Croydon Virtual School

Our aim to better the educational and employment outcomes, as well as the life chances, of each and every child who passes through or stays in the care of us.

Contents

Children in care and care experienced young people

The role of the designated teacher

Every school must appoint a designated teacher from their staff. This is a statutory requirement, even if there are currently no looked-after children on roll. This ensures there is a trained and knowledgeable teacher in place to support a pupil who becomes looked after or a child in care who joins the school.

Personal Education Plan (PEP)

Each child or young person supported by the Virtual School has a tailored Personal Education Plan (PEP), which records their education.

The PEP records our commitments to ensure that every young person in our care has positive experiences with their education. Schools, colleges, and social workers can access the PEP online.

Meetings take place each term to review this plan with the carer and the young person. Together we make sure that it is up-to- date and working effectively.

We also monitor the young person's:

  • attendance
  • well-being
  • progression
  • achievement

Our aim is to ensure that every child looked after by us has the support they need at school.

Please email ePEP@croydon.gov.uk, if you:

  • require any training or support
  • have difficulty using the ePEP system

Pupil Premium Plus (PPG+) funding

Pupil Premium Plus (PPG+) funding is allocated to Virtual Schools based on the number of children looked after reported by local authorities in their annual statutory returns.

PPG+ is not an individual entitlement or personal budget for each child. Virtual Schools do not have to distribute the funding equally for each child.

Croydon Virtual School uses PPG+ funding to improve educational outcomes for children looked after. This includes targeted support and interventions, such as providing a dedicated advisory teacher for every child or young person.

Advisory teachers provide specialist advice, guidance and support throughout a child or young person’s education, employment and training.

Croydon Cares: an app for our children in care and care experienced young people

The Croydon care leavers app, 'Croydon Cares', is designed to support care-experienced young people transitioning to independence. It provides information and advice on topics such as:

  • money and finance
  • housing and accommodation
  • health and wellbeing
  • education, training, and employment

The app was developed in partnership with Focusgov, a company specialising in digital solutions for local authorities, and coproduced with our care experienced young people.

Features include:

  • a real-time feed of apprenticeship opportunities
  • an interactive budget planner
  • a searchable directory of local services and support groups
  • secure, private messaging between young people and PAs or SWs

The app is available for download on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Statutory guidance resources