Assistant Principal: Attendance

Astrea Academy Woodfields; Doncaster; On-site; GBP 52,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Astrea Academy Woodfields in Doncaster invites applications for an outstanding Assistant Principal - Attendance. You will lead our attendance strategy, drive sustained improvements in attendance, punctuality and student engagement, and partner with families and external agencies to remove barriers to learning.

The role requires a proven track record in attendance and pastoral leadership, strong data analysis, and the ability to communicate with impact.

Qualifications

• Experience in attendance, pastoral, safeguarding or inclusion leadership.
• Strong understanding of attendance legislation, guidance and best practice.
• Proven ability to use data to identify trends, inform decisions and drive improvement.
• Experience of working effectively with families and external agencies.
• A commitment to high expectations and positive scholar outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for attendance across the academy.
• Lead the development, implementation and evaluation of attendance improvement plans.
• Monitor, analyse and present attendance data to drive effective intervention and accountability.
• Work with pastoral, safeguarding and inclusion teams to support vulnerable scholars and reduce persistent absence.
• Build positive relationships with families to promote excellent attendance and punctuality.
• Coordinate targeted interventions and support for scholars at risk of poor attendance.
• Liaise effectively with external agencies and partners to secure the best outcomes for scholars.
• Promote a culture where excellent attendance is understood as a key factor in academic success and personal development.

Skills

Attendance leadership

Pastoral leadership

Data analysis

Communication skills

External agencies collaboration

Job description

Assistant Principal - Attendance

Salary: L11-L15
Contract: Full Time, Permanent
Closing Date: 9 October 2026

About Astrea Academy Woodfields

Astrea Academy Woodfields is a secondary academy in Doncaster and part of Astrea Academy Trust. We are committed to providing an exceptional education for every scholar through high expectations, a knowledge-rich curriculum and a culture where all young people can thrive. Our staff are united by a belief that every scholar, regardless of background or circumstance, deserves access to an excellent education. As part of Astrea Academy Trust, colleagues benefit from high-quality professional development, collaboration across academies and the opportunity to make a genuine impact on the lives of young people.

About the Role

We are seeking an outstanding and highly motivated Assistant Principal - Attendance to lead our attendance strategy and drive sustained improvements in scholar attendance, punctuality and engagement. This is a key leadership position within the academy, responsible for ensuring that attendance is at the heart of our school improvement work and that every scholar is supported to access the education they deserve.

Working closely with academy leaders, pastoral teams, families and external agencies, you will champion a culture of high expectations while identifying and removing barriers that prevent scholars from attending regularly and achieving their full potential.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for attendance across the academy.
• Lead the development, implementation and evaluation of attendance improvement plans.
• Monitor, analyse and present attendance data to drive effective intervention and accountability.
• Work with pastoral, safeguarding and inclusion teams to support vulnerable scholars and reduce persistent absence.
• Build positive relationships with families to promote excellent attendance and punctuality.
• Coordinate targeted interventions and support for scholars at risk of poor attendance.
• Liaise effectively with external agencies and partners to secure the best outcomes for scholars.
• Promote a culture where excellent attendance is understood as a key factor in academic success and personal development.

What We Are Looking For

• A successful leader with experience in attendance, pastoral, safeguarding or inclusion leadership.
• A strong understanding of attendance legislation, guidance and best practice.
• Proven ability to use data to identify trends, inform decisions and drive improvement.
• Experience of working effectively with families and external agencies.
• A committed advocate for high expectations and positive scholar outcomes.
• Excellent communication, organisational and leadership skills.
• The resilience, credibility and determination to lead change and secure sustained improvement.
• A genuine commitment to Astrea's values and the belief that every scholar can succeed.

This is an exciting opportunity for an ambitious leader to play a pivotal role in improving life chances for young people and ensuring all scholars are able to benefit fully from the opportunities available to them at Astrea Academy Woodfields.

Commitment to Safeguarding and EDI:

Astrea Academy Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All appointments are subject to satisfactory background checks, including references and an enhanced DBS check. We value diversity and welcome applications from underrepresented groups. As a Disability Confident employer, we provide reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process to ensure all candidates can fully demonstrate their abilities.

In line with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 and the statutory Code of Practice, the Trust requires all public-facing post holders to demonstrate fluent English. Within a school setting, this applies to all roles that involve direct or indirect interaction with pupils, parents, or members of the public.

Flexible Interview Dates:

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early, so don't miss out on this exciting opportunity. Please note that interview dates are flexible, and the academy reserves the right to interview shortlisted candidates during the application window.