Recruiting for Student Engagement and Attendance Officer
LCK Academy is seeking a dedicated Student Engagement and Attendance Officer to join our student services team. This role is essential in supporting student success by monitoring attendance, fostering engagement, and ensuring compliance with institutional policies and regulatory requirements. The successful candidate will balance proactive student support with rigorous monitoring to help create a culture of responsibility, belonging, and achievement.
Benefits
We offer the opportunity to develop your career in a collaborative and supportive environment, with a benefits package that includes generous leave and flexible weekday scheduling, tailored CPD and professional development, an inclusive and values-driven workplace, and the chance to make a real impact on students' lives through education.
Equality, Diversity And Inclusion & Ethos
LCK Academy is unapologetically proud of our stance: Zero Self Doubt, Zero Hardship. We're an inclusive environment built on empathy, action, and empowerment, grounded in the UK Quality Code and Equality Act 2010. We make space for diverse voices and encourage applications from those historically underrepresented in higher education.
Job Description
Job Title
Student Engagement and Attendance Officer
Department
Student Services
Reporting to
Head of Student Services
Hours
Full-time
Location
London
London's Community Kitchen Academy (LCKA)
LCKA was established in 2022. The primary goal of LCKA is to grant individuals access to high-quality education and qualifications that bolster their self-assurance and elevate their quality of life. The LCKA ethos is resolutely centred on the principles of zero self-doubt and zero hardship. As part of this mission, we recognise that student attendance and engagement are central to student success, academic quality, and compliance with UK higher education expectations.
The Role
The Attendance & Engagement Officer plays a crucial role in ensuring that students are supported to engage fully with their studies, while also maintaining accurate attendance records in line with institutional policy and external compliance requirements. The role balances proactive student support with rigorous monitoring, helping foster a culture of responsibility, belonging, and achievement.
Main Duties
Attendance Monitoring:
- Record and monitor student attendance using the Academy's systems (e.g., SMS/VLE).
- Generate weekly and termly attendance reports for managers, tutors, and the Compliance Team.
- Identify patterns of non-attendance or disengagement early and escalate appropriately.
- Ensure compliance with LCKA's Attendance & Engagement Policy (5.04) and UK Quality Code requirements.
Student Support & Engagement:
- Act as the first point of contact for attendance-related queries from students.
- Arrange follow-up meetings with students whose attendance falls below thresholds, adopting a supportive and solution-focused approach.
- Guide students to wellbeing, academic, or financial support services where appropriate.
- Work closely with the Student Engagement Officer to coordinate joint initiatives that encourage student participation and belonging.
Compliance & Reporting:
- Maintain accurate, secure records of student attendance and engagement in line with GDPR.
- Support internal audits and external regulatory reviews (e.g., OfS, QAA).
- Provide data and narrative updates to the Academic & Quality Board on attendance and engagement trends.
Communication & Collaboration:
- Liaise with academic staff to verify attendance concerns and coordinate interventions.
- Support orientation and induction by explaining attendance expectations to new students.
- Work with alumni and student representatives to promote a culture of accountability and peer encouragement.
- Collaborate with the Compliance Team to ensure alignment with visa, safeguarding, and funding requirements (where applicable).
Other Duties:
- Support student events and engagement campaigns, occasionally including evenings and weekends.
- Undertake any other duties commensurate with the level of responsibility and aligned with institutional needs.
Essential Criteria
- Bachelor's degree (or equivalent experience in student services, compliance, or education administration).
- Experience in a student support, administration, or compliance-focused role within higher or further education.
- Strong organisational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage and interpret data.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with a supportive but professional approach when working with students.
- Competence in digital systems, including Student Management Systems (SMS), VLEs, and Microsoft Office.
- Understanding of safeguarding and data protection (UK GDPR) requirements.
Preferable Criteria
- Experience of working in the independent higher education (IHE) sector.
- Familiarity with UK Quality Code, OfS, or QAA requirements related to student engagement.
- Knowledge of student retention, progression, and success strategies.
- Experience using attendance tracking or CRM systems.
Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and all employees are required to act in such a way that at all times safeguards the health and well-being of children and vulnerable adults. Carry out duties with due regard to the Academy's commitment to students, Equal Opportunities, Information Governance, Data Protection, Health and Safety policies and procedures.
How to Apply
If you are interested in this exciting opportunity to contribute to the success of LCK Academy and support our mission, please email your CV and short cover letter (max 2 pages) to recruitment@lckacademy.org.uk. Please include the job title you are applying for (i.e., "Student Engagement and Attendance Officer") in the email subject line.