Attendance Support Officer

Bridgwater College Academy, part of the Bridgwater and Taunton College Trust, is seeking a dedicated and proactive Attendance Support Officer to join our team.

37 hours per week, 39 weeks per year (term-time plus INSET days)

1 year fixed-term contract

Salary: Band 5, Points 7-9. Actual starting salary: GBP21,812.66 per annum.

The Role

The Attendance Support Officer will play a crucial role in leading, managing, and improving student attendance and punctuality. You will work closely with students, parents, carers, and staff to remove barriers to attendance, deliver impactful interventions, and promote positive engagement with education.

Key responsibilities include:

• Supporting the efficient tracking and monitoring of student attendance using school systems.
• Leading and coordinating Attendance Support Meetings with families.
• Producing attendance reports for leaders and external agencies.
• Working with the Trust Attendance Lead, Educational Safeguarding Service, and other professionals to improve attendance outcomes.
• Conducting home visits where required and supporting students with barriers to attendance, including school refusal or medical needs.
• Championing the Academy s attendance policies and procedures, ensuring legal requirements are met.

About You

We are looking for someone with:

• 5 GCSEs (or equivalent) at Grade C/4 or above.
• Experience in an office or administrative environment.
• Strong communication and organisational skills, with the ability to remain calm and resilient under pressure.
• Experience of working with children, young people, and families.
• Confidence in using IT systems, particularly Microsoft Office 365.
• The ability to deal with sensitive issues with tact, discretion, and confidentiality.

Above all, you will be a team player with initiative, flexibility, and a genuine commitment to supporting students to thrive.

Why Join Us?

• A supportive and values-driven environment.
• Opportunities for professional development and training.
• A generous local government pension scheme with employer contributions over more than 24%
• An Employee Reward Scheme including high street discounts and a staff wellbeing centre.

Closing date for applications: Midnight, Sunday 7 th September 2025

We believe in hiring for potential and this means that we value individuals for the knowledge skills and experience that they have developed in every aspect of their lives. If you don t feel that you meet all of the criteria listed in the person specification, we would still encourage you to apply.

We care about our staff and provide a number of benefits in addition to salary including a positive and supportive working environment, employer pension contribution of at least 23%, generous annual leave entitlement for all-year round staff, on-site gyms, free parking, access to a retail discounts platform and Employee Assistance Programme. Helping you achieve a good work life balance is important to us. Lots of our colleagues work flexibly including part time hours and/or job shares and we are happy to discuss these opportunities with you.

We truly believe that diversity of thought, culture, background and perspective secure the best outcomes for our students. We strive to build teams that represent our local communities and welcome applications from individuals who identify as members of an under-represented group and in particular individuals who identify as BAME, disabled or LGBT. We are committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.

Bridgwater & Taunton College Trust is dedicated to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share its commitment. Our mission is that all children achieve. This post is exempt from Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974). A comprehensive screening process will be undertaken on all applicants, which will include a check with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).