pastoral colleagues, this is an exciting opportunity to make a meaningful and lasting contribution to pupil welfare within one of the country’s leading HMC Independent Schools.

The School

The King’s School is one of the dozen oldest schools in the country and has a proud heritage dating back to at least 1087, with a re-foundation in 1541. King’s is the Cathedral School in the city of Gloucester, whilst the surrounding county is home to many excellent grammar and state schools, as well as other independent schools. King’s is held in high regard amidst this competitive area; our academic, co-curricular and pastoral attainment is second to none. Local media brand SoGlos has awarded King’s the title of ‘Independent School of the Year’ or ‘Highly Commended’ in every one of the last six years – a feat unmatched by any other local independent school – most recently winning the title in May 2025. Despite the multiple national-scale challenges of recent years, King’s has seen its pupil roll growing steadily and parental satisfaction scoring very highly indeed. With careful investment in the campus and facilities, as well as a continuous focus on improving teaching and learning and developing our outstanding pastoral care, King’s is now seen as a dynamic, forward-thinking and impressive place to study and to work.

Main Purpose

To provide mental health early intervention, triage, basic first aid and wellbeing support for pupils presenting to the Welfare Centre, including those with emotional or psychological distress, working collaboratively within a multidisciplinary Pastoral team. The role complements existing Wellbeing coaching provision including supporting students whose needs sit beyond relational mentoring but do not require long-term clinical therapy.

Key Duties

Student Support:

• Provide short- to medium-term mental health and wellbeing support for pupils experiencing anxiety, lowmood, emotional dysregulation or self-harm concerns;
• Offer immediate emotional support, including mental health first aid and strategies to support emotionalregulation;
• Contribute to targeted student wellbeing initiatives and programmes that promote emotional and socialdevelopment;
• Work with the Deputy Head Pastoral and wider pastoral team to develop, implement and review whole-school mental health strategies;
• Support reintegration and return-to-class planning following absence, in collaboration with pastoral colleagues;
• Contribute to safety planning for pupils presenting with additional needs, in line with safeguarding frameworks;
• Provide basic first aid to pupils and escalate concerns as appropriate;
• Administer non-prescription medication in line with school policy and safely store and dispense prescriptionmedication;
• Exercise professional judgement in maintaining appropriate confidentiality, prioritising safeguarding and pupilwelfare at all times.

Triage & Referral:

• Assess and triage pupils presenting with mental health or wellbeing concerns, determining appropriate supportpathways;
• Identify when concerns require escalation to safeguarding leads or referral to external services;
• Work within clear professional boundaries, referring pupils to appropriate internal or external provisionwhere needs exceed the scope of the role;
• Liaise with parents/carers, where appropriate, in collaboration with the pastoral team.

Collaboration & Teamwork:

• Work closely with the Health and Wellbeing Nurses, the School’s Life Coach, and the wider pastoral team(including the Deputy Head Pastoral, Heads of Section and Heads of Year) to provide coordinated support;
• Contribute to multidisciplinary case discussions and wellbeing planning meetings;
• Provide guidance and advice to staff on supporting pupils with wellbeing needs;
• Support the delivery of health and wellbeing training for staff, as required.

Documentation & Safeguarding:

• Maintain accurate, confidential and timely records in line with school policy and statutory requirements;
• Follow safeguarding and child protection procedures at all times, maintaining a clear focus on pupil safety andwelfare;
• Contribute to safeguarding and wellbeing review processes as required;
• Engage in regular professional supervision within the pastoral framework.

Personal Profile

Essential:

• A relevant qualification and/or substantial professional experience in youth mental health, psychology,counselling, social work, youth work, mental health practice, nursing or a closely related field;
• Demonstrable experience supporting adolescents experiencing emotional distress, including anxiety, lowmood, behavioural dysregulation or self-harm concerns;
• Ability to remain calm and emotionally grounded when working with students presenting in distress or crisis;
• Strong professional judgement, with the ability to maintain clear boundaries while working in a supportive,student-centred manner;
• Sound understanding of safeguarding, child protection and the ethical responsibilities of working with youngpeople, with confidence operating within safeguarding and accountability frameworks;
• Confidence in holding risk-aware conversations and recognising when and how to escalate concernsappropriately;
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work effectively with young people,families and professionals;
• A collaborative, respectful and team-oriented approach, with the ability to work effectively within amultidisciplinary team;
• Approachable and empathetic, with a good sense of humour and genuine personal warmth;
• A reflective approach to practice, with a clear commitment to ongoing professional development;
• A genuine commitment to supporting the wellbeing of young people and making a positive impact on their school experience.

Desirable:

• Experience working in a secondary school or educational setting;
• Training in suicide and self-harm awareness or prevention (e.g. ASIST, safeTALK, or equivalent);
• Training in trauma-informed practice;
• Experience of delivering or working with CBT-informed, solution-focused, or brief intervention approachesappropriate to a school setting;
• Experience liaising with external mental health services (e.g. CAMHS, NHS, or community providers).

Hours of Work

The post is for 22.5 hours spread across 3 days per week (ideally Monday, Thursday and Friday), term-time only plus INSET days.

Benefits

• A contributory pension through Aviva APTIS;
• Generous fee remission for children being educated at King’s;
• Wraparound care for Junior School children being educated at King’s;
• Access to a Doctor for advice and short consultations;
• Staff Wellbeing Programme and Wellbeing Day (additional leave);
• Cycle to Work scheme;
• Various discounts for local services including gym memberships and garages;
• Free access to our Employee Assistant Programme;
• Free lunches;
• Free on-site parking.

Applications

Candidates should apply through Tes by clicking on Apply Now or by sending a completed School Application Form and Covering Letter via the email address to the right of this advert. A CV is not required.

Early applications are encouraged and we reserve the right to make an appointment prior to the published closing date, if appropriate.

For further information, please contact Mr Harry Fuller on the number in the contact details or via email to the right of this advert.

The King’s School, Gloucester is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check (including Children’s Barred List), satisfactory references from previous employers and eligibility to work in the UK. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post including a prohibition from teaching check where appropriate (which may include for some non-teaching positions) and, in line with KCSIE, an online search for shortlisted candidates only – this will consist of a Google and social media search. The search is looking for anything that calls into question the candidate’s suitability to work with children, or could cause harm to the reputation of The King’s School, Gloucester. Any information discovered will be shared with members of the interviewing panel prior to interview. Interviews will be conducted in person, and they will explore candidates’ suitability to work with children. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (2013, 2020 and 2023), which would otherwise mean that certain convictions and cautions are considered ‘protected’ and would not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they were disclosed, employers could not take them into account. Guidance about whether a conviction or caution should be disclosed can be found on the Ministry of Justice website: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-guidance-on-the-rehabilitation-of-offenders-act-1974.