Contents
What is the Virtual School?
The Virtual School is exactly that – virtual! It is not a building but a group of professionals who work closely with our children in care to get the best possible educational outcomes. It does not replace an actual school that children attend but is an additional resource where professionals work cooperatively and collaboratively for the very best possible outcomes.
The Virtual School is similar in some ways to an actual school. We have a school roll on which all our children in care are registered, a governing body and a headteacher. Just like a school we monitor attendance, progress and attainment. We rely on close working relationships with schools, social care colleagues and other professionals to improve outcomes for children in care. We also offer training for all professionals who work with children in care.
The training includes:
- attachment based mentoring for schools and social workers
- training for carers on SEND and the role of The Virtual School
- relational policy and practice
- training for newly qualified social workers
- annual designated teacher conference
- designated teacher network meetings
Our aims
Promote – High aspirations and excellent educational outcomes
Support – Children and young people, carers, schools and settings
Challenge – Anyone who does not deliver on our aspirations
Celebrate – All our successes
Who does the Virtual School support?
We support all looked after children and young people including care leavers, who are in the care of Devon County Council wherever they are educated, from pre-school and reception through to the age of 18. This cohort includes any Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children (UASC). We also take an overview to provide support for all looked after children living in Devon from other local authorities.
Although our formal responsibility is as corporate parents for Devon children in care and care leavers, we also offer advice and guidance to schools, parents and guardians with children and young people who have left care and been adopted or are living with guardians under a special guardianship order.
Any school that has a Devon child in care on roll will have a named area learning advocate from the virtual school – they are the first point of contact for designated teachers, social workers and carers when needing advice about any aspect of education or training accessed by our children and young people.
Our role is also to support all carers, social workers and designated teachers in each of our education provisions, to help them prioritise education and learning for our young people.
Virtual School governing body
The Virtual School governing body includes representatives from primary, secondary and special schools, carers, county councillors and social care professionals. Meetings are held 3 times per year.
Why is this service needed?
Children and young people in care have usually had adverse childhood experiences while growing up which may lead to their learning being disrupted. We believe that a successful education, where young people achieve their potential, is the single most important factor that will impact on future life chances. Our aim is for all professionals to work together to ensure that our children in the care of Devon County Council have the best chances of success.
Our aim is that children in care will have access to the best possible education and we advocate on their behalf.
Nationally:
- the educational outcomes for children in care are much lower than those not in care
- children in care are more likely to be persistently absent from school compared with the rest of the population
- children in care are more likely to be excluded from school when compared with the rest of the school population
- care leavers are more likely to be NEET (not in Education, Employment or Training) than young people who have not been in care
- children in care and care leavers are far more likely to suffer from mental health problems than those not in care.
Our aim is that the progress and future prospects of every child in care is as good as for a child who is not in care.
Personal education plans
The Personal Education Plan (PEP) is the document that details the child’s education journey. It will give the child’s own views and those of the adults who work and live with them, also their attainment and clear targets to help them make the best progress. Although the school takes the lead, the PEP is a collaborative document involving the social worker, carer, designated teacher and the Virtual School. The PEP is reviewed each term and Devon use the ePEP online system. If you are new to the ePEP system and need advice or support please contact educate.educationsystems-mailbox@devon.gov.uk or your Area Learning Advocate.
Important facts to know about PEPs:
- the PEP is a statutory document which forms part of the child’s care plan
- attendance at the PEP meeting must include the child’s Social Worker and Carer
- a PEP meeting should happen within 20 days of a child entering care or joining a new school. It will then be reviewed each term
- the Virtual School quality assure the PEP and, as a result, the Pupil Premium+ funding is released to the school (the Pupil Premium+ funding will be discussed at the PEP meeting so that funded interventions contribute to an increase in progress)
- PEPs must have academic targets as well as, where appropriate, targets to address the social and emotional needs of the child
- there are a number of different PEPs; Early Years; Statutory School Age, Post-16 and Special School for those with very complex needs
What makes a good PEP?
The Personal Education Plan is quality assured by the Virtual School before Pupil Premium+ funding is released to the school. The PEP can be returned to the school for adjustments. To ensure that the PEP is acceptable the following need to be completed:
- the child must have taken part in the PEP through completing their views section
- the attainment information must be entered
- SMART targets (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely) must be set – usually this would include Maths, English and social and emotional wellbeing;
- the views of the Social Worker, Carer, Designated Teacher and other professionals must be included;
- there should be a brief description of the discussion at the meeting so that those who have not attended have a good idea of progress and any issues;
- Pupil Premium funding requests should be discussed and entered into the PEP
- agree the next PEP meeting date for the following term
The PEP should be a complete view of the young person`s education profile celebrating success, reviewing progress and setting challenging targets to help each child make maximum progress.
