Virtual school for children in care
The Virtual School supports and challenges all those involved in the education of looked after and previously looked after children.
The Virtual School is not a physical environment. It works closely with colleagues from the child’s educational provision. This is to promote positive educational outcomes of Hull’s vulnerable children by -
- improving the educational achievement of looked after and previously looked after children
- maintaining a register of all looked after children placed in and outside of Hull, enabling support by monitoring -
- admissions
- attendance
- exclusions
- supporting children, social workers, and carers from Early Years to Further Education
- helping to speed up the decision-making where several agencies and teams are involved with a child
All children and young people in the care of us belong to the Virtual School. This is as well as their allocated school or provision, whether it is in Hull or out of the county.
The Virtual School gives educational expertise around the issues that have an impact on children in care. It focuses on the child’s high aspirations and their educational achievement. It gives good advice with a good level of challenge to drive improvement.
By working together, we strive to support -
- schools
- social workers
- carers
to ensure good practice is circulated by -
- ensuring there is robust Personal Education Plans (PEP) in place. These are for looked after children with SMART targets and learner outcomes through monitoring
- supporting designated teachers, social workers, and carers through training. There will be termly network meetings and newsletters
- supporting decision-making where agencies and teams are involved with a young person
- ensuring that school placements continue wherever possible. They should support transition when there is a change of placement
The Virtual School Team will make sure that schools and social workers hold PEP meetings. A member of the Virtual School will attend the PEP meeting. Especially where there are issues which are proving challenging in helping the young person to ‘close the gap’ with their peers.
Support available from the Virtual School
Education Coordinator Support
The Virtual School Education Coordinators work with the most complex cases on -
- educational engagement
- progress
- attainment
If the measures the school have put in place for the child -
- are not working
- have issues affecting their attendance
- have issues with engagement
- have issues with progress in school
the social worker can request an Education Coordinator Referral Form from the Virtual School. Education Co-ordinators often work with children and young people at risk of exclusion.
Contact the Hull Virtual School
For any general enquiries you can contact us by -
- email - cypfs-VirtualSchool@hullcc.gov.uk
- telephone - 01482 615 606
- online -