Job Description

Job Title: Assistant Educational Psychologist (2 posts)

Salary: Soulbury, Assistant Educational Psychologists, Scale 1–5: £38,607 - £43,115 (per annum, full-time / pro rata if part-time)

Fringe Allowance: £1,005 per annum (pro rata where part-time)

Contract Type: Permanent (Local Government Terms & Conditions)

Working Hours: 37 hours per week or 22.2 hours per week Please state your preference within your application

About Us

Thurrock is served by the C2C railway which connects London Fenchurch Street and Shoeburyness, meaning the average train journey time from London to Grays is 40 minutes. Thurrock also has easy access to the A13, M25 and Dartford Crossing.

Thurrock is one of the fastest growing populations in the Eastern Region, with an increasingly diverse community making for interesting and rewarding work. Thurrock EPS has a continued focus on inclusion and diversity through a series of reflective and pro-active activities to ensure fair and equitable access to our service for all.

Thurrock Educational Psychology Service (EPS) is a small and supportive team with a strong commitment to collaborative working and professional development. We focus on high-quality, evidence-informed practice and fostering inclusive outcomes for children and young people.

We put staff wellbeing and work-life balance at the forefront of what we do. We believe that happy and well-supported staff means better outcomes for our children and young people.

About the Role

Purpose of the role

• To develop your applied psychological skills under the close and supportive supervision of an HCPC registered practitioner psychologist gain applied experience under the supervision of qualified Educational Psychologists
• Employed to support our traded service delivery through early intervention, training, and project work, with the potential for involvement in psychological research to help shape approaches to supporting children, young people and their families.
• Supporting the delivery of our statutory duties such as information gathering, structured observations, or case preparation, while not undertaking statutory assessments (in-line with BPS and AEP guidance).

Typical duties

• Supporting early intervention work in schools and educational settings
• Carrying out structured observations, information‑gathering and data collation
• Assisting with psychological assessments (under supervision)
• Supporting delivery of interventions, projects, and training activities
• Contributing to research, audit, and service development work
• Liaising with schools, families and professionals alongside qualified EPs

Ways of working

• Posts are offered within the Educational Psychology Service (EPS), with direct supervision from an HCPC registered Educational Psychologist.
• Assistant EPs are fully integrated into the EP Team, taking part in a variety of activities working alongside our highly experienced and skilled EPs. This includes joint casework, project collaboration, and delivery of training and intervention.
• Assistant EPs attend all team meetings and social events, with a focus on inclusion and wellbeing.
• The scope of this role is also designed to support those individuals who may wish to go on to apply for the Doctoral EP training programme, including developing their knowledge in child development and applied psychology.
• You will receive a comprehensive induction programme so that you have an in-depth understanding of Thurrock, its community, and how the council supports children, families and schools across the borough.
• Opportunities to develop your own area of interests and expertise to support the delivery of psychological services in Thurrock (including opportunities to lead on project work)
• Working in a variety of educational settings across the borough

We’re Looking For someone who has:

• A 2:2 or above Psychology degree (or BPS‑accredited conversion/Masters)
• Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC) eligibility with BPS
• Relevant experience working with children and young people (0–25) for a minimum of 2 years
• Full-time (e.g. not enrolled on another course)

DBS Check: At Enhanced Level with Children's Barred List is required for this post.

Benefits of Working with Us

• Support, respect and full inclusion within our well-established and highly regarded EP service.
• Opportunities to deliver psychology creatively, in different contexts, and to explore new ways of working through research and project work.
• A commitment to CPD, professional and personal development.
• Regular one-to-one supervision, peer supervision, and opportunities for case discussion (including an enhanced supervision and induction programme for new starters).
• A culture of a healthy work/life balance through flexible working arrangements and forward-thinking IT solutions.
• The opportunity to participate in service development and transformation in a rapidly changing environment.
• Generous Local Government Pension Scheme
• Wellbeing benefits including Employee Assistance Programme and wellbeing support
• Staff discounts and local offers

Key Dates

Closing Date: 4th October 2026

Interview Date: W/c 12th October 2026

Additional Information

Please see contact details below for informal enquiries, and to request a copy of our recruitment brochure which details the many benefits of working for Thurrock EPS:

Dr Louise Miller, Principal Educational Psychologist: louise.miller@thurrock.gov.uk

EP Support Team: EPSupport@thurrock.gov.uk

Thurrock Education Psychology Team (EPS) | Ask Thurrock

To view the Job Profile and Person Specification please follow the link below:

Download Job Profile (PDF Document)

Safer Recruitment Application Requirements

As part of the Safer Recruitment process, Gap Management from when leaving full-time education is required for all Safeguarding roles. Please complete the Gaps in Employment grid provided (refer to the example document for guidance) and upload it under Miscellaneous Documents as part of your application. Please provide a full history with explanations of any gaps and ensure you also upload a copy of your full CV.

If the Job Profile and Person Specification list any qualifications as essential, please also upload copies of those relevant qualifications.

Gaps in Employment Form

Gaps in Employment Example

Why Thurrock?

Working at Thurrock Council gives you the opportunity to join an organisation that is changing at pace, one where you can make a real difference to the lives of the people we serve.

Thurrock Council is moving towards a new community leadership approach which involves linking with local partners and communities as we shape our improvement for the years ahead.

This is an exciting time to join us, to shape the future success of our changing organisation and to have a positive influence on our borough.

Our location

Thurrock is located on the north bank of the river Thames. Our urban centres are a vibrant mix of established towns and new young communities, with a diverse and growing population of around 160,000 residents.

We are an emerging cultural and arts centre, home to the production centre for the Royal Opera House and the National Skills Academy for Creative and Cultural Skills. We have excellent retail and leisure opportunities, including Lakeside Shopping Centre, country parks, forests, and marshes.

Thurrock is just half an hour journey away from the centre of London by train and well connected by road.

Staff benefits

We offer lots of staff benefits, including a generous annual leave entitlement and hybrid working. We champion flexible working and job share applications are welcome.

Further information can be found here Employment benefits | Working for the council | Thurrock Council

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

Thurrock Council is committed to equal opportunities. As a Disability Confident Employer, disabled people will be offered an interview where they meet all essential criteria on the person specification.

We serve a diverse community where people are different yet equal. Diversity underpins everything we do.

For further information about Thurrock Council please visit our website: Thurrock Council