Strategic Attendance & Improvement Lead

Suffolk County Council; Haverhill; Hybrid; GBP 59,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

Unity Schools Partnership is seeking an exceptional Trust Attendance Lead to drive our attendance strategy and support 40 primary, secondary and special schools across East Anglia and north‑east London. You will shape data-informed priorities, quality-assure attendance practices, and provide expert coaching to school leaders to raise pupil engagement and achievement.

The role requires strategic leadership, safeguarding expertise, and a collaborative approach with trust and school leaders to

Qualifications

• Experience of working with school and trust leaders to drive improvement across multiple settings.
• Ability to analyse complex information and turn data into action and impact.
• Ability to build effective relationships while providing professional challenge.
• Understanding of attendance, safeguarding, inclusion, SEND and related factors.
• Professional judgement, discretion and safeguarding commitment.
• Commitment to inclusion, equality and our values.
• Skill in building and maintaining stakeholder relationships.

Responsibilities

• Shape and deliver the trust-wide attendance strategy.
• Use data and evidence to identify priorities and trends.
• Quality assure practice across schools and provide expert support.
• Help build leadership capacity and strengthen systems.
• Ensure attendance practice is embedded across our schools.

Skills

School leadership experience

Data analysis

Relationship building

Safeguarding knowledge

Professional discretion

Inclusion & equality

Communication & collaboration

Job description

Unity Schools Partnership is seeking an exceptional Trust Attendance Lead to drive our attendance strategy and support 40 primary, secondary and special schools across East Anglia and north‑east London. You will shape data-informed priorities, quality-assure attendance practices, and provide expert coaching to school leaders to raise pupil engagement and achievement.

The role requires strategic leadership, safeguarding expertise, and a collaborative approach with trust and school leaders to