Virtual School

A newly formed team that extends the purpose of the Virtual School in Somerset. The Statutory Virtual School supports Children Looked After (CLA) and Previously Looked After Children (PLAC). In addition, the Virtual School now supports children and young people with the most complex education situations.

Although we are not a ‘real’ school with buildings and classrooms, the newly formed Virtual School are committed to ensuring all Somerset children and young people with acute needs and additional vulnerability, including our Children Looked After (CLA), enjoy education and achieve good outcomes that prepares them well for adulthood – whether that be in a real school they attend, or an alternative education provision they access.

The Virtual School team is made up of a range of experienced practitioners with a background in education, and with extensive knowledge and experience in SEND and additional vulnerability.

The team’s areas of expertise include:

• Children Looked After
• Identification and removal of barriers to learning
• Neurodiversity
• Gypsy Roma Traveller communities
• Transitions
• NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) advice and intervention

The new virtual school covers the following:

• Statutory Virtual School;
• Early Identification (Birth to Year 1);
• Transitions and Flexible Education (Year 2 to 8);
• Preparing for Adulthood (Year 9 and above);
• Disputes and Resolutions.

We:

• Fulfil our statutory duty for CLA in Somerset and ensure up-to-date, effective, and high-quality PEPs that focus on educational outcomes, and that all looked-after children, wherever they are placed, have such a PEP
• Attend initial Personal Education Planning (PEP) meetings for those CLA new into care and PEP meetings where a child or young person is not on a setting role or does not have a Designated Teacher for CLA.
• Step into Team Around the Child (TAC) meetings with children and young people and their parent carers, and with school leaders, setting staff, SENCos and other professionals including those in Health and Social Care, providing advice and support around inclusive practice, accurate identification of needs and high-quality appropriate provision.
• Work in partnership with colleagues across Education, Health and Social care through a locality model to support children and young people with acute needs and complex education situations to manage crisis and conflict and improve outcomes for children and young people and their parent carers.
• Work alongside children, young people and their parent carers to provide time-limited intensive interventions.
• Work alongside children, young people and their parent carers, and in partnership with colleagues across Education and in settings to secure setting placements and facilitate smooth transitions but also provide flexible education where appropriate.

Early Help Assessments (EHA) are no longer required to access support from the Virtual School. If you are a professional looking for advice or support, please contact the Inclusion Advice Line on 0300 123 2224 or use the online contact form Contact the Inclusion Advice Line – Somerset Council. Other useful information can be found here Inclusion Advice Line.

If you are a parent carer and you do not have an assigned worker, please use the Contact Centre on 0300 123 2224 who will be able to help with advice and signposting.

Type of provision

Targeted - This is for people with special educational needs and disabilities and their families