Attendance Officer

Do you have experience overseeing attendance at a school level? We are looking for an Attendance Officer to join our dedicated academy team at Harris Academy Battersea. This role is likely to suit an individual looking to develop in a school environment with attendance related experience.

The working hours for this role will be 8am to 4pm, Monday to Friday (37.5 hours per week).

About Us

Harris Academy Battersea is a mixed state secondary school serving a truly comprehensive community in the heart of London. We are an Ofsted ‘Outstanding' school with a track record of delivering fantastic outcomes year on year for our students.

A thriving school can only function with fantastic staff, and our vision is to make teaching at HABS both enjoyable and sustainable. The wellbeing of staff underpins every decision we make, and we seek to ensure that every member of staff can enjoy a work-life-balance enabling them to bring their best to work each day.

At HABS, professional growth and development is central to our mission. Our professional development motto is ‘improve, not prove' and leaders are relentlessly focussed on supporting staff in getting even better through a wide range of internal and external training opportunities.

As a part of the Harris Federation, all staff in the Academy benefit from being part of our network of more than fifty primary and secondary academies across London. Vibrant networks of subject experts meet regularly and teachers can access bespoke support from our central teams of consultants.

Main Areas of Responsibility

Your responsibilities will include:

• Assisting ALG in the management and development of attendance and punctuality policies
• Daily monitoring and follow-up of attendance and punctuality
• Participating on late desk and follow up detentions
• Contacting parents/carers of students absent at agreed time and recording reasons for absence if given
• Daily monitoring and early calls on the attendance of children in care or students on the vulnerable list
• Making home visits with the Academy welfare manager as required
• Sending letters to parents regarding attendance matters as requested by the Academy Welfare Manager
• Ensuring the smooth operation of the computerised registration system
• Ensuring daily attendance information is entered accurately onto the system
• Establishing the reason for absences including telephone calls, letters and home visits
• Preparing and distributing attendance and punctuality certificates
• Following up on poor attendance or punctuality
• Signing students in and out of the Academy outside normal start and finish times
• Liaising with the Educational Welfare Officer to ensure prompt, consistent and rigorous intervention with poor attendance
• Monitoring student attendance together with students' progress and performance in relation to targets set for each individual
• Dealing efficiently and effectively with referrals on attendance concerns
• Alerting appropriate staff to problems experienced by students and making recommendations as to how these may be resolved
• Communicating with the parents of students and with persons or bodies outside the Academy concerned with the welfare of individual students
• Meeting with LAC students weekly and pass on any relevant information regarding their welfare

Qualifications & Experience

We would like to hear from you if you have:

• Qualifications to degree standard or equivalent
• Sound Knowledge of Microsoft software
• Knowledge of Management Information Systems for input and export of student attendance data, including training in relation to attendance and report generation
• Knowledge of attendance policies and procedures
• Knowledge of the range of agencies that work with students and their families
• Basic knowledge of first aid; e.g. emergency first aid course
• Knowledge of a range of attendance codes and when they can be used
• Knowledge of many of the social issues facing students from disadvantaged backgrounds
• Three years' experience of working in an inner-city school or educational establishment
• Experience of working with Academy welfare officer
• Experience of meeting with parents/carers formally and informally
• Experience of managing attendance systems
• Experience in a similar role
• Experience of working with young people, including those with challenging behaviour

For a full job description and person specification, please download the Job Pack.

Next Steps

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please send us an email, or call to arrange a conversation.

Before applying, please download the Job Pack for full details on the job responsibilities and person specification. This will be helpful for you when completing your application, and throughout the recruitment process.

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible as we may interview and offer to a candidate before the closing date. Please note that we only accept applications submitted before the closing date via our careers website.

Professional Development & Benefits

Our people are at the heart of our success. We have developed a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top-quality training programmes delivered at every level.

In addition to the opportunities for career development and progression, we also offer a competitive rewards and benefits package which includes a Performance and Loyalty Bonus, Pension Scheme with generous employer contributions, a Wellbeing Cash Plan including access to a virtual GP, electric car scheme, and many other benefits. Learn more about our benefits on our website.

Safeguarding Notice

The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, references, an online search, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed.

Equal Opportunities

The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.

We value the diversity of our staff and students, and everyone at the Harris Federation is equally valued and respected. We aim to be an inclusive employer that reflects the communities we serve. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment.