Attendance and Education Welfare Officer (AEWO)

Attendance and Education Welfare Officer (AEWO)

Salary grade: Scale 5-6 - £29,365 - £33,510, depending on experience

(term time only plus 4 weeks)

Closing date for applications: 9am, Friday 9th June

Start date: As soon as possible

Who are we?

‘The school focuses on the holistic child’ (OFSTED, September 2022)

‘Pupils respond extremely well to the challenge of becoming independent learners’ (OFSTED, September 2022) 

Highbury Fields School is a community in which everyone enjoys academic and social success. The school actively celebrates and promotes equality, diversity and inclusion and aims to make everyone in our community feel welcome and wanted in school.  

An 11 to 18 girls’ school, we are proud to serve a culturally rich, but often underprivileged, community and are fiercely determined that every child in our care will develop into a confident young adult, who is academically and socially accomplished.

The school’s consecutive ‘outstanding’ OFSTED reports of 2016 and 2022 and our consistently high progress 8 scores – 0.76 in 2018; 0.82 in 2019; 0.6 in 2022 – have established our students’ reputation for academic excellence and we are highly regarded in the local community for our calm, focused learning environment.

However, we are neither complacent nor satisfied. The school strives for excellence in all aspects of its work and over the last year we have completed revised our studied, pastoral and wider curricular to ensure we are meeting the needs of all our students in the current post-Covid context.  Our intention is to take each student on an educational journey of memorable and stimulating learning experiences, that enables them to be academically and socially successful, both in school and beyond.

What is the role?

‘Leaders and staff have extremely high expectations for all aspects of school life’ (OFSTED, September 2022)

Applications are welcome from experienced Attendance and Education Welfare colleagues as well as recent graduates who are looking to start their careers within education. Attendance at school is vital to ensure that students make the very best progress and achieve their full potential. The AEWO will work alongside key school staff to reduce levels of absence and work with students and families to promote high levels of attendance. Children missing education are at significant risk of underachieving, being victims of harm, exploitation or radicalisation and becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training) later in life. By working with students of families to encourage good attendance to school, the AEWO will have a substantial impact on students’ life chances. 

If you would like to develop your career in a forward thinking and highly supportive environment, can foster effective and harmonious relationships with members of staff and truly believe, like we do, that every child can achieve excellence, then we look forward to receiving your application. This is an important role in the school, which can really help make a difference to a young person’s future life and well-being. Please see the full job description for more information.

Highbury Fields School has a proven track record of developing skilled and recently qualified graduates, who are willing to undertake the necessary training for this role. 

Interested applicants should apply by letter of application by the deadline of 9.00am onFriday 9th June and send this to Karen Bolden, PA to the headteacher. 

A job description and person specification is attached to this document. 

What can we offer the appointed candidate?

‘Low-level disruption in class is very rare. Pupils come to lessons ready and eager to learn’ (OFSTED, September 2022) 

Working at Highbury Fields School offers colleagues the following benefits:

·        An exceptional learning environment

·        A highly regarded research based internal learning and teaching development programme

·        Keeping well time every half term

·        A generous pension scheme

·        Reduced London wide gym membership

·        Cycle to work scheme

·        Interest free travel season ticket loans

·        Employee assistance programme

·        Computer purchase scheme

What are the safeguarding requirements of the role?

‘Pupils are proud of their school. They enjoy school and feel safe’ (OFSTED, September 2022)

Highbury Fields School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects that all staff will share and demonstrate this commitment.

The position is subject to a DBS enhanced disclosure check.

In line with ‘keeping children safe in education’ and safer recruitment practices, the school will conduct an online search for all shortlisted candidates. The online search is part of the school’s safeguarding procedures to determine from publicly available information whether they are suitable to work with children and young people. Shortlisted candidates will also be asked at interview about their online presence.

Where should I look for further information?

‘Staff are proud to work at the school. Leaders engage with staff’ (OFSTED, September 2022) 

For further information about the school, please refer to the school’s curriculum booklet and latest OFSTED report. 

To arrange a conversation about the role, or a tour of the school, please email the Headteacher’s PA, Karen Bolden, HR@highburyfields.islington.sch.uk