Attendance Officer and Play Development Lead

Woodlands Primary School, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S14 1SL

16 days remaining to apply

• Job start date

  1 April 2026

• Closing date

  1 February 2026 at 11:59pm

• Date listed

  16 January 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Administration, HR, data and finance
  • Pastoral, health and welfare
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Full time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full-time equivalent salary: Grade 4 £26,403 to £28,598 FTE

Attendance Officer and Play Development Lead job summary

Salary FTE Grade 4 £26,403 to £28,598

Actual salary £22,710 to £24,598 (with under five years' service)

Contract term 37 hours per week, 39 weeks, permanent

Start date April 2026 (or earlier)

Closing date Midnight Sunday 1 February 2026

Mercia Learning Trust

Mercia Learning Trust is a successful partnership of four primary and three secondary schools located in the south-west of Sheffield. Established in 2012, with one secondary school, our trust has grown to serving over 5000 pupils, with 650 staff.

Why do we exist?

· To empower everyone in our communities, especially the most disadvantaged, to succeed.

How do we behave?

· We are kind - showing care and supporting each other.

· We have integrity - doing the right thing and always putting children first.

· We work with diligence - overcoming obstacles and having no excuses.

What do we do?

· We run schools that focus on academic excellence, cultural capital and the development of character.

How will we succeed?

· A culture of excellence – high standards shaped by clarity, not control.

· Academic focus – empowering all children through an exceptional curriculum.

· Purposeful collaboration – relationships built on trust, reducing sub-optimisation and driving collective success.

Our staff are a crucial part of our trust, just like our pupils. We are devoted to recruiting, training, retaining and taking good care of our highly skilled and dedicated team.

Woodlands Primary School

Woodlands Primary School is a 2-form entry primary and nursery for children aged 2-11 in a vibrant South Sheffield community. This popular and over-subscribed school has around 500 pupils. In February 2022, Ofsted graded our school as strongly Good.

The role

We have an exciting opportunity for a talented and empathetic individual to join our Inclusion team as an Attendance Officer and Play Development Lead. Working closely with colleagues across the Inclusion and senior leadership team, you will play a central role in improving pupil attendance while also leading the development of a high-quality, inclusive play experience for all pupils.

You will help to design, implement and review strategies to improve attendance, re-engage pupils with education, and provide effective support to families facing barriers to regular school attendance. This will include maintaining accurate attendance records, identifying and reporting concerns, and working collaboratively with pupils, families, school staff and external agencies to secure positive outcomes.

Alongside this, you will take a lead role in promoting pupil wellbeing, safety and engagement during lunchtimes by shaping and developing purposeful play opportunities. You will oversee and enhance play provision, modelling positive interactions, supporting good behaviour, and ensuring that play is inclusive, stimulating and accessible to all children. This will involve managing resources, working closely with staff and pupils, and contributing to a positive, welcoming playground culture.

The role also includes supporting children with specific social, emotional or behavioural needs through structured and play-based approaches that foster connection, confidence and personal development, helping pupils to build the skills they need to thrive both socially and academically.

The candidate

You will be able to build successful relationships with pupils and families, even when they may not wish to engage. An unflappable nature is key. You must be ambitious and strive to continually improve systems and processes. You must be a team player - willing to listen to the views and ideas of others, but also able to challenge when necessary. If you are a dedicated and passionate professional with a desire to make a real difference to the lives and education of our pupils, then we want to hear from you.

Further information about the job

The candidate will be required to undergo a full enhanced DBS check and must be eligible to work in the UK.

Visas cannot be sponsored.

If you're interested in teaching or training to teach in England as an international citizen, we can help you understand your next steps.

Commitment to safeguarding

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment.

Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.

Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant):
childcare disqualification
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
medical
online and social media
prohibition from teaching
right to work
satisfactory references
suitability to work with children

You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.

Applying for the job

This school accepts applications through their own website, where you may also find more information about this job.

CVs will not be accepted for this application.

About Woodlands Primary School

• School type: Academy, ages 3 to 11
• Education phase: Primary school
• School size: 473 pupils enrolled
• Age range: 3 to 11
• Ofsted report: View Ofsted report
• School website: Woodlands Primary School website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/woodlands-primary-school-sheffield

Woodlands Primary School is a vibrant community where children aged 2-11 grow into confident learners. Serving around 500 children in south Sheffield, we believe in nurturing both academic success and personal achievements.

Our school is characterised by care, enthusiasm, and expertise, with a knowledge-rich curriculum designed to meet the needs of our children. We focus on developing articulate communicators, passionate readers, and inclusive individuals who display impeccable behaviour.

Our expert teachers carefully plan every subject, ensuring each child’s needs are at the heart of what we do. We offer wonderful children, a dedicated staff team, and leadership committed to improving outcomes for all.

School location

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