I am Karen Stewart, Director of Educo Advisory and a pastoral link governor since 2010 working strategically on the Achievement Committee in a London Secondary school. During the same time, I have also worked as an Attendance & Welfare Co-ordinator managing staff and working closely alongside the Senior Leadership Team.

I am passionate about achieving successful outcomes for young people and committed to partnership working between schools and families.

Why not get in touch to find out about how I can work with your Governing Board as well as education staff to improve attendance and inclusion outcomes in your school.

Conference biography – The Attendance Administrators National Conference, July 2017

Karen Stewart has 9 years’ experience as an Attendance Welfare Officer in a secondary school in Croydon. She was responsible for taking the school out of the persistent absence category and raising attendance to above 95%, a figure which has been maintained consistently for the last 6 years. Attendance in her school was acknowledged as strength by Ofsted in 2013 and again in 2016.

This marked increase in attendance levels has been achieved by implementing attendance initiatives, developing a thorough awareness of trends and interpreting data to identify key challenges. In addition Karen has helped develop a robust pastoral support system and she uses a holistic approach to focus on the needs of vulnerable students.

She believes that early intervention and personalised strategies are key to increasing pupil’s attendance and that there is no such thing as a ‘one size fits all’ approach.