Samuel Cole
Compassionate, organised and resilient professional seeking Attendance & Welfare Officer role in education
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About
Compassionate, organised and resilient professional with 20+ years as a Bus Driver and 3 years as Relief Patch Supervisor at First Bus, plus 10+ years lived experience as a father of two children with autism. Strong experience in monitoring attendance, supporting vulnerable families, difficult conversations with parents, safeguarding, and accurate data/reporting. Calm, fair, consistent and child-centred in approach with passion for pupil wellbeing and securing high levels of attendance.
Looking to move into education pastoral support as an Attendance & Welfare Officer.
Experience
Relief Patch Supervisor / Bus Driver - First Bus
(2001-01)
Supervisor role for last 3 years. Responsible for attendance management, welfare officer duties, safeguarding and pastoral care, home visits and family liaison, data and reporting, and compliance.
- Monitored daily staff attendance and punctuality for large team of drivers – first-day absence calls, welfare checks, reporting to SLT, producing attendance data for management
- Supported staff with wellbeing issues affecting attendance – mental health, family issues, medical – created support plans and referred to external agencies
- Responsible for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults on buses, dealing with welfare concerns, reporting to control/safeguarding leads, accurate confidential recording
- Conducted welfare visits and difficult conversations with staff/families – professional, empathetic, child-centred approach
- Produced daily punctuality and attendance reports, termly trends, supported SLT with data – directly relevant to producing attendance data and supporting termly reports
- Maintained compliance with health & safety, confidentiality, attendance legislation (for drivers), GDPR
Parent Carer – Lived Experience – SEND & Attendance Barriers
10+ years of lived experience managing school attendance for 2 children with autism.
- Managing school attendance for 2 children with autism – working closely with Heads of Year, SENDCO, attendance officers and EWO to secure high attendance despite barriers
- Understanding of why pupils don't attend – anxiety, SEND, mental health – and how to deliver pastoral interventions and support families without blame
- Experience of EHCP meetings, pastoral meetings, attendance action plans and multi-agency working
Education
GCSE - Maths & English
