Job info |
Job info details |
Job title |
Attendance Improvement Officer |
Strategic team/Directorate |
Vulnerable Pupils Team |
Service |
Vulnerable Pupils Team |
Business unit |
Children’s Services |
Responsible to (day to day issues) |
Vulnerable Pupils Head of Service |
Accountable to (line manager) |
Vulnerable Pupils Head of Service |
Salary grade |
28 - 31 |
1. Key purpose of job
- To improve student attendance and punctuality across Torbay.
- To liaise with schools to collate attendance data and support them in using parental engagement levers.
- To locate Children Missing Education by working with partner agencies and other local authorities.
2. Anticipated outcomes of post
- Torbay will have a consistent approach to student attendance.
- Schools will access high quality support, including legal measures, in their work around attendance.
3. List key duties and accountabilities of the post
- Responsible for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children at all times.
- To collate, maintain and update attendance data using agreed systems and contacting schools to maintain this data.
- To collate information with regard to the attendance of students who may be experiencing attendance difficulties in order to inform the legal process.
- To support schools in identifying the appropriate approach for specific students.
- To work with identified schools to secure better levels of attendance.
- Be available for home visits for individual students and conduct home visits for targeted students.
- Assist with providing advice and support for schools, including specific training around common themes.
- To liaise with designated attendance leads in schools re attendance concerns and plans for improvement.
- Produce and interpret statistical data relating to attendance patterns.
- To provide regular updates for the Vulnerable Pupils Team on attendance and targets and strategies for improvement.
- Develop an Attendance Incentive Scheme.
- Contribute to the overall priorities of the service.
- Attend meeting such as ‘Missing Mondays’ to ensure all children are receiving the education to which they are entitled.
- To oversee the collection of penalty notice payments for non-attendance in schools.
- To prepare, within set timescales, all evidence necessary for the issuing of penalty notices, prosecutions, education supervision orders and school attendance orders.
- To support schools in selecting the best course of action to take around specific attendance concerns.
4. Budgetary/Financial Responsibilities of the post
5. Supervision/Line Management Responsibilities of the post
6. Working environment and conditions of the post
- Normal office working conditions with some visits to other schools and homes.
7. Physical demands of the post
8. Specific resources used by the post
- Normal office IT equipment.
9. Key contacts and relationships
- External:
- Schools,
- Colleges,
- Parents and carers.
- Internal:
- Social workers,
- Vulnerable Pupils team.
10. Other duties
N/A
Other Information
- All staff must commit to Equal Opportunities and Anti-Discriminatory Practice.
- The Council operates a Smoke-Free Policy and the post-holder is prohibited from smoking in any of the Council's buildings (including Council owned and Council leased buildings, but excluding designated areas in residential schemes), enclosed spaces within the curtilage of buildings, and Council vehicles. The Council does not permit smoking breaks within work time, however, in services where the flexi-scheme is in operation, employees may take reasonable break times outside of core hours, in accordance with flexi-time arrangements. Employees should follow the flexi-scheme procedure for agreeing time away from their duties in the normal manner with their immediate colleagues and line manager, with break start and finish times being recorded, as with any other break-time arrangement.
- The post-holder is expected to familiarise themselves with and adhere to all relevant Council Policies and Procedures.
- The post-holder must comply with the Council’s Health and Safety requirements as outlined in the H&S policy appropriate to the role.
- This post is based at Town Hall but the post holder may be required to move their base to any other location within the Council at a future date.
- You will be asked to complete a Criminal Records Self Declaration Form. Criminal convictions will only be taken into account when they are relevant to the post. You will only be asked to disclose ‘unspent’ convictions.
Person Specification
Note for Candidate
All Candidates
The supporting statement on your application form will be used to assess ability to meet the essential requirements of the role, so you should explain how you meet each of the numbered essential requirements within your supporting statement.
In a competitive situation, the desirable criteria may be taken into consideration, so you are encouraged to show how you also meet each of the desirable criteria.
Candidates who consider that they have a disability
Reasonable adjustments will be made to the job, job requirements or recruitment process for candidates with a disability.
If you consider yourself to have a disability you should indicate this on your application form, providing any information you would like us to take into account with regard to your disability in order to offer a fair selection interview.
Where ever possible and reasonable we will make adjustments and offer alternatives to help you through the application and selection process.
If you have indicated that you have a disability on your application form you will be guaranteed an interview if you clearly demonstrate in your supporting evidence how you broadly meet the essential requirements of the role.
Job info |
Job info details |
Job Title |
Attendance Improvement Officer |
Strategic team/Directorate |
Vulnerable Pupils Team |
Service |
Vulnerable Pupils Team |
Business unit |
Children’s Services |
Skills and effectiveness
Essential skills and effectiveness
- Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing especially with young people, carers, school staff, social workers and other professionals.
- Ability to use IT systems effectively to produce reports, record information and monitor outcomes for individuals and groups.
- Ability to persuade and negotiate as well as good interpersonal/communication skills.
- Able to use own initiative and work alone where necessary.
- Ability to listen effectively.
- Ability to maintain accurate and up to date records.
- Ability to meet tight deadlines and plan and manage own time effectively.
- Demonstrate an ability to cope with conflicting situations.
Desirable skills and effectiveness
N/A
Knowledge
Essential knowledge
- School systems and an understanding of the issues affecting truancy and non-school attendance.
- Demonstrate an understanding of issues linked to confidentiality.
- Demonstrate knowledge of attendance regulations.
- Demonstrate an understanding of issues that may affect a student’s ability to attend school.
Desirable knowledge
- Demonstrate knowledge of attendance regulations.
Experience and achievements
Essential experience and achievements
- Working with children, young people, parents and families preferable in an education context.
- Using IT systems to compile reports as well as analysing statistical data for monitoring purposes.
Desirable experience and achievements
- Previous experience of using SIMS / Capita and PARIS.
- At least one year’s related experience of work within a school attendance related service.
Qualifications/professional memberships
Essential qualifications/professional memberships
- Educated to NVQ 3 or 4 or equivalent.
Desirable qualifications/professional memberships
- A professional qualification such as social worker, teaching, youth work or other relevant qualification.
Other requirements
Other requirements of the job role
- Demonstrates a commitment to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people.
- Ability to travel efficiently around the Bay/South West/UK in order to carry out duties.