Stoke-on-Trent Virtual School

Stoke-on-Trent Virtual School is committed to:

• Ensuring our Children in Care (CiC)+ Previously Looked After Children (PLAC), and Children with a Social worker (C.w.SW), and Children in Kindship Care have access to a high-quality, full-time education that supports our children and young people (CYP) and raises their attainment and outcomes across a broad curriculum offer.
• Ensuring that our CYP’s social, mental, emotional health and well-being is supported and their voice is heard and acted upon.
• Building strong relationships with professionals, parents, and carers, offering training, guidance, and support using a restorative approach that develops skills to raise a young person’s attainment, engagement, and participation in their education.
• Provide advice and guidance about our three-pronged approach; Raising Attainment; Positive Behaviour Support and Attachment and Trauma for our vulnerable children, their settings, and the professionals supporting them.
• Provide clear advice and guidance to promote the effective use of Pupil Premium+ funding and other grants available to support the educational needs of our CYP.
• Ensuring that our children have a detailed, up-to-date, ambitious, and Personalised Education Plan (PEP) in place that supports the care plan and other education plans and needs of our CYP.
• To be readily available, innovative, ambitious, and passionate to maximise the opportunities for all of our CYP’s aspirations.

The Virtual School consists of the Headteacher, Virtual School Co-ordinators, Virtual School Practitioners, a Virtual School Senior Educational Psychologist, a Virtual School Careers and Participation Advisor, a VS Engagement Apprentice, and an admin team, who together focus on improving the attainment and achievements of children in care, previously in care and children with a social worker, improving attendance and reducing the number of exclusions.

Who can use the service?

0-19-year-old children in care to Stoke-on-Trent and any partner supporting the education of children in care, previously in care, and children with a social worker to Stoke-on-Trent including foster carers, social workers, and designated teachers.

Are there any costs?

There is no cost.

How do I refer?

Referrals are usually made through the Personal Education Planning process either by the child’s social worker, foster carer, or designated teacher.

What happens after referral?

Individual advice and support to ensure progress in education is maintained.

Who will we see?

A representative from the Virtual School, as required.

What happens when I become an adult?

Advice and signposting is offered to children in care, previously in care and children with a social worker going onto further or higher education up until the age of 25.

Who to contact?

For general queries email: VirtualSchool@stoke.gov.uk

For ePEP related queries email: VirtualSchool@stoke.gov.uk

Contact telephone: 01782 237948

Related links

ePEP log in: https://secure.epeponline.co.uk/login