Current Vacancies

Educational Psychology Assistant

Fixed Term Contract (to July 2027)

Salary: Pro-rata salary of £ 25706.72 per annum for 38 weeks which is a full-time equivalent on Cognus pay scale 25 of £31,336.57

Location: Cognus Office, First Floor, Cantium House, Wallington, SM6 0DZ  

Cognus Limited is a Local Authority Traded Company, which is commissioned by the London Borough of Sutton to provide education services to early years providers, mainstream schools and specialist education settings in Sutton. Wholly owned by the local authority, we deliver a wide range of high-quality services to deliver excellent practice that improve the lives of children, young people, and families in Sutton and beyond.

Cognus Educational Psychology Service is looking to recruit an Educational Psychology Assistant (EPA) to join the team. The Assistant will be based in a school and work under the supervision of an Educational Psychologist in the Cognus team. This is an exciting opportunity for an aspiring Educational Psychologist to develop skills in a number of areas prior to applying for a place on the doctoral training course. Cognus EP service has close connections with the London Doctorate courses and has supervisors and tutors from the UCL / IOE doctorate program among the team.  

Cognus EPS consists of qualified Educational Psychologists, and Trainee Educational Psychologists as well as four mental health practitioners who work as part of the Sutton Wellbeing Service. We offer a traded service to schools in Sutton as well as other local settings and work on a number of commissioned projects with other professional groups and organisations in the local area. The team works directly in schools, and liaises closely with school staff, parents/carers and other professionals.  

We are seeking to appoint someone who is enthusiastic, willing to learn, able to work as part of a school team and to be able to show initiative. The Assistant will apply psychological theory and practice in direct work with pupils and families, and work to undertake the recommendations of a qualified Educational Psychologist linked to a school. It is anticipated that the role will involve direct intervention work with children, young people and families as well as to gather information about the needs of pupils to support the work of the EP. The role will also involve assisting in delivering of training for school staff, workshops for parents/carers and the creation of resources for the school.  

The opportunity for this position has arisen due to an increase in the demand for Educational Psychology support within schools and colleges, and the desire to have increased Educational Psychology presence to complement the work of the qualified EP.  

Applicants will need to demonstrate good knowledge and strong understanding of psychological theory and practice. They will need to have a First-Class Honours Degree or 2:1 Honours Degree in Psychology, or a Master’s degree in Psychology. This must be accredited with the BPS. This would include an understanding of child development, trauma informed working, and the evidence base for supporting low level emotional well-being and mental health needs. Applicants will also need to have experience of applying psychology theory in educational or community settings and strong communication and interpersonal skills. Additional training will be provided at the start and throughout this post, but a pre-existing knowledge base and experience is required.   

It should be noted that this position is a fixed term contract until the end of July 2027. The successful applicant will be employed by Cognus.  

Cognus is part of the London Borough of Sutton. For more information about Cognus Ltd please see website: https://cognus.org.uk

You will give us great commitment and in return we offer an excellent package including:

i) Starting salary of £25706.72 for 38 weeks (Contract from September 2026 to July 2027)   

ii) Workplace pension scheme 4% to 8% matched contributions

iii) 28 days annual leave pro rata (plus Bank Holidays)

iv) Regular manager support and supervision

v) Hybrid and flexible working

vi) Staff benefits package; currently including Employee Assistance Programme, life insurance, employee benefits platform and (upon completion of probation) health care [Cognus reserves the right to adjust these additional discretionary benefits to improve quality of their services provided, maintain affordability for the Company and to ensure benefits remain fit for purpose with staff needs.]  

vii) Staff EDI group and Mental Health First Aiders to support wellbeing and inclusion

viii) Cognus Coaching Programmes

ix) An ambitious culture with friendly and supportive colleagues  

If you are interested and would like to be considered for this role, please apply to recruitment@cognus.org.uk with the completed application form, downloaded from https://www.cognus.org.uk/work-with-us/currentvacancies/cognus-application-form/ and a CV with a detailed supporting statement, outlining your suitability.

The deadline for receipt is 15th June 2026.  Candidates will be informed separately re. interview arrangements.   To help us manage recruitment efficiently, some vacancies may close early once we have received a sufficient number of applications.

Applicants must have the required educational qualifications and be eligible for registration with the British Psychological Society.

If you would like to have an informal discussion about the role, please contact Principal Educational Psychologist: Nicholas English, nicholas.english@cognus.org.uk.

All offers of employment are subject to successful completion of recruitment formalities which includes an enhanced DBS check. These checks must have been completed before the commencement of employment. We expect our staff to have due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and to follow the child protection procedures adopted by the Company and Sutton’s Local Safeguarding Partnership.