Attendance Lead

693915

Email: [email removed] 

Website: https://www.frednicholson.norfolk.sch.uk 

Headteacher: Heidi Philpott

• Salary – Scale F, £29,064-£31,022 FTE
• Permanent
• Full Time
• 37 hours per week
• Term Time plus 2 weeks

Join the Team at Fred Nicholson School

Make a real difference in the lives of amazing young people.

Are you ready for an opportunity that truly matters? We are looking for dedicated Attendance Lead to join our friendly, supportive, and imaginative team. Whether you’re an experienced educator or someone with a passion for SEN looking to start a new career, we’d love to hear from you.

To lead and drive a whole-school approach to attendance and inclusion, ensuring that all pupils, particularly the most vulnerable, attend regularly, feel included and are fully able to access learning and achieve. The postholder will work both strategically and operationally to identify and remove barriers to attendance, promote an inclusive culture and ensure that no child is overlooked.

To champion, manage, and improve pupil attendance and engagement across the school. In a complex needs environment, barriers to attendance are rarely simple. The Attendance Lead will take a proactive, empathetic, and relational approach to understand why a pupil is missing school, whether due to medical, sensory, emotional, or familial factors, and work collaboratively to remove those barriers.

A central element of this role involves conducting regular home visits to establish trust, assess well-being, and co-create bespoke return-to-school plans with families.

Is This Role for You?

We are looking for someone who is:

• Ready to make a difference to pupils with complex needs (pupils aged 4 –18).
• Looking for opportunities to learn: You’ll join a team that values professional development and growth.
• Adaptable and kind: Our pupils succeed when they have consistent, caring adults by their sides.
• Resilient and positive: A good sense of humour and a positive outlook are a must.

Life at Fred Nicholson

Fred Nicholson School is a Complex Needs School for pupils aged 4-18 with a wide range of needs, including complex and severe learning difficulties as well as social interaction and communication difficulties. All pupils have an Education, Health and Care Plan and access a practical, hands-on curriculum (based on EYFS and Primary models). Our classes are approximately 12 pupils per class, with a focus on engagement and success.  

Our New Environment:

Our purpose-built site on Lynn Road is designed to meet the complex needs of our pupils, featuring:

• Purpose-built provision for pupils aged 4-18 years
• Bespoke, sensory-designed learning spaces
• Large outside facilities, including play equipment, a MUGA and a forest school
• Dedicated soft play, sensory enrichment and independence classrooms

Hours & Salary

We value balance and clarity. Here is what the week looks like:

Schedule: 37 hours pw (Term time + 2 weeks).

Daily: Mon-Thu (08:00–16:00), Fri (08:00-15:30).

Salary: Scale F (£29,064 - £31,022 FTE).

We Invest in You

Don't worry if you haven't worked in a school before. If you have the heart for it, we provide:

• A full staff induction programme.
• Ongoing Whole School CPD (Continuing Professional Development).
• Specialist training appropriate to your specific role.

Please contact - [email removed] for an opportunity to arrange a meeting with Heidi Philpott, Head Teacher, to discuss the role further or to arrange a visit to the school.

How to apply

A job description and a person specification are available from ‘Attachments.

To download an application form, click on the ‘Apply for Job’ button.

Personal Statement: Use Section 10 to tell us why you are interested in joining us and confirm hours: Please state clearly that you can work the required hours.

Completed forms should be returned to Claire Townly – [email removed]

We will be reviewing applications as they come in, and promising candidates may be invited for interview before the closing date.

Closing date:  7 September 2026, 9am

Interview date:  w/c  14 September 2026

Fred Nicholson School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children; an enhanced DBS check is required for all successful candidates.

This post is likely to come under the requirements of the Childcare (Disqualification) Regulations and the successful applicant will be required to complete a declaration form to establish whether they are disqualified under these regulations.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and you will be required to undergo an Enhanced DBS check or Enhanced DBS check with barred list. If you have information to declare it may be protected under the Exceptions Orders and you may not be required to declare it. You will be asked to make a criminal conviction declaration if you are shortlisted for the post. Guidance about whether a conviction or caution should be disclosed can be found on the Ministry of Justice website.