Job Title: Education Engagement Officer – Children Missing Education and Attendance
Salary: £24,831 - £26,534 per annum 
35 Hours per Week, for 39 weeks (Term time only plus 5 days) salary reflects this

2 vacancies
Location: Countywide remit, Worcester base
Team: Education Engagement Team
Permanent contract
  

We are seeking to appoint two officers to join our Education Engagement Team, playing a key role in delivering our statutory services for all Worcestershire residents and schools.  This is an exciting time to join the team as we further align delivery of ‘Working together to Improve School Attendance’ guidance and Children Missing Education (CME) responsibilities.

The Role

As an Education Engagement Officer for school attendance and CME you will identify CME and support each child and young person on their journey into education. Additionally, you will act as the named officer for a cohort of schools and settings, offering strategic advice, guidance and support on all school attendance matters via Targeted Support Meetings in line with statutory guidance. 

This vital work ensures we keep the children and young people of Worcestershire at the heart of everything we do. By ensuring each child’s right to education and that their voice is always heard, this exciting and diverse role will enable candidates to promote educational opportunities for all, provide dynamic advocacy and will be key to supporting pupil safeguarding and welfare.

Within this role you will have opportunity to work with, and learn from, a wide range of talented professionals from within the County Council and from external organisations. You will be supported through regular supervision, casework management and CPD opportunities.

 About You:

As this role is diverse with no two days ever the same, we are looking for individuals who thrive on new challenges, demonstrate a can-do attitude, that are proactive, empathetic, and have a commitment to developing the lives of young people through education.

Successful candidates will have experience of working directly with children and young people, as well as schools. They will need to possess excellent verbal and written communication skills, resilience, and the ability to use diplomacy, professional curiosity and professional challenge at all times. An investigative mindset and the ability to use initiative to identify bespoke solutions for each individual situation will be paramount to ensure the best educational outcomes for each child and young person.

With an eye for detail, in addition to excellent written communication skills, successful candidates will need to possess sound analytical skills to be able to interpret attendance data and produce written documents that are clear, concise and comply with legislation.

A sound understanding of school attendance matters and proactive strategies to enhance settings in their ‘support first’ attendance approach will be paramount. Individuals who can capture and understand the voice of the child, whilst working collaboratively with families, schools, internal and external agencies, will experience the most success and satisfaction in making a positive difference for young people facing any barriers that prevent regular school attendance.

The role will require regular countywide home and school visits, as well as representation in multi-agency meetings, therefore the ability to travel will be essential.

Post holders will be expected to uphold safeguarding and welfare duties in the best interests of the child/young person at all times.

You will need to possess excellent time management and organisational skills to meet deadlines.

These posts offer a fantastic opportunity for a committed and successful professional to contribute to the continued developments of the Education Engagement Team. You will join a supportive and motivated team, committed to, and rewarded by making a positive difference for each child and young person that we work with.

Please write your submission with consideration for the essential and desirable criteria on the Person Specification. This should include examples of why you should be considered and the experience, skills and knowledge that you would bring to the post.

For further information please contact: 

Michelle Fowler: Mfowler2@worcestershire.gov.uk Tel 01905 844667

Benefits:

You’ll find an overview of the benefits Worcestershire County Council have to offer on our webpage 

• Worcestershire County Council - Why work for us? 
• Children's Workforce Academy

Some of these offers include: 

• Great Holiday Entitlement: As well as bank holidays, you'll get 26 days paid holiday (pro rata for part-time staff). This goes up to 31 days when you have been with us for 5 years. If you get more than 26 days where you work now, don't worry because if you join us without a break, we'll match your holiday up to 31 days. If you’re successful and want to take advantage of this do let us know!
• Brilliant Pension Scheme: The Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) is a nationwide, career average pension scheme and is a valuable part of the pay and reward package for employees working in local government.
• Professional Learning & Development: We actively encourage learning and development for all our staff should they want to progress further or explore other areas within the organisation.
• Flexible Working: We are proud to offer hybrid working to provide a better work/life balance where possible.

Equality & Diversity: The County Council is committed to equality of opportunity for all citizens and celebrates the diversity of all its residents.

This post is exempt under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of criminal records via the Disclosure and Barring Service before the appointment is confirmed. This will include details of cautions, reprimands, or final warnings, as well as convictions. The County Council has a commitment to safeguarding service users.

Application Closing Date: Friday 14^th February 2025
Anticipated Interview Date: Friday 28^th February 2025

Attached documents
2025 Jan - WCC JD and PS EEO - CME and attendance.docx