This course is an essential overview of the roles and responsibilities of a School Attendance Officer. Aimed at those new to role, those who have been in post for some time but not had opportunity to access training, and those who need an update of current guidance and best practice.
Improving school attendance is at the forefront of National and Local agendas. Evidence shows the links between school attendance and attainment/outcomes and the links between attendance and safeguarding.
National Attendance Data shows that absence and persistent absence has increased, and we know that there are children who struggle to attend school on a regular basis. We know that the reasons behind non-school attendance can be complex.
The DFE has published new guidance for schools and local authorities “Working together to improve attendance” that makes explicit the roles and responsibilities of schools to identify and respond to absence and poor attendance and to seek to remove barriers to attendance.
This course will provide the information to ensure that you understand these roles and responsibilities and will draw on research identifying best practice.
Key Learning Objecticves
This Masterclass will enable you to understand:
Understand current legislation and guidance relating to school attendance
Understand the roles and responsibilities of Schools, Parents and Local Authorities
Keep accurate Pupil Registers
Identify and respond to absences and emerging attendance concerns
Understand reasons for Persistent Absence and Severe Absence
Understand the importance of Whole School Approach to attendance
Understand the role and responsibilities of an Attendance Officer
Understand the links between Attendance and Safeguarding
Facilitator: Joanna Sierzega
Joanne became an “accidental” Education Welfare Officer (EWO) in January 2000 after finding herself in a 3-month contract that has become a 22+ year career.
From 2000 to 2005 Joanne was employed as an EWO and allocated to a range of primary and secondary schools. In 2005 she took on the post of Primary Project Manager, managing a small team of Assistant Education Welfare Officers, in a BIP funded project with a focus to improve attendance using a combination of strategic, casework and preventative project work in a number of Primary Schools. It was at this time seeing the success of this approach that she became further convinced about the importance of a whole school strategic approach to improve attendance (based on a clear understanding of attendance data), coupled with casework undertaken within the legal framework. In 2010 she became Senior Education Welfare Officer and then in 2013 Acting Chief Education Welfare Officer. In both roles the use of attendance data, and upskilling EWOs and School’s in understanding and using attendance data to develop a strategic plan to improve attendance has been a focus. She was involved in delivering the CWDC induction to Education Welfare Officers regionally, and the LDSS NVQ for Education Welfare Officers regionally both as course tutor and assessor and again seized opportunities to promote the use of attendance data in understanding and improving school attendance. In October 2015 with two partners Joanne established CSAWS (Central School Attendance and Welfare Service ltd). CSAWS is a team of proactive, passionate Education Welfare Officers. They are committed to achieving better outcomes for children by securing regular attendance at school. They understand the reasons behind non-school attendance can be varied and complex. We offer support to schools and settings to identify and improve school attendance including reviewing, refining, and advising on school approaches and processes.
