Targeting Support Officer

Location: Lewisham
Contract: Term-Time Only (39 weeks)
Duration: September 2025 - July 2026
Hours: Full-time, 35 hours per week
Rate: £24 umbrella an hour (£19 PAYE an hour)

Lewisham Council is seeking a skilled and motivated Targeting Support Officer to play a crucial role in improving school attendance across the borough. This term-time only position is ideal for a professional with strong data analysis skills, a deep understanding of attendance policy, and experience in multi-agency collaboration.

About the Role As a Targeting Support Officer, you will lead the implementation of strategies that support schools to reduce persistent absence (PA) and severe absence (SA). You will work directly with schools, council colleagues, and external agencies, guiding them on effective attendance policy and best practices to ensure every child receives their full entitlement to education.

Key Responsibilities:
Lead Targeted Support Meetings with schools and partners to identify at-risk pupils and agree on intervention strategies.
Analyse and interpret school attendance data to help identify vulnerable pupils and inform targeted actions.
Provide expert advice and guidance to schools on policy development and case-level interventions.
Work collaboratively with multi-agency teams to drive improvement in attendance outcomes.
Advise schools on effective practice to reduce absence and support them in implementing sustainable strategies.Requirements:
In-depth knowledge of legislation and guidance related to school attendance and safeguarding.
Significant experience working in a child-centred role, with the ability to identify and act on concerns of abuse or neglect.
Proven ability to analyse attendance data, translate insights into action, and support schools in implementing solutions.
Demonstrated success in multi-agency working, empowering stakeholders and fostering productive problem-solving environments.
Excellent communication and organisational skills, with a proactive and solutions-focused approach.This is a unique opportunity to help shape outcomes for children and young people across Lewisham by tackling one of the most significant barriers to achievement—school attendance.
If you are passionate about making a difference and have the skills and experience to support schools in this vital area, we want to hear from you.

Apply now to start in September 2025 and be part of an ambitious and supportive team