Attendance Officer

Role: Academy Attendance Officer

Salary: Scale 5 Point 15 £32,704 (pro rota £29,519)

Required: September 2026

Contract/Duration: Permanent, Term Time only

Hours: 36 hours per week (to be worked between 8am and 4:00 pm)

Interviews: WC 8th June 2026

Aim and Purpose of Role

To improve academy attendance and punctuality and reduce persistent absenteeism through effective working with pupils, families, pastoral support teams and other agencies, analysing data to guide interventions and evaluating their impact. Be the first point of contact for all attendance issues in the academy. To also support the academy with administrational activities.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

· Collate, maintain and update attendance and punctuality data

· Record all attendance data and reasons for pupil absence

· Ensure all registers are completed and no missing marks or unexplained absences remain

· Contact all absent pupils on a daily basis in line with the academy's attendance policy

· Manage academy correspondence in respect of attendance, issuing letters and liaising with the Senior Leadership Team as appropriate

· With pastoral staff, investigate the underlying causes of poor attendance in individual cases and target resources by effective intervention and escalation in order to maximise attendance

· Monitor the attendance of vulnerable groups of pupils and liaise with relevant staff

· Work with parents/carers and other agencies in improving their child's attendance, coordinating parental support and training where appropriate

· Provide updates for staff on pupil attendance

· Produce and interpret statistical data relating to attendance patterns

· Advise Headteacher of parental requests for authorised leave

· Prepare statutory documentation as appropriate

· Initiate appropriate legal action with the Local Authority Attendance Service (currently the Lewisham Attendance, Welfare and Inclusion Service)

· Administer penalty notices on behalf of the Heads of School

· Complete CME referrals (Child Missing Education)

· Manage the off rolling of pupils in close consultation with members of the Senior Leadership Team

· Inform the Local Authority every time a pupil is removed off roll, following statutory guidance

· Work closely with the Senior Leader in charge of attendance, keep the Attendance Policy under review, updating website information as necessary

· Participate in the development of academy reward systems in relation to attendance

· Make contact with feeder primary schools and gain any relevant information about the attendance records of new pupils

· Report all concerns relating to child protection, safeguarding, pastoral issues, health

and safety, security, confidentiality and data protection to the appropriate person

· Where necessary, attend Core Group and Strategy Meetings for young people in need or young people in need of protection

· Contribute to the development of systems that will enable the academy to improve attendance and punctuality and meet targets

· Assist in the supervision, training and development of staff

· Check records prior to the academy census to ensure academy attendance is accurate and up to date

· Participate in arrangements for further training and development

· Participate in the academy performance management programme as per whole academy police

· Carry out any other tasks commensurate with the role/grade as may be requested by the Senior Leadership Team from time to time

St Matthew Academy is committed to the safety and welfare of its pupils and all staff are expected to share this commitment and comply with safeguarding checks.