Isle of Wight Virtual School
What is the Isle of Wight Virtual School responsible for?
The Isle of Wight Virtual School works alongside children who are supported by Children's social care on the Isle of Wight.
Our job is to make sure every child can get the best education for their needs. We help them take part in learning and aim high for their future.
We are a small team who work with children and young people who have been in care or who are living in kinship care. We also support children who have a social worker and are supported via a Child in Need or Child Protection Plan. We support our children from birth up to age 18 - and sometimes longer if they want or need it.
Virtual School Vision
We want all children who have had help from social care, or who live with family or friends (kinship care), to get the support they need to do well in school, training or work.
- we make sure children and young people are part of all planning and decisions about them
- we celebrate and support children who have been in care or live with family or friends
- we give strong support and speak up for what these children need
- we help children aim high and believe in themselves
What are the Virtual School duties?
The Virtual School Duties are set out by the Department for Education in two key documents.
DfE guidance on promoting the education of looked after and previously looked after children
This is statutory guidance from the Department for Education (DfE). It is issued under section 7 of the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970. This means that it must be followed unless there are exceptional circumstances that justify departing from it.
DfE guidance on promoting the education of children with a Social Worker and Children in Kinship Care arrangements
This non-statutory guidance intends to support all local authorities, as virtual school heads continue to develop their strategic leadership role in promoting the educational outcomes of
- the cohort of children with a social worker and those who have previously had a social worker who are aged from 0 to 18
- the cohort of children in kinship care arrangements
The Virtual School has a range of corporate parenting duties for children in care. We monitor, manage, and support their educational journey at all stages and ages.
This work is documented via personal education plans. We see our role as an educational advocate. We strive to ensure our children and young people are a priority. In this way children are enabled across all services to be the best version of themselves.
Personal education plan (PEP)
A PEP is a statutory active document. It forms the education part of a looked-after child's care plan.
The Virtual School provides information, advice and guidance to
- schools
- parents and carers
- professionals
This supports the educational needs of previously looked after children and young people.
It can include information on
- school admissions
- attendance
- progress
- special educational needs
- social emotional needs
- support outside of school
- effective use of pupil premium
- information on adoption and special guardians’ fund.
The Virtual School offers a professionals and parents/carers weekly surgery every Thursday morning, term time.
The Virtual School is working strategically across public services.
This is to ensure progress is made to support this cohort’s education journey.
The Virtual School provides information, advice and guidance to support educational needs to
- social workers
- schools
- parents/carers
- professionals
The Virtual School offers a professionals and parents/carers weekly surgery every Thursday morning, term time.
The Virtual School provides information, advice and guidance to support educational needs to
- schools
- parents and carers
- professionals
This can include information on
- school places
- attendance
- progress
- special educational needs
- social emotional needs
- support outside of school
- effective use of pupil premium
The Virtual School offers a professionals and parents/carers weekly surgery every Thursday morning, term time.
If you have any questions or need more information, you can contact Isle of Wight Virtual School using the contact details on this page.
Virtual School news and updates
Read about our work on the Isle of Wight.
From Safety to Success: Isle of Wight conference focuses on supporting vulnerable children
Isle of Wight schools receive new speech and language tools for children's development
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Free book scheme for 0 to 5 year olds
If the child you care for has a social worker or is living in kinship care they are eligible to receive a free book every month until their 5th birthday!