School admissions
Applications are required for all children, including those who are in care or have previously held in care status for admissions purposes. If eligible, these children have the highest priority for school admission.
Who applies
Applications must be made by a person with parental responsibility for the child. For children in care, this will either be a social worker or other person from the local authority who is acting as the corporate parent for the child. In Devon, this will often be the admissions lead for children in care. Some children are placed in the care of the local authority through a voluntary arrangement made by the parent who then retains parental responsibility.
The parent should make the application but can request that the application is made by the corporate parent on their behalf.
Devon Social Workers should discuss education with the area learning advocate and refer to the admissions team for advice and support.
Foster Carers must not make applications for admission. They have an important role in the child’s care and can suggest a school but the application must be made by the corporate parent.
Further information
For further information about school admissions for children in care, please go to the Devon Virtual School website.
School attendance
Children in care should be given the same opportunities as all children. They will attend school from the beginning of their entitlement in reception to the end of the summer term in Year 11. Their school place will be based on their need and, in the majority of cases, this will be a mainstream school unless they have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) which names specialist provision.
Children are expected to attend school and should only be absent if they are ill. For absence up to 7 days (including Saturday and Sunday) the carer should contact the school on the first day and every following day by phone and confirm in writing when they return to school. Longer absences should include a letter from a GP.
The Virtual School will not support holidays in term time for children in care unless there are clearly exceptional circumstances, which are outlined by the social worker to the Area Learning Advocate, and which show that the benefits outweigh the disadvantages.
Should the leave of absence be refused and carers still take their child out of school, the absence will be recorded as unauthorised. This would then lead to the involvement of the Education Welfare Service and an attendance target in the PEP.
The Virtual School attendance policy gives further details.
Providing support and training
The Virtual School provides informal telephone or email advice to anybody involved in the education of our children in care. We also provide the following training opportunities:
- Attachment Based Mentoring (ABM)
- Relational Policy and Practice
- Annual Conference for Designated Teachers
- Training for Social Workers and Carers
- The Reducing Exclusions in Devon Schools (REDS) programme for Children in Care at risk of exclusion
- Support for parents and guardians of children previously in Care
- Training for schools on supporting children who have previously been in Care
- Designated Teacher Network meetings
- Training for Teachers and Teaching Assistants on specific educational themes eg. speech & language, therapeutic play and sensory processing
- Funding for schools to access specific interventions eg. Social and Emotional Health Team, Communication and Interaction Team, Educational Psychology Support
We particularly focus on support for young people and schools at transition points where additional interventions may be needed. We hold a planning for success meeting as a handover when there is a school move within the academic year.
We want our children in care to have access to a wide range of extra-curricular activities in the same way as we would provide for our own child, therefore we provide a Personal Education Allowance (PEA) to enable them to try new activities and have fun.
We run a fully-funded summer school for 4 weeks which includes outdoor activities and art and craft days.
We provide funded additional tutoring for every child where it is felt this will help their progress or increase confidence in learning.
We all share a responsibility in helping to ensure every young person achieves their potential.
Working together
The virtual school will:
- challenge low educational expectations and achievement wherever they may occur
- listen to the voice of young people and their carers
- provide high quality support and guidance
- provide high quality training for education professionals, Social Workers and carers
- allocate Pupil Premium+ funding in the most effective way to ensure a high level of support
- ensure that there is an up-to-date and quality assured PEP for all children in care
- offer high quality advice and guidance to parents and guardians of children previously in care
- support carers with all education issues
- celebrate the success of our students
- allocate personal education allowance for extra-curricular activities
Young people will be encouraged to:
- attend their PEP meetings and share their views;
- access additional support and resources to support their education
- attend school
- try their best
Carers will be encouraged to:
- access high quality advice
- attend training
- attend the PEP meeting for their child
- support children with their schoolwork
- have high expectations of children and promote high aspirations
- ensure children attend school regularly
- contact the designated teacher if they have concerns
Social workers will:
- be kept informed about any changes that may impact on a young person
- be present at any meetings in which a young person’s needs are discussed
- attend PEP meetings for each young person three times a year
- provide information about any changes that may impact on a young person’s education eg. home moves
- avoid a placement change for all children who are in key stage 4
- attend the planning for success meeting for a child if a school move is necessary outside the normal transition points
Designated teachers will:
- be kept informed of changes that may impact on a young person’s education
- attend meetings about the educational progress of young people eg. child in care review
- seek additional support for young people in school as needed
- access high quality training
- champion the needs of children and young people in care within school
- chair PEP meetings for each child in care three times a year and complete the PEP within one week of the meeting
- provide information about any changes that may impact on a young person’s education
- write an annual report to their governing body on the achievements of young people in care
- attend planning for success meeting for a child if a school move is necessary outside the normal transition points
- keep good contact with the carer and social worker for a child in care
- have high expectations for each child to ensure they reach their best possible outcomes
Extended role of virtual school
From September 2021 the Virtual School has had a new strategic role for the cohort of children from 0-18, who have been assessed as being in need of Social Worker intervention.
