CORE PURPOSE

We are seeking an assertive, organized, and empathetic Attendance Officer to lead whole-school attendance strategies, reduce persistent absence, and promote high levels of student participation across Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4, and Key Stage 5. Working closely with pastoral leads, senior leadership, and safeguarding teams, the successful candidate will monitor daily attendance, conduct home visits, liaise with parents and external agencies, and ensure statutory compliance with local authority education welfare guidelines.

THE SCHOOL

Set on a modern campus featuring purpose-built pastoral hubs, contemporary administrative suites, and integrated Management Information Systems, this vibrant secondary academy supports over 1,100 pupils aged 11–18 in Walsall. As part of a collaborative regional Multi-Academy Trust, the school combines high academic standards with a strong commitment to pastoral care and student wellbeing. The pastoral team forms a central pillar of the academy, working tirelessly to break down barriers to education, foster community trust, and maintain exceptional standards of pupil attendance and punctuality.

KEY TASKS & DAILY OPERATIONS

• Daily Register & Tracking Management: Monitor and analyse morning and afternoon registration data using school software (e.g., SIMS, Arbor, or Bromcom), identifying unexplained absences, first-day phone calls, and patterns of truancy.

• Casework & Parental Engagement: Conduct targeted casework for students falling below national attendance thresholds, conducting meetings with parents/carers to draw up attendance contracts and supportive action plans.

• Home Visits & Safeguarding: Perform home visits for persistently absent pupils in accordance with school safeguarding and lone working protocols, verifying welfare and offering direct family support.

• Statutory Compliance & Legal Referral: Prepare court-ready attendance reports, penalty notice applications, and formal documentation for Walsall Local Authority Education Welfare Services when statutory intervention is required.

• Data Reporting & Interventions: Generate weekly and termly attendance reports for Senior Leadership Teams (SLT), Heads of Year, and Governors, driving rewards initiatives and targeted attendance interventions across form groups.

PROFILE REQUIREMENTS

• Qualifications: Strong general education background including GCSEs (or equivalent) in English and Mathematics at Grade 4/C or above. Specific qualifications or training in Education Welfare, Social Care, or Safeguarding are highly desirable.

• Experience: Proven experience in an attendance, pastoral support, education welfare, or family support role within a UK secondary school, academy, or local authority setting.

• Skills: Excellent communication and conflict-resolution skills, strong data management capabilities, proficiency with education MIS platforms, deep understanding of UK attendance legislation and safeguarding practices, and a firm yet compassionate approach to family engagement.

REGIONAL CONTEXT

• Local Area & Community: Located in the northern West Midlands, Walsall is a historic Black Country industrial town known for its famous leatherworking heritage, strong local communities, and significant ongoing urban regeneration. The town offers excellent local amenities, including the New Art Gallery Walsall, historic leather museums, and sprawling green spaces such as Walsall Arboretum.

• Transport & Commuting: Walsall boasts superb transport connectivity across the West Midlands and Staffordshire. Positioned directly alongside the M6 motorway corridor (Junctions 9 and 10) and key arterial routes like the A12, road commuting across Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and West Bromwich is highly convenient. Public transport is comprehensive, featuring extensive National Express West Midlands bus routes and Walsall Railway Station, which provides frequent direct rail lines into Birmingham New Street and Wolverhampton.

APPLICATION INTAKE

Please submit your current CV to begin the application process.