Dudley Virtual School

• Support and challenge schools, carers and all relevant partners to ensure children looked after (CLA) by Dudley Council achieve the best possible educational outcomes and life chances
• Work collaboratively to ensure Dudley's DCLA attend the best possible education establishments and are provided with the opportunities to progress and realise their individual potential.
• Support effective delivery of Personal Education Plans and monitor their outcomes.
• Identify specific areas of concern in a CLA’s education and ensure appropriate action is taken.
• Track and monitor attendance, exclusions, progress and personal achievements of CLA.
• Manage the Pupil Premium Plus funding for CLA and work with schools to ensure it is used effectively.
• Encourage, support and celebrate young people’s successes and achievements. This includes the promotion of children's participation in out of school activities and projects.
• Provide advice and guidance to children, parents, carers, social workers, schools and others, as appropriate, around the education of CLA and previously looked after children (PLAC).
• Provide a range of joint and specific training opportunities to raise awareness of issues and concerns relating to the educational needs of CLA and PLAC.

We expect that every child in care will have a current Personal Education Plan to support their education.

For a looked after child, school can often be the only constant in their life.  Research shows that pupils who attend school regularly achieve higher grades than those who do not.

We are committed to every Looked After Child receiving a full time education appropriate to their needs.

Our Inclusion, Welfare and Education Officer:

• monitors the attendance of Looked After Children
• supports parents, carers and social workers in accessing appropriate educational provision for looked after children
• supports carers, pupils and schools in achieving regular school attendance
• offers support and advice to carers, social workers, schools and pupils on all aspects of school attendance

Find out more on Absence and Attendance. 

Pupil Premium Plus and Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) are payments made by the government to help raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils.

Our looked after children are encouraged to take part in out of school activities to help build personal and social skills, raise educational achievement and improve life chances.
The Virtual School is directly involved in promoting and/or running a number of initiatives including:

• Library membership
• Options+ cards - a Leisure Discount Scheme
• Sycamore adventure
• The Letterbox Club aims to improve educational achievement for Looked after Children aged 7-11. Children receive a regular package containing a book, maths activities and stationery.  Children can be enrolled by their local authority or school.

Packs are available for: 

Year 1 (Orange)
Year 3 (Blue)
Year 5 (Red)
Year 7 (Green)
SEN - ages 7-9 (Yellow)

We promote the educational achievement of previously looked after children (post-LAC) in Dudley by providing information and advice to:

• Any person that has parental responsibility for the child
• Providers of funded early years education, designated teachers for previously Looked after Children in maintained schools and academies
• Any other person the authority considers appropriate for promoting the educational achievement of relevant children