Virtual school head update

The DCSF and 11 local authorities piloted the role of Virtual School Head (VSH) between 2007 and 2009 as part of the initiatives in Care Matters.

Each pilot received on average just over £70,000 per annum for participation, depending on the numbers of children looked after. Four of the eleven also piloted private tutoring under a scheme funded by the HSBC Education Trust. An independent evaluation was published in August 2009 and NCAS have produced a summary of the findings and implications for leaving care

Following on from the end of the pilots the DCSF has written a letter to every Director of Children’s Services to make explicit the expectation that every local authority will appoint a suitable Virtual School Head (VSH) for looked after children by Easter 2010.

The key responsibilities of a Virtual School Head are:

• Rigorously tracking and monitoring the progress of all looked after children;
• Ensuring that all looked after children access one to one tuition wherever appropriate – they are a priority group;
• Liaising with designated teachers to ensure that schools know which of the children on roll are in care, and that an appropriate Personal Education Plan is in place;
• Championing the needs of looked after children across the authority particularly in relation to ensuring continuity of schooling.

To support the creation of this role the DCSF have given funding in the Care Matters Grant, which forms part of the Area Based Grant, to help drive forward the Care Matters programme of reform, including the roll-out of the Virtual School Head role.