Attendance Officer

• Whitehouse Community Primary School
• Address: Marlow Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 5JN
• Salary: £26,402 - £28,142 per annum pro rata
• Hours: 30 hours per week, 8am – 2.30pm, Monday – Friday, term time plus PD days
• Contract: Permanent, required as soon as possible
• Reference: 8144

Are you passionate about making a real difference to children's lives?

Do you have the skills to support pupils and families to overcome barriers to attendance?

Whitehouse Community Primary School is seeking a dedicated Attendance Officer to join our excellent pastoral team. This is a varied and rewarding role where you'll be able to make a real difference to the lives of children and families every day.

You will work alongside the Deputy Headteacher and our pastoral team to monitor attendance, identify barriers, and deliver targeted interventions to support children and families in achieving good attendance. You will play a strategic role in contributing to our school improvement plan and be prepared to discuss attendance data and strategies with key stakeholders including Ofsted inspectors, governors, and senior leaders.

A key part of the role will be building positive relationships within our school community. Being visible and approachable at the school gates will enable you to have early conversations with families, helps identify emerging attendance concerns, and demonstrates our commitment to supporting every child to attend school regularly.

Your role will include:

• contributing to the development, monitoring and evaluation of attendance objectives within the school improvement plan
• analysing attendance data for all pupil groups, including those who are persistently or severely absent, disadvantaged pupils, those with SEND, and those known to children's social care
• monitoring and reporting on whole-school attendance data
• presenting attendance data, strategies and their impact to key stakeholders including governors, trustees, senior leaders and Ofsted inspectors when required
• Identifying key areas of concern and working closely with pupils, staff, parents, and carers to reduce absence
• collaborating with internal and external professionals to remove barriers to attendance
• delivering and coordinating therapeutic interventions (such as TIS, Therapeutic Thinking, Thrive, and Draw and Talk)
• maintaining a visible presence at school gates to build relationships with families and promote the importance of good attendance
• collaborating with feeder secondary schools to monitor attendance patterns for siblings and families across both phases, ensuring continuity of support and coordinated intervention
• supporting a culture of safeguarding, inclusion, and trauma-informed practice.

Whitehouse Community Primary School is part of the Children's Endeavour Trust, a group of eight schools across Stowmarket and Ipswich. We are immensely proud of our commitment to providing high-quality education in a supportive environment. We are also proud of our inclusive ethos and our focus on the importance of pupil wellbeing.

We are proud to offer:

• A supportive school community and strong team ethos
• A commitment to your professional development and wellbeing
• Well-behaved and enthusiastic children who love learning
• Supportive governors and leadership
• A friendly, compassionate and collaborative staff team
• Comprehensive induction and ongoing training in trauma-informed practice and attendance management
• The opportunity to make a real difference in pupils' lives

You will have:

• Essential qualifications and experience:
• Level 4/C or above in GCSE Maths and English
• Strong IT skills, including proficiency in Excel and school MIS systems
• Good communication and interpersonal skills
• Good organisational skills and ability to prioritise own workload
• Essential knowledge:
• Knowledge of therapeutic interventions that can support pupils experiencing barriers to attendance
• Knowledge of statutory guidance and regulations on school attendance
• Knowledge of how to analyse attendance data to identify patterns, trends and barriers for different pupil groups
• Understanding of multi-agency working and how to engage effectively with external professionals
• Understanding of safeguarding principles and when attendance concerns become safeguarding issues
• Desirable:
• Training in trauma-informed approaches (e.g., TIS, Therapeutic Thinking)
• Experience of presenting data and reports to key stakeholders
• Experience working in a school setting or with families facing barriers to attendance

Whitehouse Community Primary School is an inclusive and supportive setting. Our most recent inspection in October 2024 maintained our 'Good' standard (previously awarded June 2019).

For more information

Please read the Job Description (pdf).

For further information about the school, visit our website.

To arrange to visit the school, please contact Sara McCullum by either calling or by emailing

We'd love to hear from you.

How to apply

Please submit your completed Application Form (Word) by email

Alternatively, you can post your application to: Whitehouse CP School, Marlow Road, Ipswich IP1 5JN, for the attention of Ms S McCullum.

Closing date: 9am, 10 December 2025.

Interview date: 16 December 2025.

Whitehouse Community Primary School and the Children's Endeavour Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.

Whitehouse Community Primary School is committed to creating a diverse workforce. We'll consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to sex, race, religion, belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy, maternity, age, disability, marriage or civil partnership.