How to Become a School Counsellor – 8 Essential Steps to Follow

Have you ever noticed that children are often struggling with their mental health? This issue is becoming increasingly common today. Maintaining children’s mental health is just as important as their physical health. As this is gradually rising among the children and teenagers in schools and other educational organisations, the demand for school counselling is increasing day by day.

The need for school counsellors is internationally recognised. Especially in the UK, the government ensures that every student gets access to their counsellor whenever they are suffering from issues like self-harm or emotional turmoil. If you are empathetic and want to positively impact young lives, then you can count on your career as a school counsellor.

Now the question is how to become a school counsellor? No worries. In this blog, you will get everything from the job qualifications, salary range, to the career growth of a student counsellor. Let’s get started!

What Is a School Counsellor?

A school counsellor is a professional who works with students at all levels, from elementary school to secondary, to maximise student success and promote access and equity for all students. Their first and foremost duty is to listen to students’ concerns. Moreover, they may help students with issues such as bullying, disabilities, low self-esteem, poor academic performance, and relationship troubles.

Evaluating students’ abilities, interests, and personalities to help them develop realistic academic and career goals is also a part of the job. School counsellors facilitate aptitude tests and formulate potential paths to success.

What Does a School Counsellor Do?

Apart from counselling the students, there are many responsibilities of a counsellor at the school. They are also assigned to do the following responsibilities below-

• Help students create a plan to meet their academic and career goals
• Conduct aptitude tests and interviews to assess students’ abilities and interests
• Facilitate the students struggling with behavioural problems through counselling
• Enlighten students by providing information about their social and emotional needs
• Aid students in developing effective study habits
• Collaborate with teachers, administrators, and parents to help students succeed
• Deliver classroom lessons on topics such as bullying and drug abuse
• Make referrals for additional assistance or counselling outside the school

Types of School Counsellors

The common goal of all the school counsellors is to help their students thrive, but their responsibilities differ according to the level of education in which they work. Learn more about the different types of school counsellors and what they are responsible for.

Elementary School Counsellors

Elementary school is considered the crucial intellectual, mental, and emotional developmental period in the human lifespan. Children usually develop a strong self-concept at this stage. They also learn how to interact with others, like friends and teachers.

This is also an age where various issues, such as learning difficulties, family issues, and challenges with social skills, become clear. An elementary school counsellor helps students with these challenges by providing support and instruction where appropriate.

Secondary School Counsellors

High school is a challenging phase for most teenagers. Students are still establishing their identities, and generally place more importance on the feedback of their peers rather than their family members or authority figures. In addition, they face academic pressures and struggle to make certain life decisions.

Secondary school counsellors aid students in developing their educational and postsecondary plans. They work with teachers, parents, and other staff members on any developmental or learning issues. They also counsel individual students and groups with personal problems or issues. Overall,  a secondary school counsellor helps high school students to become responsible, productive, and fulfilled individuals and citizens.

School Counselling Coordinators and Directors

School counsellor coordinators and directors manage school counselling programs at the district and state levels. They create and implement a comprehensive school counselling plan, working with other school counsellors, educators, parents, teachers, student groups, and school administrators.

To assess progress toward the goals, school counselling directors review and analyse student data and outcomes and amend or alter the counselling plan. Thus, they ensure that counsellors are meeting the students’ needs. School counsellor directors may also design calendars and communication plans.

What are the Reasons to Become a School Counsellor?

If you want to step into a rewarding career lately, you must know why you should be a counsellor at school from the points mentioned below-

Opportunity To Do Meaningful Work

The role of a school counsellor enables you to earn a living while helping students overcome developmental, personal, and social problems. A counsellor’s main focus is helping students reach their full potential, and by doing so, they encourage them to pursue their passions and improve their weaknesses.

Diversity in Responsibilities

A school counselling job description is not confined to some limited tasks; they have busy schedules with diverse responsibilities. One day you might counsel a student individually, and another day you might help the school administration develop activities to enhance students’ performances. You might also participate in community outreach programs outside the school premises to learn more about the students’ home environments.

Ability to Ensure a Safe Space for Students

School counsellors create a safe space for students where they can share their concerns comfortably without fear of being judged. Young students often go through emotional turmoil, resulting in self-harming injuries. According to Baroness Walmsley, a member of the House of Lords, “School counsellors can be a very valuable resource in helping to tackle this terrible epidemic of emotional distress amongst young people, because they are non-stigmatising and easily accessible.”    

Pleasant Working Environment

A school counsellor primarily deals with students, which means they mostly work in public or private schools. Besides, they also work with teachers, staff members, and parents of the children. School counsellors may have small or large offices in strategic locations in the school.

