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Create CVIf you search school counselor UK salary, the fast answer is this: most UK school counsellor salaries sit in a practical market range of about £24,000 to £40,000 FTE, with many mainstream employed roles clustering around the high £20,000s to high £30,000s, while premium independent school posts and broader mental health lead roles can push higher.
Live data sources currently show different averages because they measure different samples:
National Careers Service: £25,000 to £48,000
Indeed: ~£34,572 average
Glassdoor: ~£24,864 to £25,516
PayScale: ~£23,496 to £24,143
In practice, the difference usually comes down to whether the role is term time only, support staff graded, privately funded, part time, or bundled with safeguarding, pastoral, or mental health leadership responsibilities.
The most useful answer is a market range, not a single number.
Entry to lower mid market: £24,000 to £30,000 FTE
Established school counsellor: £30,000 to £38,000 FTE
Senior or independent school roles: £38,000 to £60,000+ FTE
A key distinction: FTE vs actual salary.
Example:
£36,000 FTE may translate to ~£25,000 actual due to term time only contracts.
£24,000 to £30,000 FTE
Often newly qualified or transitioning into schools
Limited safeguarding exposure
£30,000 to £38,000 FTE
Strong CYP experience
Confident in school systems and referrals
A major driver of confusion.
Example:
£35,000 FTE may equal £26,000 actual.
Independent schools: higher budgets, higher expectations
State schools: tied to support staff pay bands
Pure counselling role = lower pay
Mental Health Lead + Counsellor = higher pay
£38,000 to £60,000+ FTE
Mental health leadership
Multi-agency work
Strategic school impact
London = higher ceiling
Regional schools = compressed salaries
Real-world examples:
1 day per week role: ~£5,800 actual
Mental Health Lead: £36K to £39K FTE
Student Counsellor: ~£25K to £27K actual
Manchester role: ~£30K FTE
Independent school: up to £60K
Schools pay for deployability, not just certificates.
Key requirements:
Level 4 Diploma (minimum)
Level 5 CYP counselling (preferred)
BACP, UKCP, or NCPS registration
100+ hours CYP experience
Direct school experience
Strong safeguarding knowledge
CYP-specific training
Outcome-focused work
Generic counselling CV
No school context
Adult-only experience
No measurable impact
Schools value:
Reduced waiting times
Improved referrals
Safeguarding confidence
Student engagement
Attendance improvement
Behaviour stabilisation
Risk management
Wellbeing metrics
Know:
FTE vs actual
Term time vs full year
Pro rata calculations
Candidate Name: Amelia Shah
Target Job Title: Senior School Counsellor
Location: London, UK
Professional Summary
BACP registered counsellor with 8+ years’ experience in secondary school environments. Specialist in CYP therapy, safeguarding, and multi-agency collaboration. Proven ability to reduce referral delays and improve student engagement.
Core Expertise
School-based counselling
Safeguarding & risk escalation
Trauma-informed practice
Pastoral collaboration
Referral management
Outcome reporting
Professional Experience
Senior School Counsellor
Independent School, London | 2021–Present
Managed complex student caseload (ages 11–18)
Reduced referral delays through triage system
Delivered outcome reporting to leadership
Led parent consultations and staff training
School Counsellor
Academy Trust | 2017–2021
Delivered counselling across two schools
Worked with SENCO, DSL, pastoral teams
Improved referral quality system-wide
Education
Level 5 CYP Counselling
Level 4 Diploma Counselling
Memberships
“Compassionate counsellor who helps students.”
“BACP registered school counsellor with 8+ years’ experience supporting students aged 11–18, specialising in safeguarding-aligned interventions and school-wide mental health support.”
These are different career tracks with different pay ceilings.
FTE ≠ take-home pay.
Schools prioritise child-specific competence.
Impact matters more than activity.
Is it counselling only or broader leadership?
High-risk caseload = higher value.
Term time vs full time.
Independent vs state.
Proven outcomes vs generic experience.
