Location
EdCity, 1 EdCity Walk, EdCity, London, W12 7TF or regionally based within a defined Lift Schools geographical hub. Regular travel to regional schools and occasional national travel will be expected.

Hours
37 hours per week

Salary
£50,000-£55,000 per annum plus wellbeing cash plan, pension scheme (LGPS) and additional Lift Schools benefits.

About the Role
Help improve attendance and transform outcomes for thousands of children. At Lift Schools, we believe every child deserves to be in school, ready to learn, every day.

We are seeking an exceptional Attendance and Exclusion Lead to join our national safeguarding and Education team and support our trust-wide approach to attendance across our network of 59 schools, educating more than 35,000 pupils.

This is a rare opportunity to influence practice at scale. Working alongside our Head of Safeguarding, Regional and National Education Directors, Principals and school leaders, you will help ensure every school has the systems, expertise and confidence to improve attendance, reduce persistent absence and provide strategic oversight of suspensions and exclusions, helping more children access the education they deserve.

Excellent attendance is fundamental to educational success. Every day in school matters, and your expertise will help ensure more children benefit from the opportunities that education provides.

Working across our family of schools, you will use data, quality assurance, coaching and professional challenge to strengthen attendance practice, identify risks early and support school leaders to deliver sustainable improvement. Alongside this, you will provide strategic oversight of suspensions and exclusions, helping ensure schools meet statutory expectations and promote positive outcomes for pupils.

This role is not about monitoring performance from a distance. It is about building trusted relationships with school leaders, using evidence to drive improvement and supporting schools to make a lasting difference for children and their families.

We offer comprehensive training, generous benefits including pension and healthcare, and lifestyle perks such as discounted gym memberships and travel deals.

Experience
Significant experience leading attendance improvement across schools or educational settings. Strong knowledge of current attendance legislation, alongside an understanding of suspensions, exclusions and statutory guidance. Experience analysing complex data and translating insight into practical school improvement strategies. Experience supporting schools with suspensions, exclusions or wider inclusion strategies is desirable.

About you
You will have the credibility and confidence to coach, influence and constructively challenge senior leaders. A collaborative approach and a genuine passion for improving outcomes for children. You share our belief that every child deserves the opportunity to succeed and understand the life-changing difference that excellent attendance can make.

Qualifications
Not explicitly stated, but relevant professional experience and expertise in attendance and exclusion leadership are essential.