In some cases, primary school counsellors use the classroom as an office. The counselling is usually conducted in a safe, private, and welcoming environment. Since the school counsellors mostly work in an academic setting, the work environment is comparatively safe, and the working hours are convenient.

Flexible Working Hours

School counsellors have the liberty to enjoy autonomy over their work. Many educational institutions allow counsellors to arrange their day as they like and meet with students when they want. School counsellors also have flexible work schedules since they rarely work on weekends or during holidays and breaks. They usually have summers off when school is not in session.

Career Growth

The need for school counsellors would always be in demand, meaning that they would have job stability while advancing their careers. Even if the market gets competitive, you can pursue higher degrees like a doctoral degree in clinical psychology and go on to become a school psychologist.

This will allow you to go further with the diagnosis and treatment of mental health issues and will broaden your employment opportunities, including academic research, consulting, and more. While working as a school counsellor, you can also expand your expertise and improve your counselling skills by doing online courses and increase your job opportunities.

Job Satisfaction

Due to the low stress level and work flexibility, counsellors usually have a higher level of job satisfaction. Also, with their counselling skills, they can contribute to different tasks, whether it’s an administrative task or teaching students on topics like abuse, bullying, and so on. That’s why there is hardly any boredom while serving as a school counsellor.

What are the Qualifications Required to Be a School Counsellor?

If you want to begin your student counselling career, you have to gain a proper qualification to be a counsellor. Let’s dive into what qualifications you should have-

Relevant Academic Degree

You have to complete your Bachelor’s and Master’s before getting into the counselling industry. It’s not compulsory to have a degree in psychology to be a counsellor. But it would be better if you had an academic degree in psychology.

Authorised Training

Whether you have an educational background in psychology or not, you must take authorised training on counselling to start your career in this sector. Completing a training on a Level 4 Diploma in Counselling or equivalent with an accredited university or organisation. You can look into the following organisations to get your training done:

• CPCAB (Counselling & Psychotherapy Central Awarding Body)
• BACP-accredited university programs
• Level 2, 3, and 4 counselling diplomas from reputable colleges

Online Professional Development Training

Developing your skills with the ongoing practices is the key to success in the sector. It supports you with upgraded knowledge and research to manage your role more efficiently. You can consider joining the psychology and counselling courses of Lead Academy to promote your career to the next level. Find the course that matches your aspiration.

Professional Accreditation

Having a professional accreditation membership can make your career portfolio strong in this sector. The membership with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) or the National Counselling Society (NCS), or any other accrediting awarding body, can establish you as a successful counsellor.

DBS Check

For working with children at school, it’s recommended to complete the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check to get better and safer opportunities in this sector. Mostly, the employer runs a DBS check to ensure the security and compliance of the school. But you can also do it by yourself online, following the DBS check guidance.

Important Skills for Counselling

To be a successful counsellor in schools, you must possess some noteworthy qualities, which are communication and interpersonal skills,problem-solving skills, active listening skills, time management skills, a non-judgmental attitude, empathy, and patience.

How to Become a School Counsellor in the UK

If you are interested in becoming a counsellor at school, follow the 8 steps mentioned below.

Step 1: Observe The Counselling Profession

To make sure that this career path is right, you will need to research and have a good understanding of school counselling job responsibilities, qualifications, the salary you can earn, and what your working environment will be like. If all the criteria match your expectations, you might proceed to gain the required training and qualifications. Whether you have the emotional and mental skills to manage the profession perfectly.

Step 2: Gain The Academic Qualification

The most important step to becoming a school counsellor is to earn a bachelor’s degree. You can complete your bachelor’s in counselling, psychology, or any other relevant subject. However, you can have a degree in any subject, like business, economics, or philosophy, and still become a counsellor.

The next step in becoming a school counsellor is to earn a master’s degree. Look for a master’s degree programme in school counselling or a closely related subject with adequate coursework to fulfil the state requirements.

Step 3: Get a Professional Membership

As counselling is an important role, it is highly recommended to get a professional membership from the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) or any other accredited organisations, as mentioned earlier. It helps to access the resources, and create networking opportunities.

Step 4: Complete Professional Counselling Experience

You will be required to complete an internship as part of your master’s degree programme. Look into the student counsellor placements. You will be placed in a district of your choice and mentored by the current school counsellor. They will guide you throughout your internship and help you develop the essential skills you need to be successful at the job. Also, volunteering in an educational organisation as a counsellor assistant can be beneficial too.

Moreover, it can help you to get the hands-on experience of counselling individuals of different ages. Also, you can learn to apply the counselling techniques in real-life situations, build an emotional connection with students, and implement safeguarding procedures.

