What we offer
Children who have needed a social work intervention at any point in their lives are likely to have had early life experiences that can develop as barriers to their development and learning at any age and any stage. That’s why the Virtual School is a statutory role to ensure that services, schools and settings make effective provision that understands those barriers and seeks to promote the attendance, attainment, achievement and progress of looked after, previously looked-after and children who have or had a social worker. All of the children for whom we have a duty remain the responsibility of the school/setting where they are on roll: our job is to support, enable and enhance the services that support their learning so they can achieve their potential and respond to the challenge of finding the best possible outcome for any child or young person.
The Virtual School works in partnership with all services, social workers, schools and settings in every phase and type. designated teachers, Independent Reviewing Officers, foster and kinship carers, residential settings, SEND services, regional adoption agencies and other Virtual Schools. These are just some of our key provisions that support schools and services:
Looked After Children
To always support and challenge schools and settings with the corporate parenting test: would this be good enough for my child?
Support and advice to social workers to secure timely access to a full-time school place/education offer at the setting best suited to their needs
Designated Teacher Visits – a restorative support/challenge framework that all schools/settings need to complete to secure Pupil Premium Plus
Ensure Pupil Premium Plus is being used effectively and within the conditions of grant for evidence based interventions that enhance the child’s attendance, attainment, achievement and progress
Every looked after child has a high-quality, personal education plan which is implemented and overseen by the school and reviewed termly with the child’s social worker, carer/s and young person
A regularly refreshed, high quality, differentiated training offer including the role of the Designated Teacher
Termly Designated Teacher networks in each of the three geographical areas of the city
For looked after children aged 3 and 4, access to a building underdeveloped sensory systems assessment through the LEAPlets programme
Support schools explore their understanding of the impact of early childhood trauma and theories about attachment on the development of a child and how becoming ‘a trauma responsive’ school or setting means looking after adults too
An annual conference with nationally and internationally renowned speakers – free to all DTs and DSLs
Bringing a wealth of knowledge and skill to support whole-school practice and provision, inclusive strategies and approaches to meet the specific needs of our children and young people*, promoting and working to the SEND Inclusion Strategy
Ensure children and young people are given a meaningful voice in decisions about them, their learning and their progress
Ensure services, schools and setting demonstrate and embody high aspirations
Previously Looked After Children – left care through adoption, special guardianship or child arrangement orders – all provisions marked * above also apply to PCLA
Provide advice and guidance to parents, carers and families, schools and settings
Work with the regional adoption agency, kinship and SGO services to build the capacity of those teams to support the learning of these children at every age and stage
Work with third sector partners such as Kinship Charity to ensure children in other family arrangements can benefit from the knowledge and experience and functions of the Virtual School
The Virtual School also has a strategic responsibility to raise the profile of learning and education outcomes for the cohort of children in the city who have or ever had a social worker. Designated Safeguarding Leads in school hold this responsibility as a requirement in Keeping Children Safe in Education. The role includes raising awareness and understanding of how educational settings, social care and other partners can work together to support the best outcomes for these young people.
This includes:
- Using the EIF as a lens, the DT Visit framework includes children with a social worker , links with KCSIE and provides external validation/support/development around the functions of the DT/DSL and SENCO in school
- Development of a ‘lines of enquiry’ framework to enable DSLs and social workers create a common language for understanding the extent to which learning and education are protective factors for children that might need a social work intervention
- Implementation of multiagency frameworks for information gathering
- Termly Designated Safeguarding Lead networks in each of the three geographical areas of the city
- Promoting an understanding of how learning and education are protective factors and how this can be captured effectively in child and family assessments, child in need and child protection plans
Who are we?
Our team consists of skilled practitioners with a range of experience in teaching, school/senior leadership, SENCO and learning support services from early years to post 16 education, mainstream and specialist who have a foundation in understanding the needs our children can face and building the capacity within schools to understand and meet those needs.
Our ‘new to care’ PEP Co-ordinators (PEPCOs) ensure the first PEPs for young people just entering care are of the highest quality and ensure children start their journey in care, whatever that looks like, with the best possible plan to support their learning for the time in care and beyond
Our advisers and consultants offer senior consultative advice and support using their extensive knowledge of teaching and learning, inclusive practice and provision, a range of services. Whilst our team are often called upon in particularly challenging circumstances such as responding to a breakdown in a home/care placement or suspension/exclusion, we aim to also provide proactive support that prevents needs escalating or crises.
Our Senior Inclusion Lead is an expert in developing systemic/individual inclusive practice and provision that can increase the capacity of schools and settings keep our children engaged and making progress in mainstream settings.
Our Youth Justice Education Officer helps the Youth Justice Service and schools/settings understand how learning and education can be protective pathways for children experiencing risks around criminalisation and exploitation.
Our Attendance Manager helps us keep track of children whose attendance is a barrier to their progress.
Why choose us?
It’s a statutory requirement for schools, settings and services to access the training we provide. All our training is free, targeted and designed to meet the needs of the audience, easy to access and you will be provided with notes and additional resources where appropriate.
We offer a differentiated programme of training for Designated Teachers so whether new to role or a longstanding leader, there is always something to learn and we ensure that all our content is regularly curated and refreshed for the latest in policy, research and practice.
Whilst children remain the responsibility of the school they are on roll, the Virtual School is an enabler. The team has an extensive understanding of the local context and works closely with schools to ensure they are maximising access to the range of support services available whilst ensuring settings fulfil their statutory duties to secure improved outcomes for those children and young people.
Email: virtualschool@leeds.gov.uk
