Virtual School Team

The Virtual School Headteacher

The Headteacher’s role is to lead and manage the work of the Virtual School across Devon, to monitor the achievements of all children in care in Devon, support pupils, schools and staff as appropriate and challenge where necessary.

The Virtual School structure. If you need this structure chart in an alternative format please email kate.clarke@devon.gov.uk.

Extended role of the Virtual School

The DfE commissioned a ‘children in need’ review in 2019 and, as a result of this, it announced an ‘extended role’ for virtual schools in 2021.

Local authorities were given funding for this extended role of the virtual school for the academic year 2021/22. This DfE central funding has subsequently been further allocated to the academic year 2023/24.

The extended role has been established to support children and young people with a social worker, in addition to those who are children in care such as children and young people on child in need and child protection plans. We wait to see if this becomes a permanent, statutory duty within the virtual school remit.

Kate Hingston (EYFS and Primary) and David Wibberley (Secondary and FE) were appointed as Virtual School Extended Role Education Advisors at the end of September 2021.

VS Extended Role aims as set out by the DfE:

  • Enhance partnerships between education settings and the local authority so agencies can work together; helping to keep children on CIN and CP plans safe.
  • Identify the CIN and CP cohort’s needs; make them visible and intervene to overcome barriers to poor educational outcomes; ensuring pupils reach their potential. Promote practice that supports pupil engagement in education.
  • Support and advise key professionals to help children on CIN and CP plans make progress, including through increasing their confidence in using evidence-based interventions. Raise aspiration, levelling up attainment; narrowing outcomes gaps.

Kate Hingston and David Wibberley have been working with social care and education colleagues to strategically support the progress of children and young people on CIN and CP plans. They can be contacted via email kate.hingston@devon.gov.uk or david.wibberley@devon.gov.uk

A V+CIN CP surgery is available at County Hall in Exeter on Mondays between 2.30 and 5.00pm

  • by phone
  • teams call
  • face-to-face

Call David on 07814205489 or Kate on 07815166982

Contact the Virtual School Team

Email educate.virtualschool-mailbox@devon.gov.uk or call the Virtual School Administrator, Kate Clarke on 01392 384786.

Area learning advocates

There are five area learning advocates (ALAs) working across Devon. Each one is responsible for children in care in schools in a particular area of Devon – they will speak on your behalf as they get to know you really well and about your needs. 

The ALAs will work with your school, parent or carer and, together with other professionals, will ensure that children in care are well supported and that your voice is heard. They can help identify additional support and will keep the Virtual School Headteacher informed of your educational progress and any issues. 

Welfare and inclusion

Education Wellbeing Officer 

The Education Wellbeing Officer works with a wide range of colleagues, and parents/carers to prevent and reduce the number of children who are missing education due to psychological medical absence, for example, anxiety disorders or other mental health issues. 

Inclusion officers 

When a child is experiencing difficulties and there is a need for a change of school, an inclusion officer would become involved. Inclusion officers would involve learning advocates in working with schools to look at the provision and any additional resources which would help the child or young person to re-engage with their learning. 

Should the need for a change of school be needed the inclusion officer will organise a protocol meeting, following Devon’s agreed protocol for eliminating exclusion and assist in identifying the new school for the young person to transfer to. 

Area learning advocates may involve inclusion officers when a child is experiencing difficulties. 

For more information see Education Inclusion Service. 

Educational Psychology Service 

The Virtual School works closely with the Educational Psychology Service to provide support for young people needing educational psychology assessments and those who facing anxiety around education and school. 

Administration and data support

The staff in this team act as a central contact point for any queries from schools and other professionals regarding the education of our children in care, they monitor the team mailbox and send out relevant information, requests and guidance to our designated teachers.

The data staff ensure our records are kept up-to-date using the Capita One and ePEP online systems and also produce our weekly Virtual School Roll.

VS Administrator (Kate Clarke)

Admin for Virtual School Headteacher, area learning advocates and Virtual School Team, info/training for designated teachers, organisation of children in care celebration event, designated teacher conference, education panels, admin for Virtual School governing body and any general enquiries.

Email kate.clarke@devon.gov.uk or call 01392 384786.

Virtual School Data Coordinator (Sarah Short)

Producing the Virtual School roll each week and keeping Capita ONE system up to date with information on our children in care.

Email sarah.short@devon.gov.uk or call 01392 385353.

Educational Support Officer (Aga Spier)

Pupil Premium Plus administration, NEET Panel with post-16 data tracking and organising one-to-one tutoring where necessary.

Email aga.spier@devon.gov.uk or call 01392 383899.

Attendance Collection Tool

User guide for Attendance Collection Tool.

If you have any issues, for example, password resets or login problems, please email educationsystems-mailbox@devon.gov.uk.

School admissions

Information about school admissions in Devon.

You can also read the Virtual School policy on school admissions or applications for children in care.

Other professionals

Attendance Improvement Officer (AIO) 

Rebecca Brooks and Alison Down are our Attendance Improvement Officers (AIOs), working with the Virtual School four days per week to support schools, carers and children. Reducing persistent and severe absence and increasing the chances of positive learning outcomes. 

If you have any concerns regarding attendance, please contact rebecca.brooks@devon.gov.uk or alison.down@devon.gov.uk or your area learning advocate. 

