Job Description:

Start Date: ASAP / September 2026

Principal Education are delighted to be working with a school we support who are looking to appoint an experienced, proactive and compassionate Attendance and Welfare Lead to join their team.

This is an excellent opportunity for a dedicated pastoral professional who is passionate about improving pupil attendance, supporting student welfare and removing barriers to educational success.

The successful candidate will play a key role in promoting excellent attendance and punctuality across the school, working closely with pupils, parents and carers, pastoral teams, safeguarding staff and external agencies to identify and address barriers that may prevent students from attending and engaging successfully.

As Attendance and Welfare Lead, you will take responsibility for monitoring and improving attendance across the school, ensuring that effective systems are in place to identify concerns at an early stage and that appropriate interventions are implemented.

You will build positive relationships with pupils and families, providing practical support and appropriate challenge where required. The role will involve working collaboratively with colleagues to improve attendance outcomes and ensure that pupils receive the support they need to thrive both academically and personally.

• Lead on the monitoring, analysis and improvement of pupil attendance and punctuality across the school.
• Identify patterns of absence, persistent absence and lateness, using attendance data to identify priorities and implement targeted interventions.
• Work directly with pupils to understand barriers to attendance and develop appropriate strategies to improve engagement and attendance.
• Build strong, professional relationships with parents and carers, providing advice, support and appropriate challenge around attendance and punctuality.
• Work closely with Heads of Year, Pastoral Leaders, Safeguarding teams, SEND colleagues and senior leaders to coordinate effective attendance and welfare support.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of attendance interventions, meetings, communications and outcomes.
• Monitor the impact of attendance interventions and regularly review strategies to ensure they are effective.
• Support the school in meeting attendance targets and contribute to whole-school attendance improvement strategies.
• Take a proactive approach to persistent absence and work with families to establish clear attendance improvement plans.
• Liaise with external agencies and relevant professionals where appropriate to support pupils and families experiencing significant attendance or welfare concerns.
• Contribute to safeguarding procedures by identifying and escalating concerns relating to pupil welfare, attendance and vulnerability.
• Support pupils who may be experiencing social, emotional, family or other barriers that are affecting their ability to attend school regularly.
• Participate in attendance meetings, case reviews and relevant pastoral or safeguarding meetings.
• Promote a positive culture of attendance throughout the school and communicate high expectations consistently to pupils, parents and staff.
• Provide regular attendance reports and updates to senior leaders, highlighting trends, concerns and areas for improvement.

The school is looking for an organised, resilient and committed individual who can demonstrate experience within attendance, pastoral support, welfare, safeguarding, student services or a similar education-based environment.

You will be confident working with young people and families, able to manage sensitive situations professionally and have the communication skills required to build positive relationships while maintaining appropriate boundaries and expectations.

The successful candidate will ideally have:

• Experience working within a school, college, academy or similar educational setting.
• Experience supporting pupil attendance, welfare, safeguarding or pastoral needs.
• Strong organisational and administrative skills with excellent attention to detail.
• The ability to analyse attendance information and use data to identify concerns and priorities.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Experience working effectively with parents, carers and external professionals.
• A calm, approachable and solution-focused manner.
• The confidence to challenge poor attendance appropriately and professionally.
• A strong understanding of confidentiality, safeguarding and professional boundaries.
• The ability to work independently while contributing effectively to a wider pastoral team.
• A genuine commitment to improving outcomes and opportunities for young people.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a supportive school environment where attendance, pupil welfare and student outcomes are treated as a key priority.

The successful candidate will become an important member of the school's wider pastoral team, working alongside experienced colleagues and contributing directly to improving the experiences and outcomes of young people.

The school offers a professional environment with opportunities for development, collaboration and progression, alongside the opportunity to make a genuine difference to pupils and their families.

The school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Any offer of employment will be subject to the appropriate enhanced DBS check, references, online search and other relevant safeguarding checks, including a prohibition from teaching check where applicable.

If you are an experienced Attendance, Welfare, Pastoral or Student Support professional looking for your next opportunity and believe you have the skills and commitment required for this role, Principal Education would love to hear from you.