We are working with early years settings, schools, colleges and social care leaders to create a culture of high aspirations that helps all children with a social worker make educational progress.
Our role is to:
- champion the educational attendance, attainment and progress of children with a social worker
- make visible the disadvantages that children with a social worker can experience
- enhance partnerships between education settings and local authorities to help all agencies hold high aspirations for these children
- promote practice that supports children’s engagement in education, recognising that attending an education setting can be an important factor in helping to keep children safe from harm
- work to support education providers, families and social care colleagues to level up children’s outcomes and narrow the attainment gap so every child can reach their potential
Previously looked after children
The Virtual School provides access to information, advice and support through the provision of a dedicated Area Learning Advocate. The Area Learning Advocate offers advice regarding individual cases and enquiries from schools, parents, guardians and other professionals (including Post Adoption Support and Special Guardianship Support colleagues) regarding educational issues affecting previously looked after children.
Common enquiries include; use of Pupil Premium Plus funding, EHCP processes, admissions, advice when a child is at risk of exclusion and signposting to available support and other services.
The Devon Virtual School website contains information and useful links for school staff, parents, guardians and other professionals regarding previously looked after children.
Information includes a grab pack for schools, information about Pupil Premium Plus funding and a copy of the Education Plan for Adopted Children (EPAC) with accompanying guidance, which can be used by schools to focus an individual plan and review process for a child.
Enquiries can be made by phone or email to Andrew Squire on:
Email: andrew.squire@devon.gov.uk
Tel:01392 380918.
Our staff, governors and partners
Contact us
The Virtual School Team
Tel: 01392 384786
Email: educate.virtualschool-mailbox@devon.gov.uk
VS Headteacher:Wendy Ohlson
Email: wendy.ohlson@devon.gov.uk
Area Learning Advocates:
East Devon – Julie Potter
Email: julie.potter@devon.gov.uk (also Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children)
Exeter and Mid Devon – Sarah Acland
Email: sarah.acland@devon.gov.uk
North Devon – Kim Piper
Email: kim.piper@devon.gov.uk
South and West Devon – Andrew Squire
Email: andrew.squire@devon.gov.uk (also Adopted Children and those under SGOs)
16-18 year olds and NEETs Danny Mead
Email: danny.mead@devon.gov.uk
VS SEN Officer: Sarah Winstone
Email: sarah.winstone@devon.gov.uk
VS SEN Assessments:Emily Snape
Email: emily.snape@devon.gov.uk
PEP Coordinators:
Admin of ePEP system, Helen Conibear
helen.conibear@devon.gov.uk ensuring all PEPs up to date and quality assured
Rachel Friend rachel.friend@devon.gov.uk date and quality assured.
Please contact Helen Conibear or Rachel Friend in the first instance if you have any queries concerning a PEP meeting.
PEP Support Officers:
South Devon and Post-16 – Rob Martin
Email: robert.martin@devon.gov.uk
North Devon and Post-16 – Jacqui Cooper
Email:jacqueline.cooper@devon.gov.uk
Mid and East Devon – Bethan Roberts
Email: bethan.roberts@devon.gov.uk
East Devon – Kate Stanley
Email: kate.stanley@devon.gov.uk
Extended Role of VS:
Secondary and Post-16 – David Wibberley
Email:david.wibberley@devon.gov.uk
Early Years and Primary
Kate Hingston
Email: kate.hingston@devon.gov.uk
Other staff:
Advocate for UASC – Colin Mitchell
Email: colin.d.mitchell@devon.gov.uk
Educational Support Officer – Aga Spier
Email: aga.spier@devon.gov.uk
VS Administrator – Kate Clarke
Email: kate.clarke@devon.gov.uk
CiC Data Coordinator – Sarah Short
Email:sarah.short@devon.gov.uk
Educational Psychologist – Rachel Hearn
Email: rachel.hearn@devon.gov.uk
Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and Schools – Andrew Leadbetter
Email: andrew.leadbetter@devon.gov.uk
Structure chart
The Virtual School structure chart is available here. If you need this structure chart in an alternative format please email kate.clarke@devon.gov.uk.