School Counsellor

Job overview

Position: School Counsellor
Location: Doha, Qatar

About Us

Sherborne Qatar is part of a distinguished family of British schools in Doha, offering exceptional education to pupils aged 3 to 18. As the only British independent school invited to join Qatar’s Supreme Education Council’s Outstanding Schools Programme, Sherborne Qatar holds a unique and prestigious position.
Affiliated with the historic Sherborne School in the UK, founded in 1550, we uphold a rich legacy of academic excellence and character development. Our emphasis on academic success, small class sizes, pastoral care, and a wide range of extracurricular activities ensures the all-round development of every pupil.
Located next to the Mall of Qatar in the Grand Zone, Sherborne Senior School Qatar is looking to appoint inspirational, enthusiastic, and talented staff members as part of our exciting and rapid expansion.

Please note: All applicants must be under the age of 50 in order to comply with Qatar work visa restrictions.

Our Vision

To establish a group or family of schools to support Qatar’s 2030 Vision.

Our Mission

To produce well-educated, well-rounded individuals who have high aspirations and achieve their potential in a happy and nurturing school.

Our Values

Respect | Honesty | Kindness | Perseverance | Teamwork | Responsibility

Our Learning Dispositions

Creativity | Communication | Curiosity | Independence | Risk-taking | Resilience

The Role

We are seeking a dedicated and dynamic School Counsellor to join our team on a full-time basis. In this role, you will:

• Work closely with the Deputy Head Pastoral, safeguarding team, and parents to make referrals to appropriate external agencies.
  
• Create a safe psychological environment for students, promoting ongoing support and encouraging help-seeking behaviour.
  
• Develop and assess the effectiveness of psychological and social counselling programmes within the school.
  
• Provide counselling services for all age groups, including students with disabilities and learning difficulties.
  
• Prepare evaluation tools for psychological counselling processes.
  
• Ensure effective application of the school’s attendance and behaviour policies.
  
• Monitor and analyse student behavioural issues, support policy development, and recommend solutions.
  
• Provide psychological, social, and counselling consultations to students and parents.
  
• Coordinate with community organisations for the exchange of expertise in counselling.
  
• Stay updated with the latest developments in pupil counselling.
  
• Prepare and share resources/sessions to contribute to the school’s mental health and well-being programme.
  

Qualifications and Experience

Essential Qualifications:

• A Bachelor's degree in one of the following:
  
• Social Work
  
• Sociology
  
• Psychology
  
• Psychiatry
  

Required Competencies and Skills:

• Ability to apply effective and innovative strategies to support pupil development in areas including:
  
• Absenteeism, tardiness, skipping school
  
• Academic delay due to internal and external factors
  
• Behavioural and psychological challenges (aggression, anxiety, depression, bullying, etc.)
  
• Health issues (chronic diseases, disabilities, etc.)
  
• Social problems (isolation, discrimination, etc.)
  
• Economic challenges
  
• Strong counselling and interpersonal skills including:
  
• Active listening
  
• Cultural awareness
  
• Patience, empathy, and care
  
• Emotional intelligence and resilience
  
• Critical thinking and decision-making
  
• Problem-solving and communication
  
• Ability to build relationships and manage diverse pupil behaviour
  
• Report writing, form-filling, and organisational skills
  
• Administrative and technical competence relevant to school counselling
  

Safeguarding and Child Protection

Sherborne Qatar is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. All staff must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service.

In accordance with the statutory guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE), an online search will be conducted as part of due diligence on shortlisted candidates.