Attendance Mentor

Service Care Solutions; Walsall; Hybrid; GBP 21,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

Walsall Council is seeking an Attendance Mentor to join its Virtual School Team. The role focuses on improving school attendance, overcoming barriers, and supporting children and young people to engage with education.

It involves collaboration with schools, families, and partner professionals to implement attendance plans. The position is hybrid, based in Walsall Town Centre with school visits, offering term-time duties and a 37-hour week, starting 16 November 2026.

Qualifications

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.
• Good IT skills including Microsoft 365 suite (Excel/Word/Outlook/Teams).
• GCSE English and Maths at Grade C/4 or above or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Monitor, analyse and review school attendance data to identify concerns and patterns.
• Collaborate with schools, pupils, parents and carers to address barriers to attendance.
• Support development and review of attendance improvement plans.
• Provide mentoring to encourage positive attendance and engagement with education.
• Attend meetings and liaise with schools, families and multi-agency professionals.
• Maintain accurate records and documentation.
• Promote early intervention to prevent attendance concerns from escalating.
• Identify practical solutions to improve attendance and educational engagement.

Skills

Communication skills

Organisational skills

Interpersonal skills

IT literacy

Education

GCSE English & Maths

Tools

Microsoft 365

Excel

Word

Outlook

Teams

Job description

Walsall Council | Children's Services ? Location: Walsall Town Centre, with visits to local schools ? Start Date: 16 November 2026 ? Contract: Temporary, with potential for extension ? Hours: 37 hours per week ? Working Arrangement: Hybrid working, combining office-based work and school visits

The Opportunity Opus People Solutions is recruiting on behalf of WalAttendance Mentorsall Council for a motivated and organised Attendance Mentor to join its Virtual School Team. This is an excellent opportunity for someone passionate about helping children and young people access education, overcome barriers to attendance and achieve their full potential. You will work closely with schools, pupils, parents, carers and partner professionals to identify attendance concerns, develop improvement strategies and promote positive educational outcomes. The successful candidate will play an important role in supporting early intervention, improving school attendance and ensuring children and young people receive the support they need to engage with their education.

Key Responsibilities

• Monitor, analyse and review school attendance data to identify concerns and emerging patterns.
• Work collaboratively with schools, pupils, parents and carers to address barriers to regular attendance.
• Support the development, implementation and review of attendance improvement plans.
• Provide mentoring and guidance to encourage positive attendance habits and engagement with education.
• Attend meetings and liaise with schools, families and relevant multi‑agency professionals.
• Maintain accurate records, case notes and documentation.
• Promote early intervention and work proactively to prevent attendance concerns from escalating.
• Support schools and families in identifying practical solutions to improve attendance and educational engagement.

Essential Requirements

• Experience working within an educational setting.
• Experience working with children, young people and families.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail.
• The ability to maintain accurate records and manage information effectively.
• Confidence working independently and collaboratively as part of a wider team.
• Good IT skills, including Microsoft 365, Excel, Word, Outlook and Teams.
• GCSE English and Maths at Grade C/4 or above, or an equivalent qualification.
• A full UK driving licence, access to your own vehicle and business insurance .

Desirable Experience

• Previous experience supporting or improving school attendance.
• Knowledge of school attendance procedures and processes.
• Experience analysing attendance data and identifying areas for intervention.
• Experience working alongside schools, families and multi‑agency professionals to achieve positive outcomes for children and young people.

Working Arrangements

The role offers a hybrid working arrangement, with duties carried out from an office in Walsall Town Centre and through visits to local schools. Working hours are generally between 8:30am and 4:30pm Monday to Thursday, and 8:30am to 4:00pm on Fridays, with an unpaid lunch break. Please note: This is a term‑time-only position.

Why Apply?

This is a fantastic opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of children and young people by helping them overcome barriers to education. If you have experience working with children, families or schools and are passionate about improving attendance and educational outcomes, we would love to hear from you.

All offers will be subject to satisfactory compliance checks, including right‑to‑work verification, references and the appropriate level of criminal record disclosure.