The Leicestershire Virtual School is run by the local authority and exists to improve the education of children in care by supporting our family of children, schools, carers and social workers to help young people to do their best.

We are an essential advocate for the importance of education and aim to raise self-esteem, expectations and aspirations and remove barriers to learning.

By working with schools and colleges, we ensure that children in care have good quality Personal Education Plan (PEP) meetings. The PEP sets out plans for a child’s education and helps carers, teachers and social workers to understand and plan what we can do to offer extra support if and when needed.

Under the Children and Young Persons Act 2008, schools are required to appoint a Designated Teacher, to support the learning of children in care and manage the process of how the school works with the Virtual School and social workers to promote the child’s education.

The Virtual School provides regular updates and thorough training to Designated Teachers to ensure they are best equipped to enable our children and young people to improve their educational outcomes and life chances.

What we do:

Make sure children in care have a school place and access to education at the most appropriate school for their needs

Encourage hobbies and attending fun and educational out of school activities

Aim to avoid children in care changing school in Years 6 or 11, except in exceptional circumstances

Ensure regular PEP (Personal Education Plan) meetings (three times a year) and make sure the Pupil Premium Plus is used effectively

Make sure children in care are given the right sort of advice on careers or further education and encourage and support your Post-16 learning   

Support carers and social workers to take an active role in a child’s education

We Are Family.