Community Attendance Officer

You will contribute to the key objective of the Academy Development Plan - to improve overall school attendance and outcomes for students by assisting the Attendance Co-ordinator in the drive to ensure at least national averages in student attendance by: supporting students and families at Leeds West Academy, including doing regular home visits; liaising with other local agencies, education partners and providers; collaborating with other staff whose work includes an attendance focus e.g. Year Managers; conducting duties as directed by the Attendance Co-ordinator.

Responsible for:

The efficient and effective operation of attendance support strategies within the community. Creating and developing direct links with families to raise attendance.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• To monitor attendance across the academy in conjunction with the Attendance Co-ordinator, identifying and prioritising focus areas.
• To attend and provide information for weekly/ focal meetings with Year Managers.
• To plan and agree strategies to target improvements in attendance for specific students.
• To carry out safeguarding and attendance visits on a regular basis, ensuring personal safety and security.
• To undertake home visits where required building strong relationships with families, and working with families to support improved attendance.
• As required to pick students up from home and to take them to school/ alternative provision.
• To be available as a point of contact and support for families.
• To keep meticulous records of actions and outcomes, which may be called upon in court cases.
• To ensure that the pastoral team is supplied with the correct information including all baseline data, and ongoing updates, for students under attendance focus.
• To proactively and independently manage a caseload as agreed with the Attendance Co-ordinator.
• To assist the Attendance Advisors in the monitoring of progress of legal orders, including Education Supervision Orders, Parenting Order and School Attendance Order and any legal orders.
• To take part in regular catch up meetings with the Attendance coordinator/ team/ VP for Behaviour and Safety.
• To support the attendance team and pastoral team with ensuring the students in alternative provision develop excellent attendance routines, visiting students in their provision to develop links as necessary.

Specific Support for Children and Families:

To assist families in ensuring that their children benefit from the appropriate educational opportunities available to them by applying or participating in a variety of casework techniques including:

• Contributing to any work relating to attendance to support Early Help Plans, and any meetings conducted by academy staff which relate to child welfare.

 Partnership Working:

• Work in partnership with the Police and AMBs to undertake truancy sweeps / child employment sweeps.
• Keep accurate up to date records of casework on the database.
• Make full use of electronic recording as required by Education Leeds, reporting in line with local and regional requirements.
• Ensure the Children Missing Education procedure is followed by the academy.
• Working within the WRAT family of Academies, undertake reporting and liaise with other offices to share good practice.

Leeds West Academy – Leading in Learning

Leeds West Academy is an over-subscribed 11-18 school with an Ofsted rating of good with outstanding leadership. Thriving in a state of the art building with stunning views over the River Aire, our academy is committed to delivering an outstanding education to each and every one of our students. We provide exceptional life training; harnessing the skills and fortifying the aspirations of young people, who we know will transform the region and provide a positive, progressive contribution to society. Our vision at Leeds West Academy is clear: we will be Ofsted rated as outstanding within three years.

The White Rose Academies Trust is a local trust dedicated to raising and fulfilling the ambitions of young people. Our academies throughout Leeds are at the heart of the communities they serve, which is why we are committed to delivering an outstanding education to every one of our students.

The Trust employs over 300 outstanding professionals who are committed to unlocking the potential of the next generation. Working in partnership with Gorse Academies Trust, we are on a significant journey which will see all of our schools Ofsted rated as outstanding within three years.

We are sponsored by Leeds City College, who provide expertise, international networks and highly desirable employability prospects within education and beyond.

To apply visit http://www.leedswestacademy.org.uk/About-Us/Vacancies/ and download an application form. Completed applications should be returned to recruitment@whiteroseacademies.org

Should you wish to visit our Academy please contact Mrs Yvonne Hare at hare.y@whiteroseacademies.org who will be happy to arrange a tour at your convenience.

Visitors are welcomed and strongly encouraged

Closing Date: 2 December 2016 at 12 noon
Interviews to be held week commencing 5 December 2016