Principal Education Welfare Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

Job Description and Person Specification Job title: Interim Principal Education Welfare Officer – Attendance, Access and

Inclusion Directorate: People

Service: Education

Team: Education Attendance Team and Medical Tuition Service

Post number:

Salary grade: L

Work location: Hybrid

Reports to: Interim Lead for Inclusion

Supervises: Education Attendance Team & Medical Tuition Service

 

Job Purpose

To provide strategic and operational leadership for school attendance, access to education and statutory education duties, ensuring the Local Authority consistently meets its legal responsibilities and delivers positive outcomes for children and young people. The postholder will drive and embed the Local Authority Attendance Strategy, promoting attendance as everyone’s business, ensuring early intervention, inclusive practice and joined-up systems that reduce persistent and severe absence. The role will ensure the Local Authority meets its statutory duties in relation to:

• School Attendance and Penalty Notices • Children Missing Education (CME) • Elective Home Education (EHE) • Section 19 (Education Otherwise Than at School) • Child Employment and Entertainment • Fair Access

The postholder will provide inspection-ready leadership, ensuring robust oversight, quality assurance, data intelligence and continuous improvement in line with Ofsted ILACS expectations. including strategic responsibility for the Local Authority Fair Access Protocol, ensuring children without a school place are safeguarded through timely, equitable and lawful access to suitable education

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Structure Chart

 

 

Main Duties and Responsibilities

To assist the organisation and senior leadership team in providing strong and effective management of the service area through:

• Promoting the Council’s Corporate Values and ensuring the Council’s Vision, Values and Objectives are achieved by providing a clear sense of purpose and direction for the service.

• Provide strategic leadership with assistance from Lead for Inclusion, for attendance and access to education across the Borough, driving delivery of the Local Authority Attendance Strategy and promoting attendance as everyone’s responsibility, with a strong focus on early intervention and inclusion.

• Ensure the Local Authority meets its statutory responsibilities for and manage the teams responsible for: • School attendance and enforcement, including Penalty Notices • Children Missing Education (CME) • Elective Home Education (EHE) • Section 19 education provision • Child Employment and Entertainment • Fair Access

Ensuring all arrangements are lawful, proportionate, timely and inspection-ready.

• Provide strategic oversight of the Fair Access Protocol, including chairing or leading Fair Access Panels, ensuring timely, fair and equitable placement of children without a school place and effective collaboration with schools.

• Lead inspection-ready practice across attendance and access functions, maintaining strong quality assurance, self-evaluation and improvement planning, and contributing

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Main Duties and Responsibilities

effectively to Ofsted inspections and regulatory activity.

• Champion early help, preventative and trauma-informed approaches, ensuring attendance, Fair Access, CME and Section 19 arrangements are aligned within a graduated response to reduce escalation and delay.

• Lead the co-production, review and implementation of attendance and access policies, ensuring consistency, transparency and alignment with statutory guidance and best practice.

• Oversee the use of attendance, CME and placement data to identify risk, inform strategy, target support and evidence improvement and impact for children and young people.

• Lead borough-wide training and professional development for schools and partners on attendance, access and inclusion, building system-wide confidence and capability.

• Build strong partnerships with schools, academies, trusts and multi-agency partners, providing challenge, support and leadership to improve attendance and access outcomes.

• Lead, manage and develop staff, promoting reflective practice, accountability, professional curiosity and continuous improvement.

• Work independently, proactively and flexibly, modelling resilient, solution-focused leadership and a strong commitment to equality, inclusion and improved outcomes for children.

 

Management Responsibilities All managers are expected to provide sound, effective leadership and management by:

• Driving continuous improvement and best value, regularly reviewing service efficiency and effectiveness.

