INTERNAL ONLY VACANCY. This post is open to existing Leeds City Council employees only. Applications will not be considered from external candidates.

Job title: Children Missing Education (CME) Assistant

Salary: C3 £32,061 - £33,699

Hours: 37

Contract: Permanent

Location: Hybrid – Office, Tech North

About the role

As a Children Missing Education (CME) Assistant within the Learning Access Service, you will play a key role in helping the local authority meet its statutory duties to identify and track children who are not receiving a suitable education.

Working closely with CME Officers, you will provide essential first line and administrative support to ensure that children missing education are identified promptly, information is accurately recorded, and cases are progressed efficiently. This role is central to maintaining high‑quality data, supporting safeguarding processes and enabling timely action to locate children and support their return to education.

The Learning Access Service includes the school attendance team, elective home education team, exclusions team and pupil tuition team. You will work collaboratively with colleagues across these services, as well as schools, other local authorities and partner agencies, to support improved educational engagement and outcomes for children and young people.

Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region, with over 14,000 employees. We are committed to recruiting and developing talented individuals who share our https://jobs.leeds.gov.uk/our-values and contribute to our ambition for Leeds to be a Child Friendly City.

About you

As a CME Assistant, you will bring:

Strong administrative and organisational skills, with a high level of attention to detail
The ability to manage and process sensitive information accurately and confidentially
Confidence in using IT systems and databases to input, track and report data
Good communication skills to work effectively with schools, families, colleagues and partner agencies
An understanding of safeguarding responsibilities and the importance of accurate information‑sharing

You will be able to work independently using your own initiative, while also contributing positively as part of a busy team supporting statutory services.

What we offer you

We take pride in offering an excellent employee experience, with benefits including:

A competitive salary and generous annual leave entitlement, plus statutory holidays
Membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
Flexible and hybrid working arrangements, subject to service requirements
Access to training, development and progression opportunities within Leeds City Council
A wide range of https://jobs.leeds.gov.uk/our-benefits to support your wellbeing and help your money go further

How to apply

Please complete the online application form.

You can read our guidance for further advice on completing your application.

If you would like an informal discussion about the role, please contact Alison Finley, Head of Service – Learning Access, by email at
Alison.Finley@leeds.gov.uk

We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people.
This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Please ensure you are eligible before applying

Job Description

Job purpose

To ensure the local authority fulfil their statutory responsibilities to establish the identities of children living in their area who are not receiving a suitable education (Section 436a, Education Act 1996)

To assist the CME Officers through the provision of administrative duties with ensuring that all children and young people in Leeds are identified and tracked throughout their educational provision and that sufficient destination information is received and validated for children and young people leaving the area.

Responsibilities

To work as a member of the CME team and to take responsibility for processing information for all pupils missing from education
To undertake initial enquiries, using a range of IT systems and undertake searches involving communication with other Local Authorities and a range of professional organisations and collate responses
To provide first-line support for Children Missing Education Officers.
Assist in prioritisation of CME referrals that require an urgent response.
To identify inappropriate referrals and act accordingly, including where necessary to challenge professionally and effectively.
To liaise with other services, schools, education authorities and agencies who have a corresponding interest in ensuring the accurate tracking of children and young people.
To provide an information telephone support service for schools, the public and other agencies and answer telephone queries and co-ordinate responses to CME enquiries
To undertake the full range of administrative duties, including data input and promote best practice in use of data systems to achieve this.
To ensure that integrity and cleanliness of the data is maintained at all times;
To support the CME Officers to create and maintain locally-specific reference materials to assist colleagues in their use of systems;
To produce and handle reports containing sensitive information as required in relation to Children Missing Education activities and the duties of the Education & Early Start Safeguarding team;
To ensure familiarity with technical and legal developments including procedural changes relating to the post;
To ensure that systems and activities continue to meet corporate and legislative requirements relating to data and record management;
To attend relevant meetings as required, including clerking meetings when appropriate;
To contribute to the management of the CME service’s workload and deadlines;
To arrange and administer meetings and conference events;
To complete any other duties appropriate to the post.
To participate in and provide training and development activities as necessary to ensure up to date knowledge and skills.
To undertake other duties appropriate to the post as required by the Child Missing Education Officers & Lead officer LAS.
To comply with the requirements of all Leeds City Council policies, procedures and staff instructions, including responsibilities under the Health and Safety Policy and Procedures.
To actively promote and support Leeds City Council's Policies on Equal Opportunities and to work in an anti-oppressive manner.

Qualifications

Able to evidence level of literacy that supports good communication
Able to evidence sufficient numerical skills to interpret data sheets.
To be evidenced within the selection & interview process

Essential requirements Candidates will only be shortlisted if they can demonstrate that they meet all the following essential requirements.

Good grasp of numeracy to support understanding and interpretation of data ( to be evidenced within the application & interview process)
Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal ( to be evidenced within the application & interview process.
Ability to act with confidence and independence to challenge poor practice from schools and other professionals diplomatically.
Strong ICT skills, including experience of Microsoft Office applications
Strong numeracy skills and the ability to work in a logical manner and interpret statistical data.
The ability to plan and work purposefully using own initiative and with the minimum of supervision.
Ability to think creatively in order to track missing children;
Ability to share information effectively, accurately and concisely.
Ability to contribute to the overall team service plan and to develop constructive working relationships with colleagues and other Agencies.
Sound understanding of Education legislation in relation to safeguarding and children missing from education
An understanding of attendance legislation and procedures.
Sound understanding of the operation of a busy office and the support requirements of a growing team.
Sound understanding of the importance of data accuracy;
Knowledge of the use of Internet and intranet technologies as media for disseminating information and advice.
Knowledge of quality assurance processes
Experience of providing telephone support and customer service
Experience of using databases
Experience of team working

Essential behavioural and other characteristics

Understand and embrace Leeds City Council values and behaviours and codes of conduct
Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Leeds Ambitions of health and wellbeing, inclusive growth, thriving strong communities, and a resilient sustainable city
Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council policies and procedures
Carry out duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under Health, Safety and Wellbeing
Participate in appraisal, training and development activities to ensure up, to date knowledge and skills
Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding equality and diversity of Leeds City Council
Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person
Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.

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