EWO/ Attendance Manager in Pontefract

Role: Education Welfare Officer/Attendance Manager

Academy: Outwood Academy Hemsworth

Start Date: As soon as possible

Salary (Actual Salary): £30,800.43 - £33,723.45

Working Pattern: Full Time

Are you a proactive leader ready to strategically influence student outcomes through maximizing attendance? Join us as an Education Welfare Officer/Attendance Manager, where you will lead the attendance team and drive whole-school strategies to significantly improve student attendance and educational access. This senior position requires legislative expertise, exceptional interpersonal skills, and the capacity to engage families constructively, often in complex situations, to prioritize student access to learning.

Welcome from the Principal:

I am proud to introduce you to Outwood Academy Hemsworth, an 11-18 Academy in the Historic Market Town of Hemsworth, West Yorkshire. We have a relentless focus on learning, underpinned by a curriculum designed to stretch and enrich every student. As part of the Outwood Family since 2018, we provide the very best, holistic education within a safe and secure community. We recently completed a multi-million pound development, including a new 17-classroom teaching block, and are proud to hold Gold Status from the Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health. We actively work to reduce staff workload, allowing more time to focus on our vision: students first, raising standards, and transforming lives. Whether you are ambitious for progression or determined to be an outstanding classroom teacher, this is the place for you. If you share our passion for making a real difference, we would be delighted to welcome you to our team.

Responsibilities:

• You will lead the attendance team and apply the academy's attendance and punctuality policy.
• This involves identifying children in need of support due to absence, assessing need, planning, and implementing effective interventions.
• Core duties include conducting home visits and coordinating joint working with safeguarding agencies.
• You will manage the legal framework by identifying cases for referral for court proceedings or Penalty Notices, preparing comprehensive evidence, and acting as a witness if required.
• You are also responsible for preparing and analysing regular data reports for senior leadership and leading regular attendance panels/fast-track meetings.

Qualifications:

• Candidates must hold a relevant Level 3 qualification or an equivalent related professional qualification.
• Essential experience includes using an education welfare, social work, or counselling approach to work with parents and children, alongside a strong background in record keeping and report writing.
• Crucially, the post holder must possess knowledge of the legislative framework that governs school attendances and the ability to undertake assessments and write reports to a high standard.
• Resilience and the ability to work effectively in difficult, conflict-ridden situations are also essential.