Attendance Assistant

Paxman Academy; Colchester; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 22,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Cash Plan

Employee Assistance Programme

Cycle to Work scheme

Perkbox access

Blue Light Card

Job summary

Paxman Academy is seeking an Attendance Assistant to support accurate attendance data management across the school and engage with parents to address absences and lateness. The role emphasizes meticulous record-keeping, timely communication, and collaboration with the Attendance Officer to improve student attendance.

You will work 37 hours per week across term-time plus non-pupil days, with a pattern Monday to Friday 8am–4pm (3:30pm Fridays). A competitive salary and benefits are provided.

Qualifications

• Experience performing administrative work in a busy office environment.
• Excellent time management, organisational, and administrative skills.
• Ability to work with tact and diplomacy while maintaining confidentiality.
• Prior experience dealing with school attendance processes is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Accurate Data Management: maintain attendance data and registers in the MIS.
• Proactive communication: contact parents/carers about attendance and lateness; record calls and reasons.
• Daily Monitoring: register late students and manage those leaving/returning during the day.
• Operational Support: assist Attendance Officer and contribute to attendance strategies.
• Improve Outcomes: help raise attendance levels and reduce persistent absence.
• General Administration: perform varied administrative duties to support the department.

Skills

Administrative work

Time management

Confidentiality

Communication with parents

Job description

Join a Team That is Committed to ‘Building Brighter Futures’ at Paxman Academy

Are you highly organised, detail-oriented, and passionate about supporting student success?

At Paxman Academy, we're dedicated to creating a collaborative and stimulating environment for the benefit and wellbeing of our staff, students and broader community.

We're searching for an exceptional Attendance Assistant to become a vital part of our team and help us to actively promote and maintain high levels of student attendance across the school.

• Start Date: ASAP following pre-employment checks
• Contract Type: Permanent
• Working Hours: 37 hours per week, 39 weeks per year (term time plus non-pupil days)
• Working Pattern: Monday to Friday 8am - 4pm (3:30pm Friday)

A Day in the Life:

Key Responsibilities include:

• Accurate Data Management: Ensuring all student registers are completed daily and maintaining complete accuracy of attendance data, including off-site activities, within the School’s Management Information System (MIS).
• Proactive Communication: Operating the daily automated system and directly communicating with parents/carers regarding student absence or lateness, meticulously recording all calls and reasons for absence.
• Daily Monitoring: Registering late students and managing students who leave or return to the site during the academy day.
• Operational Support: Providing essential clerical and operational support to the Attendance Officer and contributing to whole-academy attendance strategies.
• Improving Outcomes: Working directly to improve overall attendance levels and reduce persistent absence in line with academy targets.
• General Administration: Undertaking various administrative duties to support the smooth running of the department.

What We're Looking For:

You are the perfect fit for our team if you have:

• Experience performing administrative work in a busy office environment and good working knowledge of standard office equipment (e.g., photocopier).
• Excellent time management, organisational, and administrative skills, with the ability to prioritise tasks, work under pressure, and meet tight deadlines.
• The ability to work with tact and diplomacy while maintaining the highest level of confidentiality.
• Prior experience dealing with school attendance processes is highly desirable.

Why Choose The Sigma Trust?

We believe in investing in our staff and fostering a culture of collaboration. We offer a competitive salary and a comprehensive package designed to support your professional and personal life.

Professional Development:

• A robust CPD training program that empowers you to flourish.
• Unrivalled opportunities to collaborate with colleagues across the Trust, sharing ideas and building strong professional relationships.

Employee Benefits:

• A competitive salary and excellent pension scheme.
• A Health Cash Plan to help manage your everyday healthcare costs.
• Access to a confidential Employee Assistance Programme to support your well-being.
• Exclusive perks like the Cycle to Work scheme, access to discounts via free membership to Perkbox, eligibility for a Blue Light Card, and more.

Commitment to Safeguarding & Diversity

The Sigma Trust is committed to safeguarding and protecting the children and young people that we work with. As such, all posts are subject to safer recruitment processes, including the disclosure of criminal records, online checks and other vetting checks. We ensure that we have a range of policies in place which promote safeguarding and safer working practice across our schools.

The Sigma Trust is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We are committed to equal employment opportunities regardless of any protected characteristics. This is embedded in our vision ‘To Be Greater Than The Sum Of Its Parts’, where we believe we are strong and more successful working together, creating a workplace which celebrates diversity.

Please note that we reserve the right to close this advert early should we receive an overwhelming response. Candidates may be invited to interview prior to the closing date, so an early application is advised.