Step 5: Create Your Work Portfolio

To successfully land this job, you will need to ensure that your application grabs the attention of the hiring manager. This means that you will need to prepare a professional CV or resume that highlights all your skills, qualifications, experience, and passion. Make sure to read the job description and requirements before you apply. Attach a well-structured cover letter when sending your application.

Step 6: Prepare Yourself for the Interview

Giving an interview for a job is stressful, so it is better to prepare a few answers to common interview questions beforehand. The questions might include:

• What is their role regarding teachers, parents, administrators, and other counsellors?
• Why do you want to be a school counsellor?
• How do you see the word ‘leader’ fitting into your role as a counsellor?
• Why do you want to work at this particular school?

Step 7: Apply for Your First Job

Keep the update of student counsellor vacancies regularly. Start applying directly to open positions on various job boards. You can look for school counsellor jobs on the following sites in the UK-

• British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP)
• Indeed
• Job is Job

Step 8: Learn About the UK Government Policy

While working in schools and educational institutions, you should be aware of the educational policies of governments. It helps to be informed about the updated information on mental health guidelines for the schools. As of 2025, the recent updates on educational policies and mental health guidance:

• Wellbeing for Education Recovery program that motivates schools to hire trained counsellors to support their mental health strategies.
• Ofsted’s increased focus on student wellbeing, which focuses on the increasing demand for mental health professionals in education.

Follow the UK Gov. Site and BACP’s authorised websites to get the policy updates.

School counsellors typically work at the elementary or secondary level in schools; however, if you want to advance in your career, you can proceed to gain your PhD in psychology to work as a school psychologist. Additionally, you can also work in healthcare, private clinics, or offer your services online via video chat.

How Much Does a School Counsellor Earn?

The salary range of school counsellors depends on several factors, like location, experience level, their work position, and so on. For example, different areas of the UK offer salary ranges from an average salary of £23,000 to £26,000 annually. The highest paying areas of the UK are Blackpool, Horsham, Birmingham, Belfast, etc.

According to the UK government, the annual salary for a starter counsellor is £24,000 and experienced counsellor is £46,000. In the case of the school counsellor, it may vary with the school policy.

The new-entry student counsellor may earn £24,000 to £26,000 annually. After gaining experience of 3 to 5 years, it may raise around £28,000 to £32,000 in a year. With the experience of 7 to 10 years, it may be upgraded to £35,000 to £40,000.

Difference between a School Counsellor and other Similar Careers

Many people often confuse the school counselling role with other career paths, but it is a distinct occupation with its duties.

1. School Counsellor vs Counsellor

The difference between school counsellors and counsellors is that counsellors generally work with individuals, families, and groups, assisting them with specific emotional, behavioural, and psychiatric issues.

School counsellors, on the other hand, do work with individuals and groups, but their main focus is on the students’ academic and developmental needs; improving academic outcomes, career guidance, and more.

2. School Counsellor vs Guidance Counsellor

Guidance counsellors have a limited role in the lives of students, as compared to school counsellors. They provide guidance in post-graduation planning and vocational opportunities. Guidance counsellors generally work in isolation and do not have to plan a guidance curriculum that accommodates students with specific needs.

On the contrary, school counsellors take a far more comprehensive approach to student success. School counselling covers vocational assessments and training; explores aspects of the social, emotional, behavioural and mental wellness of students to ensure academic success.

They are trained to assist students from applying to college to connecting students with resources that may help them cope with traumatic life events or crises.

3. School Counsellor vs School Social Worker

School social workers focus more on a student’s family life than school counsellors do. They may become aware of the issues of a student’s life and help connect the student’s family to resources, resources that include the school social worker. On the other hand, the social worker might act as a case manager, helping students access benefits, therapy, and other programs to make their family life stable.

Conclusion

The role of a school counsellor is a fulfilling one as it provides the opportunity to be involved in the growth and prosperity of students. As these students hold the future of a nation, they need proper guidance at their developmental stage, which can be ensured by their counsellors only.

You can also be a part of this rewarding career by earning the required qualification, undergoing school counsellor training, and if you are empathetic, patient, and calm in nature.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is The Fastest Way to Become a Licenced School Counsellor?

The best and fastest way to become a licenced counsellor is to complete the Level 4 Diploma in Counselling and register with the professional bodies, British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). After completing one or two years of a part-time program, you can be a licenced counsellor.

What to Read Next:

• How to Become a Counselling Psychologist
• How to Address The Power Imbalance in Counselling?
• How Long Does It Take to Become a Counsellor
• Difference Between Directive, Non-Directive and Eclectic Counselling
• How to Become a Therapist Without a Degree
• 3 Main Ways of How to Become a Counsellor Without Going to University
• What are Counselling Skills – Beginner’s Guide to Develop Counselling Skills