Senior Mental Health Lead
| Posting date: | 27 February 2026 |
|---|---|
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 15 March 2026 |
| Location: | Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO6 3YB |
| Company: | Teaching Vacancies |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | cf3f9218-2ca9-466f-a837-38194898dafc |
Summary
What skills and experience we're looking for
Every day will be different. Every decision will matter. Every relationship will change a life.
At The Wymering School, wellbeing isn’t an add-on – it is the foundation for everything we do.
This is not a quiet, behind-the-scenes role. You will move from leading whole-school strategy, to sitting beside a young person in crisis, to guiding staff through complex conversations, to helping families feel hope again.
Our students don’t arrive with simple stories. They arrive with anxiety that stops them entering classrooms. With grief that sits just beneath the surface. With anger that protects something fragile. With nervous systems that have learned not to feel safe. You will be key in helping to unpick what those behaviours are really saying.
And then there are the moments that make it all worthwhile:
A student using the language of emotions for the first time. A safety plan that works. A staff team that feels confident and calm. A family hearing,“Today was a good day.”
A student who thanks you for listening
Those moments are everything.
The role
As Senior Mental Health Lead, you will shape and lead mental health and wellbeing across the whole school while remaining closely connected to the students who need it most.
You will:
• Deliver 1:1 interventions for students experiencing anxiety, low mood, anger, grief and self-esteem difficulties
• Lead whole-school mental health assessment, using data to identify need and match students to the right level of support
• Oversee and continually develop our 7-year wellbeing curriculum
• Support and train staff to deliver effective, trauma-informed practice every day
• Play a key role in safeguarding, including risk assessment, safety planning and responding to high-intensity situations
• Work closely with families, CAMHS and external agencies to secure the right support
• Chair wellbeing teams, drive initiatives and shape the next phase of our provision, including DNA-V therapy and outreach work
• Be a calm, visible presence around the school as part of the on-call team
Academic progress matters. But emotional safety comes first – and you will lead the culture that makes learning possible.
Who we’re looking for
You will thrive in this role if you:
• Are warm, emotionally intelligent and able to build deep trust
• Stay calm and clear-thinking in crisis situations
• Can balance strategic leadership with hands-on support
• Understand trauma-informed practice and child and adolescent mental health
• Are motivated by long-term impact rather than quick wins
• Can guide, train and inspire others with confidence and compassion
What the school offers its staff
About us
The Wymering School, part of the Southern Education Trust, we believe every child deserves to be seen, understood and empowered to succeed – no matter the challenges they face. Our pupils are extraordinary young people with Social Communication and Interaction needs, Speech, Language and Communication difficulties, and high levels of anxiety and associated distressed behaviours.
Their progress is not always loud or visible. Sometimes it’s a raised hand. A calm moment. A return to a lesson. A moment of trust.
Our values –Togetherness, Resilience, Enthusiasm and Kindnessare not words on a wall. They are seen in how staff support each other after a hard day. How we reflect. How we celebrate the smallest steps.
What we offer
• A compassionate, reflective team who carry the emotional weight together
• A role with genuine influence across the school and the Trust
• Ongoing professional growth and leadership opportunities
• A culture where wellbeing is lived, not labelled
• Work that is deeply human and genuinely life-changing
• The opportunity to change lives – often through small, powerful moments that stay with pupils forever.
• Early Friday finish – because wellbeing matters for staff too.
• Outstanding induction, mentoring and training opportunities.
• As part of the Southern Education Trust, you will contribute to our shared vision: “Making Lives Better.”
The truth
This role is demanding.
You will make difficult decisions.You will walk into crisis situations. You will be relied upon. But you will also:
Be supported. Change how families experience school. Change how young people see themselves.Have the opportunity to lead change.
And when a young person who once felt unsafe begins to feel they belong –you will know you helped make that happen.
Further details about the role
If you believe wellbeing is the foundation for learning and want your work to matter every single day, we would love to hear from you.
Become part of our journey by completing our Support Staff Application Form and returning it to recruitment@southern.education if you would like to apply (please see our Senior Mental Health Lead Job Description and our Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy for further information). If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Kate at the recruitment address, who will be happy to assist you.
Closing Date: 15th March 2026
Interview Date: 26th March 2026
Please note: Applications may be viewed on receipt and interviews arranged sooner than the above date.
Commitment to safeguarding
The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share the same commitment. Please ensure a full work history is completed in your application form including any gaps of employment. Applicants will be required to complete satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly CRB) check is required for this post prior to commencement. The Trust is an equal opportunities employer. If successfully shortlisted we would carry out an individual online search to demonstrate due diligence following the updated ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education 2022' guidance.
