Senior Education Welfare Officer

Job Introduction

Schools in LAAT are placed in hubs. This is a way to enable schools within a geographical area to support one another to address key priorities, offer support and challenge and work together on initiatives and developments. The Senior EWO will work closely with Hub 2 schools in order to improve, and maintain, strong attendance of pupils across each school and the wider hub.

It is a vehicle for:

School to school support
Sharing good practice and developing leadership capacity at all levels
Making best use of resources within the hub
Strengthening hub partnerships with external providers
Improving pupil outcomes in individual schools and across the hub

Key Tasks and Responsibilities

The postholder will assist in the Line Management of the Hub Education Welfare Officers(EWO’s)and provide strategic oversight, support, guidance and coordination for EWO’s across the Trust’s four school Hubs, ensuring consistent, high quality practice and effective delivery of attendance and welfare support, in line with Trust’s expectations and statutory requirements.

Support the development, implementation and review of Trust wide attendance and welfare policies, procedures and operational guidance.

The postholder will provide high quality reports, attendance briefings and updates for senior leaders, governors and Trust-wide leadership groups.

Work alongside other EWO’s and school leaders to shape a high-challenge, high-support culture around attendance.

The post holder will be required to record and monitor attendance (in line with DfE requirements) and support the schools’ strategies by working alongside other staff within the schools to reduce overall and persistent absence.

Routinely monitor the attendance of vulnerable students and students who are known to be poor attenders.

Investigate absence (regular medical absence and unexplained absence) and develop initiatives in partnership with School staff to encourage and promote regular attendance.

Be robust in the investigation and management of absences/holidays during term time and investigate reasons for absence which may be unclear.

Allocate ‘catch up’ time to students whose absence rate falls below the schools’ threshold.

Work with other agencies to provide appropriate services for children and young people, including making referrals to social services, educational psychologists, the Connexions service etc. where relevant.

Working with families, establish appropriate and effective communication channels for the overall improvement of student attendance.

Where appropriate, to gather supporting evidence to recommend legal proceedings in cases of irregular Academy attendance, to prepare reports and to give evidence in Court.

Become the liaison for those students who cannot attend school regularly to enable them to receive an adequate education via homework provision or other off site education provision.

When required, prepare reports for Senior Leadership Team, and represent the schools as required.

Interpret data to inform the implementation of new strategies to assist the schools in dealing with absence.

Prioritise and manage a caseload, which will include complex cases involving disadvantaged students and those young people who are not accessing regular education.

Have an understanding of the support groups, activity groups and youth groups that students or parents/carers can be referred to for supplementary support.

Develop a close liaison with relevant local authorities to maximise professional working relationships, both in terms of advice and support for the schools.

Maintain thorough case notes, issue letters to parents and, if required support the Senior Leadership Team in preparing court reports.

Closing Date: 01/05/2026

Other

The duties and responsibilities in this job description are not exhaustive. The postholder may be required to undertake other duties that may be required from time to time within the general scope of the post. Any such duties should not substantially change the general character of the post. Duties and responsibilities outside of the general scope of this grade of post will be with the consent of the postholder.

The postholder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with LAAT Equal Opportunities policies.

The postholder is required to carry out the duties in accordance with the LAAT Health and Safety policies and procedures.

All employees need to be aware of the possible abuse of children and vulnerable adults and if you are concerned you need to follow the Academies’ Safeguarding Policy. In addition, employees working with children have a responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of during their work.

Fluency Duty

In accordance with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 (Fluency Duty), the ability to converse at ease with customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.

The school advertising the vacancy will contact you directly regarding the outcome of your application and any interviews. When interviews are taking place schools will follow all Government and Public Health England Guidelines.

All shortlisted candidates will need to verify their eligibility to work in the UK at interview.