Attendance and Disadvantaged Pupil Attainment Lead at Harris Church of England Academy

To ensure that disadvantaged pupils, including those with low attendance, persistent absence, internal truancy, or other vulnerabilities, make strong academic progress, receive equitable opportunities, and experience high‑quality support across the school.

·         Work with HOD to QA catch up activities and interventions in place for poor attenders.

·         To ensure you understand the barriers facing disadvantaged students and remove those to increase a sense of belonging.

·         Increase engagement of disadvantaged students in school life

·         To focus on closing knowledge gaps, improving attendance, strengthening parental engagement, and ensuring high‑quality catch‑up provision that leads to measurable improvements in outcomes.

ACCOUNTABILITIES

 The appointee will be line managed by the SLT link.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Identifying and Closing Knowledge Gaps

·         Conduct weekly reviews of attendance‑related learning gaps using assessment data, teacher feedback, and departmental reports;

·         Ensure catch‑up work is allocated promptly, is high quality, and is assessed for effectiveness;

·         Monitor completion and understanding of catch‑up work, ensuring students are supported to secure missed knowledge;

·         Track reading, writing and maths data regularly to identify pupils falling behind and implement targeted interventions;

·         Maintain a clear overview of disadvantaged pupils’ progress and escalate concerns to senior leaders when needed.

·         Work with identified cohort of students to improve outcomes and wellbeing

·         Work with SA and PA students

Liaison and Quality Assurance

·         Work closely with Heads of Department, class teachers and pastoral teams to ensure that work set for absent pupils is:

• Regular
• High quality
• Assessed and evaluated for impact

·         Carry out QA of departmental catch-up materials, classroom support and intervention quality;

·         Ensure teachers understand the importance of relationship-building, removing barriers and equity-driven practice for the most vulnerable pupils.

·         Work is books is good quality or addressed via Hod’s/SLT

Attendance Improvement & Internal Truancy Reduction

·         Work with students and families to improve punctuality and lesson attendance, ensuring pupils arrive on time and attend all timetabled lessons;

·         Monitor and respond to internal truancy, coordinating a joint approach between staff, home, and the student;

·         Support pupils to increase time spent in lessons and reduce lost learning minutes.

Parental Engagement

·         Build strong, supportive relationships with parents and carers to improve attendance, engagement, and academic outcomes;

·         Hold regular meetings with families to discuss progress, barriers, and strategies for improvement;

·         Provide clear communication about catch‑up expectations, deadlines, and support available.

Inclusion, Equity & Enrichment

·         Ensure PA/SA disadvantaged and vulnerable pupils are fully included in:

• Lessons
• Interventions
• Extra‑curricular activities
• Educational visits and trips

·         Champion equity of opportunity, ensuring Pupil Premium students receive an “equity boost” wherever possible in the school environment;

·         Encourage and facilitate disadvantaged pupils’ participation in leadership roles, enrichment pathways, and aspirational opportunities.

·         Check belonging with student voice

Monitoring, Tracking & Reporting

·         Maintain accurate records of:

• Attendance patterns
• Catch‑up work completion
• Intervention impact
• Academic progress

·          Provide weekly & half termly updates to senior leaders on progress, concerns, and next steps for SA/PA students

·         Use data to identify trends, emerging issues, and priority pupils.