School Attendance & Student Engagement Officer

Location: Redbridge, East/Outer London

School Type: Secondary School & Sixth Form (Co-educational)

Contract: Full-Time, Permanent (Term-Time + 1 or 2 Weeks)

Start Date: Immediate / ASAP or January Start

An ambitious, high-achieving secondary school and Sixth Form in the London Borough of Redbridge is seeking an empathetic, proactive, and resilient School Attendance & Student Engagement Officer to join their pastoral care and student support team. This is a critical safeguarding and student success role for a dedicated professional, whether an experienced school attendance officer, educational welfare officer, pastoral coordinator, or youth support specialist, who excels at identifying attendance barriers, building positive family relationships, and driving a culture of high attendance across the school.

About the Role

As the Attendance & Student Engagement Officer, you will champion the link between regular school attendance and academic achievement. Working directly with the Pastoral Team, Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), and Senior Leadership Team (SLT), you will monitor daily attendance patterns, conduct first-day absence checks, initiate targeted early interventions, and work collaboratively with students, parents, and local authority agencies to support vulnerable learners and reduce persistent absence.

• Environment: A supportive, high-aspiring Outer London secondary school committed to student wellbeing, inclusive pastoral care, and strong community partnerships

• Culture: A collaborative, multi-disciplinary pastoral hub where proactive problem-solving, student advocacy, compassionate communication, and data accuracy are prioritized

Key Responsibilities

• Daily Attendance Monitoring & Tracking: Manage and verify morning and afternoon attendance registers using the school's MIS (SIMS, Arbor, or Bromcom), initiating first-day absence calls, text alerts, and follow-up inquiries.

• Early Intervention & Family Support: Identify emerging attendance trends and persistent absenteeism early; organize supportive attendance panels, home visits, and reintegration meetings with families to resolve underlying barriers.

• Data Analysis & Statutory Reporting: Produce detailed weekly and termly attendance reports for year group leaders and SLT; track vulnerable cohorts (e.g., EHCP, Pupil Premium, LAC) and prepare documentation for Local Authority Educational Welfare services when legal proceedings or penalty notices are required.

• Safeguarding & Multi-Agency Collaboration: Liaise closely with the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), social care teams, and external support services to ensure missing-in-education protocols (CME) and KCSIE safeguarding guidelines are rigorously maintained.

• Student Motivation & Reward Schemes: Design and implement positive whole-school attendance initiatives, year-group competitions, and student reward programs to build an encouraging culture around punctuality and consistent attendance.

Requirements

• Proven experience in a school attendance, educational welfare, pastoral support, youth work, or social care role within a secondary school setting.

• Proficiency with school Management Information Systems (e.g., Arbor, SIMS, Bromcom) and strong computer literacy (Excel, Word, email management).

• Excellent interpersonal, de-escalation, and communication skills, with the diplomatic ability to hold challenging yet supportive conversations with parents and carers.

• Thorough understanding of statutory school attendance legislation, legal interventions, Local Authority welfare protocols, and Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) regulations.

• High level of personal resilience, exceptional organizational skills, and a non-judgmental, child-centered approach to student welfare.

Salary & Benefits

• Pay Scale: Outer London Support Staff Scale (commensurate with pastoral experience and qualifications).

• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), structured continuous professional development (CPD) and safeguarding training, generous pro-rata holiday allowance, and access to staff health and wellbeing services.

How to Apply

If you are a dedicated, compassionate professional eager to make a direct impact on student success and attendance at a thriving secondary school in Redbridge, we encourage you to apply. Please submit your application and CV as soon as possible for consideration.