Virtual School and College Service

Introduction to the Virtual School

Local authorities have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of any child Looked After by them. This includes a particular duty to promote the child’s educational achievement. The authority must therefore give particular attention to the educational implications of any decision about the welfare of those children. All professionals (including teachers) working with Looked-After children, all carers, and all elected members, constitute the corporate parents of children in care. In fulfilling that role, they should each ask themselves whether the services, support, and opportunities available to their Looked-After children would be good enough for their own children. If they cannot honestly answer in the affirmative, then it is their duty as a corporate parent to act to improve that offer. A local authority has no specific duties, beyond those to all children, in relation to children living in its area, but Looked-After by another local authority. This does not mean that VSH, and local authorities, more broadly, may not establish reciprocal and cooperative arrangements between themselves relating to these children. 

The Children and Families Act 2014 requires local authorities in England to appoint at least one person for the purpose of discharging the local authority’s duty to promote the educational achievement of its Looked-After children. That person – the Virtual School Head (VSH) - must be an officer employed by the local authority or, where local authorities agree to collaborate or share the role, another local authority in England. The VSH should be the lead responsible officer for ensuring that arrangements are in place to improve the educational experiences and outcomes of the authority’s Looked-After children, including those placed outside the home authority’s boundaries. 

As a team, we model relational and restorative practices and have the highest aspirations for the young people we support. The Virtual School team offer advice and guidance for previously looked after children whether they are adopted, living with a special guardian or are subject to a care arrangement order. The responsibilities of the Virtual School team have recently been extended to encompass strategic advice and guidance relating to ‘children with a social worker’. 

Underpinning Statutory Framework  

The principal legislation related to Virtual Schools is:  

• The Children’s Act 1989, as amended by the Children Act 2004 and the Children &  Families Act 2014 and the Children and Social Work Act 2017  
• The Education Act 2005  
• The Education and Inspections Act 2006
• The Children and Young Persons Act 2008 (incl. Section 20A of the 2008 Act inserted by section 5 of the Children and Social Work Act 2017) 
• Section 2E of the Academies Act 2010 inserted by section 6 of the 2017 Act  
• The Designated Teacher (Looked-After Pupils etc.) (England) Regulations 2009  
• The Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010, as amended

Statutory Guidance:  

• Promoting the education of Looked-After children and Previously Looked-After children - Statutory guidance for local authorities, February 2018  
• The Designated Teacher for Looked-After and Previously Looked-After children - Statutory guidance on their roles and responsibilities, February 2018  
• Applying corporate parenting principles to Looked-After children and care leavers - Statutory guidance for local authorities, February 2018  

Non Statutory Guidance:

• Promoting the education of children with a social worker and children in kinship care arrangements, March 2024

The statutory framework applies to every local authority in England and all children legally Looked-After by them, or Previously Looked-After, irrespective of where they live. The statutory guidance on Designated Teachers is issued under sections 20(4) and 20A(4) of the Children and Young Persons Act 2008. This means that the governing bodies of maintained schools, academy proprietors and the designated staff member at maintained schools and academies must be aware of it when promoting the educational attainment of Looked-After and Previously Looked-After children. 

The non statutory guidance applies to all children educated in all settings within the local authority area.

Staff contact information and team details