For schools outside of Devon (where we have a CiC on roll) and independent schools in Devon we will are using Welfare Call to ensure all attendance data is collected daily. 

PEP Support Officers (PEPSOs) 

The PEP Support Officers work with children, foster carers, parents, school staff, social workers and other agencies, they attend the Personal Education Plan meetings and support designated teachers to ensure the voice of the child is at the heart of the process. Our PEP support officers are: 

PEP Coordinators (PEPCOs) 

Rachel Friend (Mon, Tues, Weds) and Heidi Fargher-Harding (Weds, Thurs, Fri) arrange all the PEP meetings and offer support to schools. Administer the ePEP system and ensure all PEPs are up-to-date and quality assured. 

Please contact Rachel Friend (tel 01392 384465) in the first instance if you have any queries concerning a PEP meeting. 

Extended role of Virtual School 

The extended role has been established to support children and young people with a social worker such as children and young people on Child in Need and Child Protection Plans, in addition to the work of the Virtual School Team who support those who are children in care. 

Aspirations officer 

Matthew Medd has joined the Virtual School Team in the new role of Aspirations Officer. 

Matthew’s remit is to provide aspirational and inspirational vocational opportunities for our students to keep them engaged with their education and to help them make informed decisions for future career plans. 

Initially he will be working with Mo Hurley, our Post-16 Area Learning Advocate, to reduce the number of students not in education, training or employment. 

Matthew will also be the point of contact for our new mentoring scheme from Young Devon. Matthew can be contacted at matthew.medd@devon.gov.uk or 07890 530337. 

Designated teacher 

Every school and setting has by law to appoint a senior member of staff to champion the needs of children in care who are in their school. 

This person will be present at most meetings and will lead ensuring the personal education plan meets the educational needs of each child. They also have to provide an annual report to the school’s governing body/board of directors. 

In school mentor 

This may be a teacher or a member of support staff who has been specially trained to support children in care and will work with them on a one-to-one basis. They will work with the designated teacher. 

Young asylum seekers 

Our area learning advocate, Penny Rundle, has responsibility for the educational progress of this group. Enquiries can be made to penny.rundle@devon.gov.uk or call 01392 381542 (working days Mon, Tues, Weds). 

Governing body

The governing body of the Virtual School fulfils three core functions:

  • To ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction.
  • To hold the ‘virtual’ headteacher to account for the educational performance of the pupils on roll.
  • To ensure resources are utilised to best effect and have maximum impact on outcomes for pupils.

It is the function of the virtual governing body to develop a deep understanding of the issues surrounding the virtual school and to be able to ask well-informed questions to ensure all of the pupils on roll at the virtual school are able to make the best progress and have their needs met. The governing body will champion the needs of the pupils and utilise its combined expertise and experience to ensure resources are made available and outcomes improve.

The Virtual School staff will also work closely with your school, together with other professionals such as school advisors, school improvement officers, social workers, independent review officers and staff in schools. The Virtual School will promote and champion the specific needs of children in care and work to ensure any professional support is linked and effective.

Educational psychologists work in every school/educational establishment in Devon and prioritise support for children in care. This will include practical advice and training for the Designated Teacher and In-School Mentor. In addition, educational psychologists provide education support for fostering panels and the Service Around the Child Team.

Governor personal statements

Councillor Andrew Leadbetter
As chair of the Virtual School Governing Body, it is my duty to work with the Virtual School Headteacher and fellow governors, to make sure our children in care receive the best education.

The close working relationship between Education and Children’s Social Care is essential to meet the many challenges these young people have.

Annie Monaghan
I am employed by Devon County Council as a social worker in the Fostering Team and have been in my current post for approximately eight years. Prior to this, I worked in the Child Care Assessment Team in Tiverton.

I have been a qualified social worker since 1989 and have worked in childcare since then in various settings. I am a parent of three children, their experience at school and the time my husband has been a governor, have sparked my interest in becoming one.

I am well aware that the children who are accommodated have potentially more hurdles to overcome than some other young people and it is crucial that we have a system that supports and promotes their education.

The school my children attend is particularly proactive in supporting the young people they have who are in care and any dealings with them have been very positive.

I also link in often with my foster carers as they support the young people in placements and are good advocates for them in various forums.

Lindsay Skinner
Trust representative, currently Director of Education at the Ted Wragg Trust.

Councillor Tracy Adams
I am an elected county councillor for the electoral division of Pinhoe and Mincinglake. I intend to serve the interests of all residents, regardless of political persuasion.

I am a member of the Labour Party and take an active interest in a number of national and local campaigns. I enjoy being an active member of my community through local groups and want to do more to support it.

My priorities are to support residents with road and traffic issues due to heavy development; to ensure our schools are the best they can be and children are safe; building community groups.

Khristine Norton
Employment and Skills Strategy Manager (Education), post-16 participation.

Hannah Robson
Further education college representative.

Amanda White
Previously looked after and adopted children representative.

Heather Slater
Foster Carer representative (awaiting personal statement).

Alice McShane
I am the School Effectiveness Lead within DCC, managing a team of leadership and school effectiveness advisors. We work across Devon to support schools on their improvement journey, promoting high quality provision and outcomes for our children. I started life in education as a secondary school science teacher and have held a range of senior leadership roles.


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