Moderate earning potential unless:
You move into leadership
You work in independent schools
You combine with private practice
Entry: £26K to £32K FTE
Mid: £32K to £38K FTE
Senior: £38K to £45K+
Premium roles: £45K to £60K+
The most useful answer is a market range, not a single number.
Entry to lower mid market: £24,000 to £30,000 FTE
Established school counsellor: £30,000 to £38,000 FTE
Senior or independent school roles: £38,000 to £60,000+ FTE
A key distinction: FTE vs actual salary.
Example:
£36,000 FTE may translate to ~£25,000 actual due to term time only contracts.
£24,000 to £30,000 FTE
Often newly qualified or transitioning into schools
Limited safeguarding exposure
£30,000 to £38,000 FTE
Strong CYP experience
Confident in school systems and referrals
£38,000 to £60,000+ FTE
Mental health leadership
Multi-agency work
Strategic school impact
A major driver of confusion.
Example:
£35,000 FTE may equal £26,000 actual.
Independent schools: higher budgets, higher expectations
State schools: tied to support staff pay bands
Pure counselling role = lower pay
Mental Health Lead + Counsellor = higher pay
London = higher ceiling
Regional schools = compressed salaries
Real-world examples:
1 day per week role: ~£5,800 actual
Mental Health Lead: £36K to £39K FTE
Student Counsellor: ~£25K to £27K actual
Manchester role: ~£30K FTE
Independent school: up to £60K
Schools pay for deployability, not just certificates.
Key requirements:
Level 4 Diploma (minimum)
Level 5 CYP counselling (preferred)
BACP, UKCP, or NCPS registration
100+ hours CYP experience
Direct school experience
Strong safeguarding knowledge
CYP-specific training
Outcome-focused work
Generic counselling CV
No school context
Adult-only experience
No measurable impact
Schools value:
Reduced waiting times
Improved referrals
Safeguarding confidence
Student engagement
Attendance improvement
Behaviour stabilisation
Risk management
Wellbeing metrics
Know:
FTE vs actual
Term time vs full year
Pro rata calculations
Candidate Name: Amelia Shah
Target Job Title: Senior School Counsellor
Location: London, UK
Professional Summary
BACP registered counsellor with 8+ years’ experience in secondary school environments. Specialist in CYP therapy, safeguarding, and multi-agency collaboration. Proven ability to reduce referral delays and improve student engagement.
Core Expertise
School-based counselling
Safeguarding & risk escalation
Trauma-informed practice
Pastoral collaboration
Referral management
Outcome reporting
Professional Experience
Senior School Counsellor
Independent School, London | 2021–Present
Managed complex student caseload (ages 11–18)
Reduced referral delays through triage system
Delivered outcome reporting to leadership
Led parent consultations and staff training
School Counsellor
Academy Trust | 2017–2021
Delivered counselling across two schools
Worked with SENCO, DSL, pastoral teams
Improved referral quality system-wide
Education
Level 5 CYP Counselling
Level 4 Diploma Counselling
Memberships
“Compassionate counsellor who helps students.”
“BACP registered school counsellor with 8+ years’ experience supporting students aged 11–18, specialising in safeguarding-aligned interventions and school-wide mental health support.”
These are different career tracks with different pay ceilings.
FTE ≠ take-home pay.
Schools prioritise child-specific competence.
Impact matters more than activity.
Is it counselling only or broader leadership?
High-risk caseload = higher value.
Term time vs full time.
Independent vs state.
Proven outcomes vs generic experience.
Moderate earning potential unless:
You move into leadership
You work in independent schools
You combine with private practice
Entry: £26K to £32K FTE
Mid: £32K to £38K FTE
Senior: £38K to £45K+
Premium roles: £45K to £60K+
Because most roles are term time only. FTE shows theoretical full-time pay, while actual shows real earnings.
Yes, but usually in senior, independent school, or leadership roles.
Indirectly. It increases credibility, shortlist chances, and trust.
Often yes, due to higher budgets and expectations.
School experience
Safeguarding skills
CYP expertise
Measurable impact
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