The Virtual School for Looked after Children works with schools, foster carers and children to support the educational achievement of looked-after pupils and care leavers.
We have developed a Virtual School for Looked After Children and young people within Merton’s Children’s Services. We have taken the organisational structure of a school and used it to better enable us to raise the achievement of Looked After Children.
The Virtual School is an organisational tool to enable effective coordination of educational services for Looked After Children, at a strategic and operational level. The school does not exist in real terms as a building, and children do not attend; they remain the responsibility of the school at which they are enrolled.
Who do we work with?
- All young people who are looked after by Merton, or who are care leavers with the 16+ team, wherever they are educated
- Young people who are looked after by other boroughs but go to school in Merton
- Carers and professionals linked to the above children and young people
What do we do?
We aim to offer practical support to children, young people and their carers on day to day issues such as support with reading, homework and contacting school. We can offer individual tuition to help all young people to achieve their potential. Also we are there to support at specific times such as the transfer to secondary, moving schools, exclusions and gaining appropriate support for special educational needs.
During the academic year two or more Personal Education Plan (PEP) meetings are held to make sure that everything is in place, in order for the young person to achieve their educational potential as their education progresses. These meetings, usually held at the school, involve the young person, the social worker, a representative from the school and possibly the Virtual School advisory teacher.
The Virtual School will challenge and offer support to young people and adults to ensure that the best possible progress is made by the young person, in the best possible educational placement.
Admissions
The Virtual School can offer support and advice to foster carers applying for a primary or secondary school for their foster child. Applications are due in the autumn term prior to entry in the following September and should be made to the borough where the carer lives.
Looked After Children are prioritised on admissions guidelines but the deadlines must be followed and the relevant part of the form marked. The Virtual School can also work with carers, social workers and admissions to support essential school transfers during the academic year.
Attendance
The Virtual School monitors the attendance and punctuality of all Looked After Children on our school register until the end of year 11. Where we have concerns we will be working with the school, social workers, the children and foster carers to remedy the situation.
Information Advice and Guidance (IAG)
The Virtual School has its own allocation of information, advice and guidance (IAG) workers pre 16, and works closely with the IAG worker based within the Merton 16+ team (leaving care). If a young person feels that the IAG support they get at school is not enough to meet their needs, they should contact the Virtual School for more assistance.
Exclusions
The Virtual School aims to work with schools to avoid exclusion where possible. Carers should alert their young person’s Virtual School advisory teacher if exclusion is proposed by the school.
Pupil Premium April 2012
Changes to education funding means that this replaces the Pupil Education Allowance from April 2012. The Pupil Premium of £430 is paid directly to schools. As Corporate Parent, The Virtual School will expect schools to account for how The Pupil Premium is used to help children and young people in the care of The London Borough of Merton.
Personal Education Plans (PEPs)
Personal Educational Plans are usually called PEPs. These are plans made by the young person, their carer, school, social worker, possibly the Virtual School advisory teacher and others involved in the young person’s education. The aim of the plan is to ensure that everybody is doing all they should to support the young person in achieving educational success. The PEP will set the young person targets which will be reviewed once, and often twice, in the academic year.
Looked After Children in Merton schools should expect to see the Virtual School advisory teacher at least twice a year. Those looked after by Merton, but placed outside the borough, should expect to see their advisory teacher at least once a year.
Virtual School staff in Merton would not normally attend the PEP meeting of a young person looked after by another authority, even if they are placed in a Merton school. However they will work with the school and the local authority to ensure that the PEP plan is implemented.
Special Educational Needs (SEN)
The Virtual School is able to support carers and social workers who are seeking assessment for SEN. It has direct access to an educational psychologist, who can identify specific needs, offer advice and provide key reports for the statementing process.
Tuition for Merton Looked After Children and Care Leavers
The Virtual School is able to offer up to two hours per week of tuition to those who would benefit from further support. The Virtual School uses both local and national agencies to better meet the individual student’s needs.
For students who are looked after by other authorities, but who attend a Merton school, we work with the home authority to ensure that, where relevant, tuition needs are met.