Every day will be different. Every decision will matter. Every relationship will change a life.
At The Wymering School, wellbeing isn’t an add-on – it is the foundation for everything we do.
This is not a quiet, behind-the-scenes role. You will move from leading whole-school strategy, to sitting beside a young person in crisis, to guiding staff through complex conversations, to helping families feel hope again.
Our students don’t arrive with simple stories. They arrive with anxiety that stops them entering classrooms. With grief that sits just beneath the surface. With anger that protects something fragile. With nervous systems that have learned not to feel safe. You will be key in helping to unpick what those behaviours are really saying.
And then there are the moments that make it all worthwhile:
A student using the language of emotions for the first time. A safety plan that works. A staff team that feels confident and calm. A family hearing,“Today was a good day.”
A student who thanks you for listening
Those moments are everything.
The role
As Senior Mental Health Lead, you will shape and lead mental health and wellbeing across the whole school while remaining closely connected to the students who need it most.
You will:
• Deliver 1:1 interventions for students experiencing anxiety, low mood, anger, grief and self-esteem difficulties
• Lead whole-school mental health assessment, using data to identify need and match students to the right level of support
• Oversee and continually develop our 7-year wellbeing curriculum
• Support and train staff to deliver effective, trauma-informed practice every day
• Play a key role in safeguarding, including risk assessment, safety planning and responding to high-intensity situations
• Work closely with families, CAMHS and external agencies to secure the right support
• Chair wellbeing teams, drive initiatives and shape the next phase of our provision, including DNA-V therapy and outreach work
• Be a calm, visible presence around the school as part of the on-call team
Academic progress matters. But emotional safety comes first – and you will lead the culture that makes learning possible.
Who we’re looking for
You will thrive in this role if you:
• Are warm, emotionally intelligent and able to build deep trust
• Stay calm and clear-thinking in crisis situations
• Can balance strategic leadership with hands-on support
• Understand trauma-informed practice and child and adolescent mental health
• Are motivated by long-term impact rather than quick wins
• Can guide, train and inspire others with confidence and compassion
What the school offers its staff
About us
The Wymering School, part of the Southern Education Trust, we believe every child deserves to be seen, understood and empowered to succeed – no matter the challenges they face. Our pupils are extraordinary young people with Social Communication and Interaction needs, Speech, Language and Communication difficulties, and high levels of anxiety and associated distressed behaviours.
Their progress is not always loud or visible. Sometimes it’s a raised hand. A calm moment. A return to a lesson. A moment of trust.
Our values –Togetherness, Resilience, Enthusiasm and Kindnessare not words on a wall. They are seen in how staff support each other after a hard day. How we reflect. How we celebrate the smallest steps.
What we offer
• A compassionate, reflective team who carry the emotional weight together
• A role with genuine influence across the school and the Trust
• Ongoing professional growth and leadership opportunities
• A culture where wellbeing is lived, not labelled
• Work that is deeply human and genuinely life-changing
• The opportunity to change lives – often through small, powerful moments that stay with pupils forever.
• Early Friday finish – because wellbeing matters for staff too.
• Outstanding induction, mentoring and training opportunities.
• As part of the Southern Education Trust, you will contribute to our shared vision: “Making Lives Better.”
The truth
This role is demanding.
You will make difficult decisions.You will walk into crisis situations. You will be relied upon. But you will also:
Be supported. Change how families experience school. Change how young people see themselves.Have the opportunity to lead change.
And when a young person who once felt unsafe begins to feel they belong –you will know you helped make that happen.
Further details about the role
If you believe wellbeing is the foundation for learning and want your work to matter every single day, we would love to hear from you.
Become part of our journey by completing our Support Staff Application Form and returning it to recruitment@southern.education if you would like to apply (please see our Senior Mental Health Lead Job Description and our Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy for further information). If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Kate at the recruitment address, who will be happy to assist you.
Closing Date: 15th March 2026
Interview Date: 26th March 2026
Please note: Applications may be viewed on receipt and interviews arranged sooner than the above date.
Commitment to safeguarding
The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share the same commitment. Please ensure a full work history is completed in your application form including any gaps of employment. Applicants will be required to complete satisfactory enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly CRB) check is required for this post prior to commencement. The Trust is an equal opportunities employer. If successfully shortlisted we would carry out an individual online search to demonstrate due diligence following the updated ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education 2022' guidance.