Attendance Officer

Job Introduction

Are you passionate about improving school attendance and ensuring every child receives their full educational entitlement? Medway Council is seeking a dedicated and proactive Attendance Officer to join our dynamic Attendance Team.

As an Attendance Officer, you will:

• Liaise with families, schools, and partner agencies to promote regular school attendance and ensure children receive their full educational entitlement.
• Support schools in improving attendance through advice, guidance, and enforcement, including statutory responsibilities such as issuing penalty notices and preparing cases for court proceedings.
• Deliver elements of Medways traded attendance service, providing bespoke support to schools and academies to improve attendance outcomes.
• Conduct home visits and collaborate with stakeholders to ensure access to full-time education.
• Uphold safeguarding responsibilities and contribute to the delivery of a high-quality, compliant attendance service.

We are seeking someone who is:

• Qualified in education or a related field, with a full driving licence and access to a vehicle.
• Knowledgeable about school attendance legislation, safeguarding frameworks, and the challenges faced by vulnerable learners.
• Experienced in working with children, families, and education settings, with strong IT and communication skills.
• Resilient and organised, with a solution-focused mindset and the ability to work independently and collaboratively.

• Hybrid working with flexibility across council offices, family hubs, and community settings.
• Supportive team environment with opportunities for professional development.
• Meaningful work that directly impacts the lives of children and families in Medway.
• Commitment to values aligned with the One Medway Council Plan and our core behaviours.

• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Generous local government pension scheme package
• Access to wider training and development qualifications
• Flexible working scheme
• Travel plan discounts
• Access to CAREFIRST advice & counselling service
• Employee discount scheme for national and local retailers

Medway is a unitary authority in the South East of England, made up of the towns of Strood, Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham and Rainham and more rural areas, including the Hoo Peninsula. Situated in Kent in the South-East of England, the area has plenty of green spaces, excellent facilities and easy access to the national motorway and rail networks, facilitating superb transport links to London.

We provide all local Government services for a quarter of a million people, looking after education, environment, social care, housing, planning, business and much more - everything from frontline services such as rubbish collection and events like the Dickens Festival to work that goes on behind the scenes to ensure services in Medway run smoothly and cost effectively.

Working at Medway Council means that you get to be part of this journey working alongside talented, professional colleagues to drive forward change to transform the lives of our residents and the communities they live in.

Applicants must be able to demonstrate all criteria at level A which are essential for appointment to the role.

Medway Council is not able to provide a Certificate of Sponsorship, so candidates must already possess the right to work in the UK.

Medway Council is committed to creating an inclusive work environment with a diverse workforce. All appropriately qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability or age.

Please visit  for information on how Medway Council put good practices in place to ensure employees and job applicants who declare mental health issues receive the right level of support.

Salary: £25,752
Frequency:
Annual
Job Reference: SEN/26/009/EM
Contract Type:
Permanent Full Time

Working Hours:

37
Closing Date: 25 February, 2026
Job Category:
Education and SEND
Business Unit:
People (Children's, Adults, Public Health, Education & SEND)

Location:

Chatham, United Kingdom
Directorate:
People (Children, Adults, Public Health, Education & SEND)
Service:
Education & SEND, Planning and Access
Posted on: 4 February, 2026