Main Purpose of the Role

Working within Perth & Kinross Council is more than a job, it's about being part of an organisation that puts people at the heart of all we do and provides opportunities to make a real difference by enhancing every life we touch.

We currently have the following opportunity:

Attendance & Family Engagement Officer (Fixed Term until 16 August 2026) - PKC13145
£23,837 - £25,943 (Term-time only)
Perth Grammar School

We currently have a vacancy for an Attendance and Family Engagement Officer.

Perth Grammar School has a roll of 720 pupils. The Attendance and Family Engagement Officer will work closely with the young people of Perth Grammar School, their families, and school staff to improve pupil attendance and engagement.

The role involves identifying and addressing barriers to attendance, developing effective strategies to support pupils, and fostering strong relationships between the school and families.

This role will involve a high degree of outreach work, visiting young people and their families in the community when there are challenges with attending school.

Key Responsibilities

1. Attendance Monitoring and Intervention:

• Track and analyse pupil attendance data to identify patterns and concerns.
• Develop and implement strategies to improve attendance rates.
• Conduct regular attendance reviews and follow-up meetings with pupils and families.

2. Family Engagement:

• Build strong relationships with families to support pupils’ attendance and engagement.
• Provide ongoing support and resources to families to address attendance barriers.

3. Support for Pupils:

• Work directly with pupils to assess, understand and address reasons for non-attendance.
• Provide mentoring and support to pupils facing challenges that impact their attendance.
• Collaborate with school staff to develop individualised support plans to facilitate the return of pupils to school.

4. Collaboration and Partnership Working:

• Work closely with teachers and a wide range of staff within the Learner Support team.
• Liaise with relevant partner agencies.
• Contribute to the development of school-wide initiatives to promote attendance and engagement.

5. Record Keeping:

• Maintain accurate records of attendance interventions and family engagement activities.
• Prepare regular reports on attendance trends and the effectiveness of interventions.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant policies and procedures.

Skills & Experience Required

Experience

• Experience of working with secondary school pupils, particularly in attendance or pastoral roles.
• Proven ability to engage and work effectively with families and external agencies.
• Experience in data analysis and reporting.

Skills

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to build positive relationships with pupils, families, and staff.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Working at Perth & Kinross Council

Our values and behaviours influence our work and support us in the delivery of our key priorities. In your application, and should you be invited to interview, you will be asked to describe situations that support the criteria required in the role and which also demonstrate our values and behaviours. Find out more about Perth & Kinross Council and you could soon be joining our team!

Here's what we can offer you:

• A generous annual leave package
• 6 days public holiday and an additional discretionary day
• Eligibility to join our pension scheme
• Family friendly and positive work/life balance policies such as Flexible Working, Maternity, Paternity & Adoption leave, time off for volunteering and our Wellbeing Framework
• Access to a range of benefits

We recognise there can be benefits to flexible working and where individual jobs allow, we seek to support this. You are encouraged to discuss potential options with the recruiting manager, if this is of interest to you. A healthy work life balance is important to us and we provide supportive management and, where possible, flexible working arrangements to help you achieve that balance. You will have access to training and support for continued professional development.

Next Steps

We would love to hear from you and would encourage you to get in touch with Greg Duncan, Depute Head Teacher on 01738 472800 to find out more.

Click “APPLY NOW”

External candidates are required to provide contact details for 2 referees, including email addresses. One of these must be your current or most recent employer.

We welcome applications from everyone and as a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee to interview applicants who declare a disability and meet the essential requirements of the post. Please contact the hiring manager above or the Recruitment Team on (01738) 475555 or recruitment@pkc.gov.uk to discuss any reasonable adjustments. Appointments are based on evidence supplied during the selection process.

Diversity is important to us and although some of our jobs may be perceived to be traditionally gender specific, we welcome applications from everyone and would encourage you to apply if you meet the job requirements. That includes welcoming applications from former armed forces personnel/reservists. Many of the skills picked up during your military career could be transferred directly into a role with local government.

Working with children and/or protected adults is regarded as a regulated role and under the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 you will be required to join the PVG Scheme or undergo a PVG Scheme update check.

If you have lived overseas for a period of 12 months or more (continuous or total) within the last 10 years, an Overseas Criminal Record Check will be required. You will be required to provide this check.

A confirmed offer of employment and commencement in the post will be subject to the outcome of the above mentioned mandatory pre-employment checks (including references) and will also include eligibility to work in the UK, qualifications and fitness to undertake the post.

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme