Agenda item

Usha Singh, Headteacher, Virtual School for Looked After Children and Southwark Alternative Provision introduced the annual virtual headteacher’s report and presented data on the educational attainment of Southwark’s cohort of Looked After Children.

A question raised around transition from looked after child’s home and placement and whether there is an examination / assessment done to identify the impact of the transition and their educational attainment.  Usha explained that, within virtual school there are specialist teams and one of the specialist teams will have primary team.  As child enters education, a specialist education advisor is allocated to that child and that same education advisor will follow that child throughout their education.  When the child enters care, within 10 days a personal educational panel meeting needs to take place.  This is done at transition point, such as when child is moving from primary to secondary school. 

Usha highlighted that attendance is an area of growing concern especially at key stage 4 which seemed to be the point that some young people in care decide that they don’t want to go to school anymore (age 15/16).  They find it challenging and the virtual school has to become more creative in ways to encourage them, and put forward opportunities and incentives for them to continue with their education. 

The virtual school has set up an attendance panel that runs every month and school attendance monitored.  The social care team and virtual school team both meet and social workers and education advisors discuss ways they can mitigate these incidences of non attendance in the context of the national threshold of what attendance levels should be. 

In terms of exclusions, the virtual school buys into an attendance service where they are immediately informed when there is a fixed term or permanent exclusion.

A question was raised around pupil premiums and what it actually pays for.  Usha explained that most of it is allocated to schools (£1,500) and schools are guided on how to use the funding.  During the PEP meeting a discussion is held on how the funding is to be used to support the needs of a particular child. Once the school has put together idea of how they would like to use the funding it comes back to the virtual headteacher and reviewed taking into account what the child’s education outcomes are, attainment data and progress data.

A question was raised regarding engagement with parents.  Usha explained that parents are present at the PEP meetings which are also attended by Social Care who are the drivers of the meeting, a member of the virtual school is also present (child’s dedicated advisor), foster carers, schools designated teacher.  Where there is need, also have any tutors or services such as CAMHS involved.  The child may also be in attendance.

In relation to school exclusions it was explained that wherever there are instances of extensive amounts of fixed term exclusions or threat of a permanent exclusion the virtual school will highlight to the school and through the team that there is references in the strategy guidance relating to exclusions that specifically lists looked after children as a group that must not be excluded.  The educational advisor and the designated social worker are there to challenge schools to make sure children are kept.

RESOLVED:

1.  That the virtual headteacher’s report for Southwark Looked After Children be noted.

2.  That a meeting be arranged to discuss issue of school exclusions and pupil premiums.  (Members of the corporate parenting committee to be invited to the meeting).

3.  Information to be provided to the chair on what proportion of young people being excluded were receiving CAMHS support.