Secretary jobs in Essex

The Attendance Officer / Administrative Assistant is responsible for maintaining accurate, timely and compliant attendance records and for supporting effective communication between pupils, parents, staff and senior leaders. The postholder will help ensure that pupil absence, late arrival and early departure information is recorded, followed up and escalated appropriately.

The role also provides flexible administrative support across the School Office and as required, to the Finance/HR and Admissions teams. The postholder must work with discretion, accuracy and a clear understanding of confidentiality and the expectations of Gosfield School.

The Attendance Officer / Administrative Assistant will work closely with the Office Manager, Bursar, Finance and HR teams, Admissions team, pastoral leaders, tutors, teaching and support staff, the Designated Safeguarding Lead, pupils, parents, prospective families and visitors.

Job Description

Registers and attendance

• Administer the daily attendance process, ensuring registers are completed promptly and accurately and that missing marks are followed up without delay including Fire lists.
• Record and monitor pupil absence, late arrivals, early departures, medical appointments and authorised changes to the school day using the school’s management information system.
• Carry out first-day absence follow-up by telephone, email or approved messaging route, recording reasons for absence and escalating any unexplained or concerning absence.
• Monitor attendance patterns, punctuality concerns and repeated absence indicators, referring concerns to pastoral leaders, the Designated Safeguarding Lead or senior staff as appropriate.
• Prepare attendance summaries, reports, lists and management information for senior leaders, pastoral staff, tutors, governors or external purposes as requested.
• Support attendance meetings, letters and parent communications by preparing accurate background information, correspondence, notes and follow-up actions.
• Maintain accurate evidence and records linked to authorised absence, medical appointments, educational visits, off-site activities and agreed individual arrangements.
• Assist with attendance data checks, audits, statutory returns or information requests within the scope of the role and under the direction of senior colleagues.

School Office and administrative support

• Provide a professional and welcoming first point of contact for pupils, parents, visitors, staff and external callers by telephone, email and in person.
• Support reception procedures, including visitor sign-in, identity checks, safeguarding information, visitor badges and the accurate recording of pupil arrivals and departures.
• To meet and greet interview candidates, check ID documents and copy for EA to the Principal. Sit on student panel interviews to monitor questions.
• To assist with admin tasks for the EA to the Principal.
• Respond to routine enquiries, take messages, manage shared inbox tasks and ensure queries are directed to the correct colleague in a timely manner.
• Maintain accurate pupil, parent and contact records, ensuring changes are recorded promptly and shared with relevant staff where appropriate.
• Produce and distribute letters, forms, registers, notices, reports and routine communications, checking accuracy, confidentiality and approval before issue.
• Assist with filing, scanning, archiving, post, stationery, room bookings, meeting arrangements and general office systems.
• Support school events, parent meetings, open mornings, trips and other activities with practical administration as required.
• Act as second signatory to Principal First Aider for drug administration
• To liaise with Assistant catering manager to order and collect refreshments for meetings and clear meeting areas after meetings.
• Assist with uniform appointments during holiday periods, as required.
• Adhoc admin duties including but not limited to: Lost property distribution, internal post delivery and Yr 7 locker allocations.

Finance

• Assist with bank deposit when required.
• Assist the Finance team with routine administrative tasks, including preparing documentation, filing records, collating information and following up missing forms or approvals.
• Support the processing of purchase orders, invoices, receipts, expenses or payment records within delegated authority and in line with the school’s financial procedures.
• Assist the Finance Assistant with recording of invoices onto finance system.
• Provide accurate pupil, attendance or activity information to Finance where it affects billing, refunds, charges or reconciliations.
• Maintain confidentiality and appropriate separation of duties when handling financial information, cash, card payments, supplier information or parent account queries.
• Assist the Finance Assistant with checking deliveries against invoices
• Monitoring vending machines and organising re-filling as required

Admissions support

• Assist the Admissions team with enquiries, visit arrangements, open events, prospectus requests and routine parent communications.
• Help maintain accurate admissions records and help track enquiries, applications, assessments, offers, acceptances and new-starter documentation.
• Support arrangements for taster days, pupil visits, entrance assessments and meetings with senior staff, ensuring relevant colleagues have the information they need.
• Help prepare joining information, induction materials, forms and transition records for new pupils and families.
• Liaise professionally with prospective families and ensure that queries requiring specialist admissions input are passed to the appropriate colleague.

Safeguarding, data protection and compliance

• Always promote and safeguard the welfare of children and young people and follow the school’s safeguarding and child-protection procedures.
• Report safeguarding concerns immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead or a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead.
• Handle personal, attendance, financial, HR and admissions information in accordance with UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, School policies and retention schedules.
• Follow procedures for pupil collection, visitor management, emergency contacts, medical information, communications and the release of information.
• Complete mandatory training and maintain an up-to-date understanding of School policies and procedures relevant to the role.

Reporting to

Bursar and Office Manager

Responsible for

Attendance administration, pupil records and cross-department administrative support

Contract - Permanent

Hours - 8:30 to 5pm Mon – Friday TTO plus 4 weeks cover

Salary - £12.71 per hour plus holiday allowance

Pay: £22,985.78 per year

Benefits:

• Discounted or free food
• Free parking
• On-site parking

Work Location: In person