Head Of Admissions, Attendance And Transport

Acting as operational lead for the delivery of Council services that includes, but is not limited to:
Ensuring that both the Councils meet their statutory duties with regard to:
• School Admissions and Attendance
• Elective Home Education
• Children Missing Education
• Home to school transport, including SEND and children’s social care
Takes collective and shared responsibility for the effective leadership and management of the Council’s services and delivery of improved outcomes and the achievement of value for money.
1) To oversee the implementation and administration of the Councils’ School Admission process to ensure that every child living in Peterborough whose parents wish for them to be educated at a maintained or Academy school is provided with a school place. This includes keeping the Peterborough policies up to date to comply with statutory guidance and the law including the Admissions Code. It also includes producing the Annual Report for Admissions, a statutory requirement.
2) Strategic lead for the Council’s statutory school attendance function, elective home education and children missing education. Ensure that all policies are up to date with latest national guidance and best practice.
3) Ensure the Council fulfils its statutory responsibilities with regard to Attendance, Elective Home Education and Children Missing Education, including keeping children safe, using established national and local procedures and best practice.
4) Ensure that the Council has an effective home to school transport policy that is up to date with the latest national guidance and best practice.
5) To provide strategic leadership for the passenger transport team to ensure that both Councils meet their statutory duties with regard to provision of transport for those who are entitled under legislation to receive transport assistance in order to access education and social care provision and for those for whom transport assistance is discretionary under the respective Council’s policy.
6) Providing operational leadership for the Admissions and Attendance Manager and the Passenger Transport Strategy and Policy Manager.
7) Ensure that there are effective ICT systems in place to provide high quality services, including case management, performance reporting for service management and national returns.
8) To represent the Council at national and regional network and best practice meetings, bringing in approaches that improve PCC policies and service delivery.
The post holder will be responsible for the following service areas:
Statutory Responsibilities:
• Admissions
• Attendance
• Children Missing Education
• Elective Home Education
• Home to School Transport including SEND and Children’s Social Care
Role Specific:
Skills and Knowledge:
Ability to demonstrate:
· A comprehensive understanding of the current issues and challenges facing local government as well as the statutory framework governing the sector.
· Skills in understanding and responding to different perspectives and taking a cross-organisational approach, gained by working in a political or similarly challenging environment.
· Business acumen and an entrepreneurial mindset to lead the strategic delivery of services and maintain a focus on obtaining best value for money at all times balanced, against the difficult and sensitive challenges faced.
· Ability to lead, develop and sustain effective team, partnership and multi-agency working through strong effective advocacy, influencing and negotiating skills.
· Skills to provide creative solutions to complex problems together with high level analytical, presentational and communication skills.
· Ability to establish and sustain positive relationships that generate confidence, ability and trust.
· Highly developed influencing and negotiation skills to operate at a strategic professional and political level, locally and nationally.
· Understanding of the barriers to organisational and cultural change and the commitment to being a catalyst for change.
· Demonstrable up-to-date knowledge and understanding of the legislative framework governing education and the provision of Admissions, Attendance and home to school transport (Particularly, knowledge of the Education Act 2011 and the Childcare Act 2006, statutory guidance on admissions, Attendance and Transport.)
· Knowledge and understanding of current developments and best practice in admissions, attendance, home to school transport, gained through looking beyond a single organisation and into the wider system
· Knowledge of children missing education, and elective home education responsibilities and best practice
Appointment to this post will be subject to the outcome of an Enhanced Disclosure obtained through the Disclosure and Barring Service. The Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
We are proud to serve the diverse communities of Peterborough and want our workforce to reflect this diversity, which we believe is beneficial for our employees, the organisation and the communities we serve.