Education Welfare Officer - Attendance & Pastoral Support in North West

Tameside | Full-time | £160-£220 per day, depending on experience

Immediate Start - 2nd November 2026 | Minimum 6 weeks, with potential for extension

We are currently recruiting for an experienced Education Welfare Officer to join a secondary school in Tameside on a full-time basis from 2nd November 2026. The position will run for a minimum of six weeks while permanent recruitment takes place, with the potential for the assignment to continue longer.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced pastoral professional who is passionate about improving student attendance, supporting young people and helping families overcome barriers to education.

The successful candidate will work closely with students experiencing attendance difficulties, helping them understand the importance of regular school attendance and supporting them to make positive changes. Strong communication skills and previous experience working within a secondary school pastoral setting are essential.

Key responsibilities:

• Work directly with students to address persistent and recurring absence.

  
  
  

• Support the development and implementation of individual attendance plans.

  
  
  

• Identify barriers to attendance and help students work towards returning to regular school attendance.

  
  
  

• Communicate effectively with parents and carers to encourage improved attendance.

  
  
  

• Build positive relationships with students and families while managing sensitive situations professionally.

  
  
  

• Work collaboratively with school staff to monitor attendance and identify students requiring additional support.

  
  
  

• Provide consistent pastoral guidance, encouragement and follow-up to improve student engagement.

  
  
  

The ideal candidate will have:

• Previous experience in an Education Welfare, attendance, pastoral or student support role.

  
  
  

• Experience supporting young people with attendance or engagement difficulties.

  
  
  

• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.

  
  
  

• Confidence communicating with parents and handling sensitive conversations professionally.

  
  
  

• A patient, proactive and supportive approach.

  
  
  

• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage their own workload independently.

  
  
  

Working hours:

• Monday-Thursday: 8:00am-4:00pm

  
  
  

• Friday: 9:00am-3:30pm

  
  
  

• 30-minute lunch break

  
  
  

Location: Tameside

Contract: Starting 2nd November 2026 for a minimum of six weeks, with potential for extension.

If you have relevant pastoral or attendance experience and are passionate about helping young people overcome barriers to education, we would love to hear from you!

Please apply with your up-to-date CV, highlighting your relevant experience.