Virtual School

The Virtual School in North Somerset is not a physical school. It looks after children in care and helps them to get the most out of their education. We work with physical schools, foster carers and a range of professionals to make sure our children attend school.

Virtual School pupils range from 2 to 18 years old and is for children and young people who are: 

• in the care of or are a care leaver of North Somerset and educated in North Somerset
• in the care of or are a care leaver of North Somerset and educated in another local authority
• in the care of another local authority but educated in North Somerset 

We also support young people up to 25 years old if they: 

• are still in education
• have special needs

Virtual Schools have recently expanded and we now advocate for children with a social worker as well as those in care. This allows us to support a greater number of children who deserve to have the same chances as those who may be considered more fortunate. 

We support education by monitoring their progress, championing their educational needs and commissioning additional support.

We also have information and advice about previously looked after children and how schools can best support them. 

As a local authority, we have a headteacher of the Virtual School who acts as an educational champion. This role ensures that the council fulfils its high-level responsibility to improve educational outcomes for children in care.

We expect social workers, carers and all those supporting a child in care to work together to achieve the best outcomes. We aim to close the gaps between the performance of children in care and their peers. 

• Jacqui Scott, Virtual School headteacher
• Katharine Schumacher, advisory teacher: early years foundation stage and primary
• Nicola Moon, advisory teacher: secondary
• Vicky Nelson, post-16 virtual school officer
• Lisa Britton, business support
• Katie Bray, transition advisor and extended duties officer
• Sarah Vincent, advisory teacher: early years foundation stage
• Kerry Pooley, virtual school inclusion officer
• Paula Higginson, virtual school support officer
• Jess Clark, advisory teacher: secondary 

AC Education

AC Education provides a full range of courses to support vulnerable children in education. We have a subscription with a limited number of licenses available for teachers who feel they would benefit from their courses. Courses available include:

• fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
• supporting pupils with unmet attachment needs
• impulsive behaviour
• adoption post-permanence and the role of schools
• caring for a child who has been sexually abused
• promoting the achievement of looked after children in education
• the impact of domestic violence and abuse
• road to recovery: returning to school
• self-harming behaviours
• the role of the designated teacher
• understanding trauma and the impact on young people
• attachment and trauma training programme
• supporting pupils with mental health difficulties
• harmful sexual behaviours 

If you are interested in a course or have any other queries about training, please contact the Virtual School by emailing virtual.school@n-somerset.gov.uk.

Therapeutic services recommended by the Educational Psychology Service

Therapeutic support is available locally which can be incorporated into the weekly timetable, for example a morning or two per week.

We work together to: 

• ensure the child’s voice about their education is being heard
• initiate, develop, review and update the Personal Education Plans and help to meet the needs identified in the Personal Education Plans
• discuss with social workers, the child and their parents where applicable their choices for a school that will help meet the child’s needs
• decide how to spend pupil premium plus money to best support the needs of the child
• share information with schools that will enable schools to meet the needs of the child
• offer training and support to carers regarding promoting the education achievement of looked-after children and supporting children to be aspirational for their future education, training and employment
• support a child at risk of exclusion, working closely with the school and social worker to put things in place to avoid exclusion
• organise additional arrangements to support the child’s on-going education in the event of an exclusion

We are all happy to take questions, suggestions and talk to foster carers, schools and professionals who wish to contact us.