Attendance and Family Liaison Officer

JOB TITLE: Attendance Support and Family Liaison Officer - Dundonald HS

GRADE: Executive Officer, SCP
17-20

REPORTS TO: Leader of Pastoral Care

The Attendance Support and Family Liaison Officer will play a central role within the pastoral team, supporting the monitoring, maintenance and improvement of pupil attendance, punctuality, engagement, and overall wellbeing.

The post-holder will combine robust attendance tracking and intervention work with a nurture-informed, relational approach, supporting pupils and families to overcome barriers to learning both inside and outside school. The role will contribute to improving attendance outcomes and enabling pupils to achieve their full academic and personal potential.

This will involve delivering needs-led, holistic programmes of support, working closely with pupils, parents, school staff, and external agencies to develop a coordinated, wraparound approach.

• Ensure the accurate recording of pupil attendance on SIMS, including daily verification of AM and PM registers.
• Monitor registers to identify unexplained absences (e.g. N codes) and ensure they are updated appropriately.
• Ensure attendance codes are used correctly, in line with school and EA guidance.
• Maintain accurate and confidential attendance records in line with GDPR requirements.
• Record all interactions with pupils, parents and staff related to attendance.

• Analyse attendance data on a weekly, monthly and annual basis.
• Identify trends including persistent absence, lateness, and patterns across groups of pupils.
• Provide regular reports to Heads of Year and the Pastoral Leader.
• Use data to inform targeted interventions and evaluate their impact.
• Monitor statistics including referrals to external agencies (e.g. EWS, counselling services).

• Develop one-to-one mentoring relationships with targeted pupils.
• Identify pupils with attendance concerns and provide tailored support.
• Deliver small group interventions to improve engagement, resilience, and mindset.
• Design and implement needs-led programmes to reduce barriers to learning.
• Support pupils in setting and reviewing attendance targets.
• Recognise and celebrate improvements through attendance rewards systems.
• Maintain engagement with vulnerable pupils where appropriate.

• Build positive, trusting relationships with parents/carers.
• Communicate regularly with families regarding attendance concerns via phone, written communication and digital platforms.
• Arrange and lead meetings with parents and pupils to identify barriers and agree action plans.
• Conduct home visits to strengthen home–school links and support improvements in attendance.
• Develop and facilitate parental support initiatives, including:
  • Parenting support groups
  • Training opportunities
  • Access to resources that support engagement with education
• Establish a school-based parent resource point where appropriate.

• Work collaboratively with the pastoral team to implement the school attendance strategy.
• Develop individual attendance action plans for pupils.
• Lead or contribute to attendance panels for pupils at risk (e.g. below 85%).
• Coordinate interventions to address persistent absence and disengagement.
• Use a range of strategies to overcome barriers to attendance and achievement.
• Coordinate provision of work for pupils unable to attend due to exceptional circumstances.

• Liaise closely with:
  • Heads of Year
  • Pastoral Leader
  • Pastoral Assistant
  • Form Tutors and teaching staff
  • Classroom Assistants and support staff
  • Senior Leadership Team
• Work in partnership with…