Attendance Officer – Primary School – Canterbury, Kent

Marchant Recruitment; Canterbury; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 32,000; Full time

Job summary

Marchant Recruitment are helping a welcoming Canterbury primary school recruit an Attendance Officer. The role focuses on monitoring attendance, contacting families about unexplained absences, and ensuring pupil records are accurate on the school MIS.

It suits an organised, empathetic communicator who can engage with parents in a child‑centred way. You will work with the SLT, teachers and safeguarding leads to identify patterns of lateness or absence, prepare reports, arrange attendance meetings

Qualifications

• Experience in administrative or attendance roles in education preferred.
• Strong communication, organisational and record-keeping skills.
• Able to use school management software and handle confidential information.
• Understanding of safeguarding and professional boundaries.

Responsibilities

• Monitor daily attendance records and investigate unexplained absences.
• Contact parents or carers regarding unexplained absences and maintain attendance registers.
• Prepare regular attendance reports for school leaders.
• Identify patterns of persistent absence and lateness and escalate appropriately.
• Support attendance improvement strategies and liaise with pastoral/safeguarding teams.
• Organise attendance meetings and maintain documentation of actions.
• Maintain confidentiality and accurate record-keeping at all times.

Skills

Admin exp

Communication

Organisational skills

Record-keeping

Safeguarding

Interpersonal skills

Job description

Attendance Officer - Primary School - Canterbury, Kent

Location: Canterbury, Kent

Start Date: As soon as possible

Contract Type: Full-time, Permanent

Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience

School Information

A welcoming primary school in Canterbury is seeking a proactive Attendance Officer to support its commitment to regular school attendance and positive pupil outcomes. The school understands that consistent attendance is essential to children's academic progress, social development and overall wellbeing.

The successful candidate will work closely with the senior leadership team, teachers, families and relevant external professionals to monitor attendance, identify concerns and help address barriers that may prevent pupils from attending school regularly.

This position would suit an organised and empathetic individual who can communicate confidently with parents and carers while maintaining a professional, child-centred approach.

The Role

The Attendance Officer will monitor daily attendance records, investigate unexplained absences and ensure that pupil information is recorded accurately on the school's management system.

Responsibilities will include contacting parents and carers regarding unexplained absence, maintaining attendance registers and preparing regular reports for school leaders. The postholder will identify patterns of persistent absence, lateness and other attendance concerns, ensuring that issues are brought to the attention of the appropriate staff.

The successful candidate will support the implementation of attendance improvement strategies, helping families understand the importance of regular attendance and the procedures they must follow when pupils are absent. They will maintain clear records of communications, interventions and agreed actions.

The role will involve arranging attendance meetings, preparing relevant documentation and following up on agreed support plans. Where necessary, the Attendance Officer will liaise with pastoral staff, safeguarding leads and external agencies to help identify and address concerns affecting a child's ability to attend school.

Confidentiality and accurate record-keeping will be essential, particularly when dealing with sensitive family circumstances. The postholder will need to balance a supportive approach with the ability to communicate expectations clearly and follow the school's attendance procedures consistently.

Requirements

Applicants should have previous administrative or attendance-related experience, preferably within a school or educational setting. Strong communication, organisational and record-keeping skills are essential.

The successful candidate should be confident using computerised management systems, handling confidential information and communicating sensitively with families. The ability to recognise patterns, prioritise concerns and work collaboratively with colleagues is also important.

Experience supporting attendance initiatives, pastoral administration or family engagement would be advantageous. A sound understanding of safeguarding and professional boundaries is essential.

What the School Offers

The school offers the opportunity to make a direct contribution to children's educational experiences by helping improve attendance and remove barriers to learning. The successful candidate will work alongside a supportive team and play an important part in the school's wider pastoral provision.