Mrs Alison Hurst

In my position as Collegiate Education Welfare Officer, I work with parents, staff and pupils across the primary and secondary academies within the collegiate to raise attendance and maintain excellent school attendance for all pupils and to offer a support service to the academy staff. 

This can involve signposting parents to support agencies, putting targets and expectations in place for students and working with parents to resolve any barriers to their child’s school attendance.  I carry out home visits, hold parental meetings in school, have telephone conversations with parents and liaise between parents and school staff regarding all attendance related issues.  If a child remains persistently absent and there is a high level of unauthorised absence, the case may then be stepped up and referred to the Education Welfare Service at Stoke on Trent City Council and Staffordshire who may consider legal action where there is no improvement.