Porters Grange Primary School and Nursery

Lancaster Gardens Southend-on-Sea

Essex SSI 2NS

Tel: 01702 468047

e-mail:

www.Portersgrangeschool.co.uk

Headteacher: Mrs. R. Ferdinand

18th April 2012

Dear Applicant,

Attendance Officer

Thank you for showing an interest in our school. We are looking for an attendance officer to work across stages of our school. Within your application please state what experience you have of working with children and adults, any qualifications you have gained and why you would like to work in this post.

We offer development opportunities to all our staff, as well as a supportive and friendly environment.

Please find enclosed details of the school, a person specification, a job description and an application form. Closing date for applications is 12.00pm Friday 11th May 2012.

If you wish to apply your letter and application form should be returned to the school as soon as possible. Please ensure that you forewarn referees as they may be requested to send their references on the closing date.

Our school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

Good luck with your application.

Yours sincerely,

R. M. Ferdinand (Mrs)

Headteacher

Job Description

Post: Attendance Officer

Responsible to: Headteacher

Grade: Scale 4 Point 18 to 20 £16,054 – £17,802 (£14,162 to £15,704 pro

rata) 37 hours per week Term Time plus Insets (5 days)

Responsibilities/duties

To work with pupils, parents, school staff and outside agencies to ensure the attendance of pupils across the school.

·  To advise and assist parents/carers to maintain regular school attendance.

·  Communicate clearly to parents/carers the attendance procedures and expectations of the school.

·  Collate attendance data to enable identification and tracking of pupils for the ‘Meet and Greet’ programme and encourage them into school.

·  Accurate recording of all telephone conversations and meetings with parents.

·  Monitoring and tracking of whole school attendance and punctuality, sending out attendance letters where appropriate.

·  Produce Termly reports for Headteacher and Governors.

·  Monitoring, tracking and assessing a cohort of pupils.

·  Developing and maintaining links with parents/children and Local Authority Child and Family Early Intervention Officer

·  Completion of Termly Register Reviews.

·  Monitoring and ensuring correct Attendance Codes are entered in Class Registers and SIMS.

·  Schedule and attend weekly appointments with Parents for Level 1 meetings.

·  Monitoring Pupils assessment results and sharing with parents/carers and professionals where necessary.

·  Organise and attend fortnightly Level 2 meetings with parents and Child and Family Early Intervention Officer. Translator may need to be booked for non English speaking families.

·  Ensure all agreed Actions/Strategies on Level 2 Parent/Carer contracts and Level 4 Action Plans are adhered to.

·  Refer pupils to Child and Family Early Intervention Officer through CAF forms.

·  Attend and represent the school at Level 4 Pupil Planning meetings and Attendance Panels held by the Local Authority Senior Attendance Officer.

·  Collate pupil information for Level 4 meetings with an understanding that it may be used by the Local Authority in the event of parents/carers being taken to court.

·  Record and report back to Headteacher outcomes of all meetings attended.

·  Liaise closely and communicate clearly with appropriate members of staff and other agencies for the sharing and gathering of information, this may be confidential or of a delicate nature.

·  To contribute in compiling Local Authority “Improving School Attendance Action Plan” and ensuring targets are completed.

·  Exercising good sound judgment in all communications.

General

·  To undertake any training commensurate with the post.

·  All employees are expected to show a responsible attitude to health and safety issues and have due regard for their personal safety and that of others.

·  Support, uphold and contribute to the development of the school’s Equal Opportunities, Race Equality and Disability Policy and practices in respect of both employment issues and the delivery of services to the community.

·  The duties above are neither exclusive nor exhaustive and the post holder may be required by the Headteacher to carry out appropriate duties within the context of the job, skills and grade.

This job description sets out the duties of the post at the time when it was prepared. Such duties may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the duties or the level or responsibility entailed. Such variations are a common occurrence and cannot of themselves justify re-grading of the post.

Person Specification for Attendance Officer

  1. Reliable, trustworthy and honest
  2. Clear CRB.
  3. Able to communicate well orally and in writing with a range of pupil, parents, staff and external agencies.
  4. Meticulous in record keeping, quick and accurate with the use of IT using a range of Microsoft programmes and School Data Systems, able to produce effective and accurate analysis reports.
  5. Able to observe confidentiality.
  6. Flexible, have a willingness to learn and be helpful.
  7. Able to keep up to date and undertake professional training.
  8. Able to work under pressure.
  9. Polite and well presented.
  10. Good organisational skills
  11. Ability to organise work schedule
  12. Flexible and able to respond calmly to a range of requests.
  13. Friendly and helpful.
  14. GCSE or equivalent in English and Maths is essential.

§  It is the policy of Porters Grange Primary School that in the interest of the pupils, other members of staff and the LA non-smoking policy, smoking is not allowed anywhere on the premises.

§  Porters Grange Primary School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our children. The successful applicant will be required to undertake an enhanced CRB disclosure.

April 2012

Details of the school

Porters Grange is an improving school with hard working staff, happy, well behaved, enthusiastic children and excellent resources We provide very good professional development opportunities for all staff.

Porters Grange Primary School & Nursery is situated in a disadvantaged residential area of Southend-on-Sea serving the surrounding community of privately-owned and local authority rented properties. There are up to 435 pupils of whom 58 pupils are in the Nursery. 45% of the pupils are from ethnic minority backgrounds and 46% are eligible for free school meals. 22% of the pupils are on the special needs register of whom 6 pupils have statements of special educational needs. The school is part of the Southend-on-Sea School Improvement Trust.

Staffing and Organisation

Our current staffing is 23.5 fte teachers and the Headteacher. We also have an Instructor, a nursery nurse, a Learning Mentor, a Case Work Officer, a Site Manager, a Housekeeper, 25 in class learning support assistants and a team of administrative staff including an Office Manger, Administrative Clerk and Attendance Clerk.

The school currently has 8 KS2 classes, 6 KS1 & EYs classes and a Nursery that runs two separate part-time sessions.

Parents and the Community

The school serves an area of owner occupied and local authority housing. The children come from a range of social backgrounds. There are many parents who are generally supportive of the school.

Governors

The Governors of the school are interested in developing the school in partnership with the staff for the benefit of all the pupils.

No Smoking Policy

Porters Grange Primary School & Nursery has a no smoking policy and therefore smoking is not allowed anywhere on the premises.

Attendance Officer

The Governors are looking to appoint an Attendance Officer who will be working with the pupils, parents, staff and outside agencies, to improve the level of attendance at the school.

The post is term time plus 5 inset days, 37 hours per week.

Salary range Scale 4 Point 15 to 19 £16,054 – £17,802 (£14,162 to £15,704 pro rata) 37 hours per week (Term Time plus 5 inset days)

Procedure for Applying

Letters and completed application forms should be returned to the Headteacher by 12.00pm Friday 11th May 2012.

Please ensure your referees are easily accessible, including by e-mail.

If you wish to apply visits to the school are welcomed. Please contact the school office to make an arrangement.

Thank you for showing an interest in our school and good luck with your application.