Schools Attendance Support Officer

WMJobs; Oldbury; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council is seeking a dedicated Schools Attendance Support Officer to support children, families, schools and partner agencies. You will promote attendance, investigate concerns, prepare casework and work toward reducing persistent absence and safeguarding children.

Role focuses on SEN/EHCP attendance and collaboration with multiple partners to enable full-time education and positive learning outcomes. Enhanced DBS with Children's Barring List is required.

Qualifications

• Experience working with children, families and education settings
• Strong knowledge of school attendance legislation and statutory duties
• Understanding of SEND legislation and EHCPs
• Excellent communication, negotiation and relationship-building skills
• Ability to undertake investigations and manage complex casework
• Highly organised with ability to prioritise workloads

Responsibilities

• Support the Local Authority in fulfilling statutory duties relating to school attendance
• Assess and manage referrals relating to attendance concerns and progress cases legally
• Prepare robust casework and evidence for potential court proceedings
• Work with children, families and education providers to identify attendance barriers
• Provide guidance and challenge to parents, pupils, schools and partner agencies
• Challenge and support schools and alternative provision providers to ensure full-time education
• Monitor attendance data and identify trends to take intervention action
• Develop partnerships with schools, health services and social care
• Lead attendance improvement for SEN and EHCP cases
• Contribute to safeguarding and wellbeing of children and young people

Skills

Communication

Negotiation

Relationship-building

Investigations

Data analysis

Safeguarding

Organisation

SEN knowledge

Education

Relevant professional qualification

Job description

About The Role

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council,

We are seeking a dedicated and proactive Schools Attendance Support Officer to join our team. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced professional to support children, families, schools and partner agencies to improve school attendance and reduce persistent and severe absence.

The successful candidate will play a key role in ensuring children and young people access their full educational entitlement, with a particular focus on supporting children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) and Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) where attendance is a concern.

Working collaboratively with schools, families, alternative provision providers and wider partners, you will provide both support and challenge to improve attendance, reduce lost learning and promote positive educational outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the Local Authority in fulfilling its statutory duties relating to school attendance, including the promotion and enforcement of attendance and the reduction of persistent and severe absence.
• Assess and manage referrals relating to school attendance concerns, undertaking investigations and ensuring all cases are progressed in line with legal requirements.
• Prepare robust casework and evidence where legal intervention and court proceedings may be necessary.
• Work directly with children, families and education providers to identify barriers to attendance and develop effective solutions.
• Provide support, guidance and challenge to parents, pupils, schools and partner agencies to improve attendance and engagement with learning.
• Challenge and support schools, academies, PRUs and alternative provision providers to ensure children receive and engage with a suitable full-time education.
• Monitor attendance data, identify trends and take appropriate intervention action.
• Develop strong partnerships with schools, health services, social care and other key stakeholders.
• Take a lead role in supporting attendance improvement for children with SEN and EHCPs, ensuring their needs are understood and barriers to attendance are effectively addressed.
• Contribute to the safeguarding and wellbeing of children and young people.

About You

• Has experience of working with children, young people and families in an education, attendance, inclusion, safeguarding or related setting.
• Has a strong understanding of school attendance legislation, guidance and statutory responsibilities.
• Has knowledge and understanding of SEND legislation and the challenges faced by children with SEN and EHCPs.
• Demonstrates excellent communication, negotiation and relationship-building skills.
• Can confidently challenge and support schools and other professionals to improve outcomes for children.
• Has experience of undertaking investigations, managing complex casework and preparing evidence-based reports.
• Is highly organised, able to prioritise workloads and manage competing demands.
• Has excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Is committed to promoting inclusion, safeguarding and educational achievement for all children and young people.

Essential Requirements

• A relevant professional qualification and/or considerable (3 years +) experience in a similar setting.
• The ability to apply relevant knowledge and to the post applied for as a Schools Attendance Support Officer acting for the local authority (see job description).
• The ability to evaluate and report on data relating to attendance.

Please note that an Enhanced DBS with Children's Barring List Check is required for this role.

Why Join Us?

In this rewarding role, you will have the opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of children and families by helping to remove barriers to education and improve long-term outcomes. You will work within a supportive team environment committed to inclusion, partnership working and continuous improvement.

Hours

37 hours Term Time

Closing Date:

4th September 2026