Attendance Officer

We are seeking to appoint a talented, energetic and committed individual to the position of

Attendance Officer. The Attendance Officer is responsible for accurately maintaining the, This job description below is not exhaustive and will be subject to periodic review.

The Attendance Officer reports to:

• The Deputy Head (Pastoral) (who line manages this post)



• The Deputy Head (Safeguarding)



• The Bursar


Liaison/ communication with:


• Teaching staff



• Administrative staff



• Parents and pupils



• Other school staff



• External agencies


Key Tasks include:


• To exercise lead responsibility for maintaining accurate attendance records in the


school's management information system, iSAMS

• To implement the role-relevant provisions of the school's Attendance Policy,


maintaining strong working knowledge of the legal framework pertaining to

attendance


• To ensure that all communication in relation to the attendance of pupils respects


current data protection law and protocols

• To work with teaching staff to ensure that registers are completed accurately and


promptly

• To ensure that known absences are appropriately recorded



• To communicate with parents to establish reasons for absences as appropriate



• To brief the Deputy Head (Pastoral), Deputy Head (Safeguarding) and other pastoral


staff about unresolved absences, or in circumstances where a pupil's whereabout is

unknown

• To provide particular oversight of the attendance of pupils for whom there are specific


safeguarding concerns, and to report to the Deputy Head (Safeguarding) in relation to

this

• To liaise with Reception over pupils arriving late or leaving early, managing the


signing in and out procedures for pupils

• To support the Deputy Head (Pastoral) and other members of the pastoral team in


obtaining attendance information about individual pupils or pupil cohorts

• To report to external agencies about the attendance of pupils as required and, in


particular, in relation to those who are in local authority care

• To attend meetings as may be required by the Deputy Head (Pastoral) or Deputy Head


(Safeguarding)

• To carry out other related duties as may be reasonably required as the role develops
  
  candidate will have strong IT and administrative skills, the ability to communicate clearly and


effectively with staff, parents and external agencies, and close attention to detail. The post

holder will be expected to process a high volume of data accurately in a dynamic and busy

environment. The ability to work flexibly and as a team player is essential. Training will be

provided as appropriate, and the post holder will be expected to undertake further training as,
• Be able to work with a high degree of accuracy



• Have excellent organisational skills and attention to detail



• Be logical, thorough and systematic



• Be comfortable working in a dynamic and busy environment and to tight deadlines



• Be able to work and interact with a wide range of people in a positive and


constructive manner

• Be able to work independently and also as part of a team



• Be responsive to and welcoming of feedback and direction



• Be calm, flexible, dependable and reliable, maintaining the highest levels of


professionalism

• Be committed to providing a high quality of service



• Be able to work effectively within the legal frameworks pertaining to attendance and


data protection; existing knowledge of these is an advantage but not a requirement as

training will be provided

• Have strong ICT skills; familiarity with iSAMS is an advantage but not a requirement


as training will be provided

• Have strong oral and written communication skills and be comfortable speaking to


parents and other professionals by telephone

• Be willing to undergo training as required
  
  The Manchester Grammar School is a large independent day school for boys aged from 7 to


18 years. There are over 1640 pupils and approximately 280 staff, both teaching and non-

teaching. It is one of the leading academic schools in the country. Our admissions policy aims

to be needs-blind and we have substantial bursary support to enable the school to be a diverse

community of talented individuals from all backgrounds., Who works at MGS?

All members of staff at MGS work together to serve the interests of our pupils. The School

does its best to provide a good working environment for its entire staff and we are all

responsible for creating a happy and purposeful working atmosphere.

Our network of around 100 non-teaching staff ranges from administrators, librarians, cleaners,

grounds team, nurses, secretaries, caterers, technicians, etc. The roles of our non-teaching staff

are vital in ensuring the smooth day to day running of our School and each individual enjoys

working as part of a small team which work well together and take part in a number of joint

activities for the benefit of pupils. For example, in recent years several members of the non-

teaching staff have joined teachers in school camps and visits with the pupils. We aim to

encourage professional development for all staff, by providing training in the school or sending

people on courses elsewhere. A number of staff have obtained promotions recently.

Where did MGS come from?

The School was founded in 1515, by Hugh Oldham, Bishop of Exeter, to prepare able boys

from the Manchester area, regardless of their background, to go to Oxford or Cambridge. We

take our motto Sapere Aude (Dare to be Wise) as meaning that we must challenge our pupils,

and expect to be challenged by them. The owl is the symbol of the School - not because of its

association with wisdom, but because those who sought to make a heraldic crest for Bishop

Hugh Oldham made a pun on the old Lancashire pronunciation of "Owldom".

For most of our life we were situated in the centre of Manchester, in Long Millgate, the site

now occupied by Chetham's School of Music. In 1931 we moved out to a new, purpose-built

28 acre site in the Fallowfield area of the city, adjacent to the halls of residence of The

University of Manchester.

Where are we going?

The Foundation Bursary Appeal has been the most successful appeal of its kind held by any

school. Its aim is to ensure that a place at MGS is available to any boy who passes our entrance

examination, regardless of his race, colour and creed, and regardless of his social or economic

standing. As a result of the Appeal and other measures, MGS is now independent of

government funding for free places. Our aim is to be a pure meritocracy and our results are

among the best in the country.

Do pupils want to come?

Boys come from a vast area, which can stretch from Sheffield to Blackpool. We are the largest

independent day school in the UK. Recruitment remains very healthy despite intense

competition locally, and the 200+ boys who join the School each year come in equal numbers

from maintained and independent primary schools.

This will be a term time post. Term time is classed as 36 weeks. The postholder will not be

able to take holidays during school term times. Holiday pay for a number of weeks is

included within the pro rata salary calculation.

The post is full time (35 hours) from 8.00am to 4.00pm with a lunch break of one hour,

which is unpaid. The starting salary for the post will be based on a full-time salary in the

region of £30K, which will then be subject to a pro rata calculation to reflect the hours and

weeks worked resulting in a payable salary in the region of £24.5K.