• Ensuring services meet the Council’s Customer Service Standards. • Managing budgets and resources responsibly, maintaining financial control in line with

Council regulations and ensuring a balanced budget where applicable. • Applying effective HR management, including recruitment, retention, induction and

workforce development. • Communicating and engaging effectively with staff through regular 1:1s, appraisals, team

meetings and performance discussions, ensuring alignment with Council priorities. • Delivering effective performance management, setting clear standards and monitoring

outcomes. • Ensuring compliance with Health and Safety requirements and promoting a safe working

environment. • Leading by example and promoting the Council’s Wellbeing Principles. • Embedding risk management practices and escalating risks appropriately. • Adhering to, and promoting accountability against, the West Berkshire Council Behaviour

Framework.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Person Specification Essential/

Desirable Internal Use Only

Qualifications

Degree-level qualification or equivalent professional qualification or

experience.

E A/I

Recognised professional qualification relevant to education, education

welfare, inclusion or children’s services (e.g. Education Welfare Officer,

teaching qualification, social care or early help).

E

Evidence of continuing professional development relevant to education,

attendance or inclusion.

E

Management or leadership qualification (e.g. ILM or equivalent).

D

Professional development in attendance, inclusion, alternative provision or system leadership.

D

Experience Significant experience working in school attendance, education welfare, access to education or inclusion-related services.

E

Experience of strategic leadership or senior operational responsibility within a Local Authority or education-related service

E

Experience of developing and implementing attendance strategies, policies or service improvement plans.

E

Substantial experience of inter-agency and partnership working, including effective engagement with schools, academies and trusts

E

Experience of using attendance and education data to identify trends, risk and inform targeted intervention.

E

Experience of working with vulnerable and disadvantaged children and families, including those facing complex barriers to attendance.

E

Experience of leading, managing or influencing staff and professional practice

E

Experience of representing a Local Authority at regional or strategic forums

D

Experience supporting or contributing to Ofsted inspections or regulatory activity.

D

Knowledge and understanding Strong understanding of Local Authority statutory duties, including:

• School attendance and enforcement (including Penalty Notices) • Children Missing Education (CME) • Elective Home Education (EHE) • Section 19 (Education Otherwise Than At School) • Child Employment and Entertainment • Fair Access Protocols

E

Knowledge & strong understanding of barriers to attendance and inclusion, including SEND, mental health, disadvantage and school exclusion. Evidence of application.

E

Understanding of Ofsted expectations for Local Authorities, including the need for oversight, impact and continuous improvement.

E

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Knowledge of the School Admissions Code and Fair Access statutory guidance.

D

Skills and abilities Ability to provide direction to the team & strong situational leadership skills E Ability to facilitate change and support continuous improvement E Ability to develop productive working relationships with colleagues and stakeholders

E

Ability to use resources and manage budgets effectively E Ensure customer service excellence is at the forefront of decisions around service provision

E

Ability to provide strategic leadership with strong operational credibility. E Excellent communication skills, including influencing senior leaders, chairing complex meetings and producing professional reports and guidance.

E

Strong analytical skills and ability to interpret complex data to inform decision-making.

E

Ability to challenge constructively and support effectively to secure improvement.

E

Strong organisational and prioritisation skills. E Confident decision-making in complex and sensitive situations. E Ability to work independently, proactively and with professional authority. E Effective ICT skills to support data analysis and reporting. E Work-related personal qualities and behaviours Delivery Through Collaboration – evidence of working collaboratively with others, with dignity and respect to deliver role objectives. -

E

Effective Communication and Engagement – to be able to communicate in a wide variety of forms as required by the role and to take account of the views of others.

E

Responsibility and Accountability – Takes ownership of statutory duties and decisions, acting with integrity, professionalism and accountability

E

Continuous Learning and Recognition – evidence of continuous learning and willingness to learn.

E

Works collaboratively with schools, partners and colleagues, building trusted relationships to improve attendance and access outcomes.

E

Prioritises impact, quality assurance and continuous improvement informed by data and evidence.

E

Promotes equity, inclusion and children’s rights to education in all areas of practice

E

Leads confidently through complexity, promoting innovation and resilience

E

Other work-related requirements This role has been identified as public facing in accordance with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2017; the requirement to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in English applies.

E

Enhanced DBS check with relevant barred list/s Yes Is this post politically restricted? No Willingness to work flexibly, including occasional evenings if required.

YES

Ability to travel independently across the Borough.

YES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

West Berkshire Council’s Behaviour Framework