Attendance and Family Support Officer

To be the “First day response” contact for all on and offsite students not in and for all persistent absentees (< 90% attendance). Sharing information with relevant staff using the Academy’s communication systems.

Regularly conduct home visits to facilitate the pupils return to regular full-time education.

Undertake safeguarding checks as directed by the Deputy Headteacher and Headteacher.

To promote a positive attitude towards education and ensure parents are made fully aware of their statutory responsibilities.

To establish the reason for non-attendance, make assessments and agree a plan for facilitating a return to school using appropriate strategies within specified timescales.

To arrange, chair and document Attendance Support Plan meetings.

To significantly reduce persistent absence.

To ensure that every child identified as persistently absent has a pastoral support plan that clearly details the actions, targets and review dates to be achieved in reducing absence within an agreed timescale.

To provide information to parents/carers of children who are persistently absent about the impact on their development and outcomes.

To use and contribute to the management information system (MIS) to ensure effective monitoring, evaluation and review of attendance data.

To meet with the Local Authority Welfare Officer as appropriate and refer students who are not meeting attendance targets. Liaising with relevant parties to support students in successfully improving their attendance.

To set up and prepare documentation for attendance panels with parents and relevant staff, regarding student absence and punctuality as set out in the Academy’s attendance policy.

To acquire and maintain a working knowledge of the statutory framework relating to school attendance, child employment, child protection and special needs in order to be able to offer informed advice to parents, Trust staff, governors and others.

To support the pastoral team in all aspects and where necessary.