Virtual School review

The review team was made up of two Virtual School Heads, one from Leeds and one from Suffolk, an Assistant Director from the Royal Borough of Greenwich and a Local Government Association facilitator. 

Over the course of two days the team looked at more than 80 documents and met with over 50 people who work with Trafford’s Virtual School. This included: teachers, social workers, personal advisors, foster carers and most importantly the children and young people themselves. 

We asked the reviewers to focus on:

• How we support young people who are over 16
• How we work with children with special educational needs
• How we support pupils who are need alternative help
• How well we are spending our pupil premium.

Their report based on the visit has now been completed. It includes many reasons to be proud of what the Virtual School is achieving, as well as things to consider working on.

Among the highlights in the report are the following quotes:

‘Trafford Virtual School is always there to help.’

‘I’d rather have a looked after child from Trafford than another LA. Trafford gives more than just money.’

‘My foster son refers to PEP Co-ordinator as ‘the woman who helped me make a clock’ and the VSH as ‘the woman who went down the slide.’

The full report will be circulated before the summer.

As always, we value any feedback about how we could improve the education support for our looked after children. If you have any comments please email them to lynsey.burridge@trafford.gov.uk   

Thank you to everyone who took part in the review.