Summary

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 Chobham. This role is likely to suit an individual looking to develop in a school environment with attendance related experience.

The actual salary for this role will be £28,887.99 (37.5 hours per week, 38 weeks per year).

About Us

Harris Academy Chobham is always on the lookout for inspirational and influential staff. Most of all, we are on the lookout for potential colleagues who like our students and want to help them succeed. We understand that if staff are to give their best to our students over a sustained period of time, then the school needs to provide them with the best deal possible. In order to help our staff have the best possible experience and achieve a proper work- life balance, we have put into place a range of measures to benefit both our teaching and students services colleagues. These include:

• An extra week of holiday for all Harris Academy Chobham staff. This takes the form of a two-week half term in October. We work fewer days than most other schools.
• Outstanding professional development both at Harris Academy Chobham and through the wider Harris Federation
• Excellent promotion opportunities
• A constant dialogue about workload and how to manage it most effectively. We have regular workload audits, and frequent campaigns to tackle unnecessary work and identify quick wins
• Rapid and effective support with any student behavioural issues arising
• A high-quality staff induction programme
• Marking protocols devised by departments themselves
• Clear communications and manageable deadlines. We only ask staff to do what is necessary and avoid complication and confusion.
• Learning walks rather than formal lesson observations. These are not graded
• Nursery on site
• Flexible and part time working encouraged whenever possible
• Additional time for leadership responsibilities
• High levels of administrative support for all teachers

Other benefits of working at Harris Academy Chobham:

• World-class facilities for learning, leisure and sport. A school which is genuinely at the heart of its local community
• The advantages of working for the country’s most successful major Academy group. These include amazing consultant support and a range of high-quality central services.
• Generous Harris rewards and benefits package, including £2,000 annually for Mainscale/Upper teachers.

Staff Wellness, we regard staff wellness as being central to the school’s purpose and to its success. We have several initiatives which we think give Harris Academy Chobham staff one of the best wellness packages to be found anywhere, including:

• Access to the Calm mindfulness app
• Staff fitness suite and multiple team sports opportunities
• Staff social events
• Staff discounts at shops and restaurants in the local area
• Access to the Harris Federation’s staff counselling service ,Dedicated Wellness Hub
• Healix Healthcare package

Click here for our full wellness strategy.

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 our Harris Allowance for teachers on MPS/UPS, an Annual Loyalty Bonus, Pension Scheme with generous employer contributions, a Wellbeing Cash Plan 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.