Transition to The Virtual School
Transition to The Virtual School
Looked After Children must be given the highest priority to admissions and transition of Schools as per Statutory Guidance in Raising the education of Looked After Children. Each child will have a termly Personal Education Plan meeting which will look at the individual educational needs of the child/young person and identify an appropriate school or educational provision with reference to robust transitional support.
Early Years to Primary Transition
Early Years Looked After Children – these children are to be provided with a Pen Portrait from the age of 3 years old which will provide the health, care and educational data of a young child’s development. At this age they do not have a PEP. Transition into nursery will be undertaken by the social worker who may seek advice from the Hull Virtual School. Should the child have an EHCP Plan the Pen Portrait could compliment the EHCP review.
Nursery to Foundation Stage 2 - Looked after children from the age of 4 years old will receive a Personal Education Plan known as a PEP. The PEP will check that an application has been made by the Social workers and those with parental responsibility for a school place in Foundation Stage 2. In the summer term of the child turning 4 years old a transition PEP review will take place where the Designated Teacher from the school is invited to meet with the Designated Teacher in Nursery and all other relevant professionals. This will formulate the main planning of transitional support detailed in the child’s PEP which will ensure the provision and support meets the needs of the child on transfer to the new school. PEP reviews can take place jointly with the review of a child’s EHC plan and must take place in a timely manner in order to ensure appropriate planning and commission of support and provision at the new institution.
Foundation Stage 2 to Key Stage 1 – A looked after child’s PEP will be shared and implemented by the Designated Teacher with the new teacher in Key Stage 1 as part of on-going monitoring and transition support.
Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 2 – The child’s PEP will be updated with all relevant education, care and information along with results of Phonics Screener at Year 1 and Y2 SATs results as part of the Social worker and Designated Teacher role. This information will be shared and implemented by the new class teacher. Checks on schools protocols such as: meet the teacher, home school links with carers and introductions to new school buildings if on different sites would commence in the Summer term PEP of Year 2 for a looked after child.
Primary to Secondary School Transition
PEP reviews held in the Summer Term of a child’s Y5 and the Autumn term of Year 6 will identify the appropriate Secondary school for the child. Checks are made with social worker and those with parental responsibility that the CAF admission form is being completed and submitted to the appropriate LA admission team by the end of October each academic year. Looked After Children with EHC plans, their schools are required to hold an annual review of the plan and identify the destination secondary school for their applications which will be submitted through the appropriate Local Authority SEND team. This data is recorded on the Virtual School’s EPEP and internal tracking data which is shared with the admissions teams in order to ensure no Looked After Child is without a Secondary school place and that they gain access to their first preference school.
Y6 Spring Term and Summer Term PEP’s will check on secondary school allocations and provide a key transitional meeting with Designated Teachers from Secondary schools to transfer Primary school assessments of needs and planning of provision for Secondary. Any other professionals and carers who are involved with the child/young person will be invited to this meeting to ensure a robust transition takes place and ensure all parties are satisfied with arrangements.
Pupils with EHC plans should have secondary school provision identified in their annual review of their Y5 Autumn Term Plan.
CAF Admission Forms should be completed by the social worker should the child be subject to a Section 38 (Interim Care Order) or Section 31 (Full Care Order) as the Local Authority hold parental responsibility. It is essential that Secondary school applications are made in a timely manner therefore social workers must ensure applications are received by their LA admission teams before the end of October.
Secondary School Transition
PEP reviews held in Y9, Y10 and Y11 must include planning and support for a young person’s future transition at post 16 or into other alternative education provision at KS4. The Connexions service works closely with the Virtual school to support PEP meetings and careers advice. Connexions interviews will be provided at Y9 for pupils with EHC plans and in Y10 and Y11 for all young people to ensure targeted support is provided for post 16 destinations into employment, education and training. Y11 Autumn term PEP’s should identify the post 16 destination choices along with Connexions interviews or attendance by the Connexions worker at the PEP meeting.
Post 16 Transition – Y11
Y11 Autumn term PEPs will start to identify post 16 destinations for the young person. Spring Terms PEP’s will included Virtual School transitional workers and Connexions in order to progress choices and applications for post 16 destinations on to education, employment or training. This is in order to prevent the young people from becoming NEET. Young people with EHC plans and living in residential homes can be particularly vulnerable and early support for post 16 transition is provided through early Transition worker support in Y11. At the end of the summer term the young person will be RAG rated before starting Year 12 in order to determine the level of support required further. Termly PEP’s will continue in Y12 into Y13. Transition workers will ensure PEP meetings are taking place for these young people and can provide further support through attendance at college, training or EHC review meetings. The Virtual School Transition Workers and PEP Advisory Teacher will perform a role of attending PEP meetings for high levels of support for the most vulnerable young people and overseeing the remainder cohort of PEP’s are being undertaken by social workers and Designated Teachers. The Virtual school will continue to provide educational advice and guidance as necessary for post 16.
Age 18 years +
Prior to turning 18 years old a young person will receive support through a PEP meeting with their social worker, Designated Teacher and in some cases the Virtual School. Once a young person turns 18 years of age there is no requirement for a PEP and this provision ceases. There will be termly destination gathering by the Virtual School for all young people of 18 years old. PEP’s are not conducted for a young person once they reach their 18th birthday.
Early Years Looked After Children – these children are to be provided with a Pen Portrait from the age of 3 years old.
Review/amendments of a child’s EHC plan who is on transition in key phases must be completed by 15 February in the calendar year of the transfer at the latest for transfers into or between schools. The key transfer are:
early years provider to school
infant school to junior school
primary school to middle school
primary school to secondary school, and
middle school to secondary school
Primary to Secondary School Transition - PEP reviews are held in the Summer Term of a child’s Year 5 and the Autumn term of Year 6 to identify the appropriate Secondary school for the child.
Year 6 Spring and Summer Term PEP’s will check on secondary school allocations and provide a key transitional meeting with Designated Teachers from Secondary schools to transfer Primary school assessments of needs and planning of provision for Secondary.
Social workers must ensure applications are received by their LA admission teams before the end of October.
PEP reviews are held in Year 9, 10 and 11 and include planning and support for a young person’s future transition at post 16 or into other alternative education provision at KS4.
Connexions interviews will be provided at Year 9 for pupils with EHC plans and in Year 10 and 11 for all young people to ensure targeted support is provided for post 16 destinations into employment, education and training.
Year 11 Autumn term PEP’s should identify the post 16 destination choices along with Connexions interviews or attendance by the Connexions worker at the PEP meeting.
Post 16 Transition – Year 11 Autumn term PEPs will start to identify post 16 destinations for the young person. At the end of the summer term the young person will be RAG rated before starting Year 12 in order to determine the level of support required further. Termly PEP’s will continue in Year 12 into Year 13.
Age 18+ Years - Prior to turning 18 years old a young person will receive support through a PEP meeting with their social worker, Designated Teacher and in some cases the Virtual School.
Contact email: virtualschool@hullcc.gov.uk
Promoting the Education of Looked After Children - Pupil premium: effective use and accountability
Promoting the attainment of looked after children.
DFE Guidance
The following organisations may be able to provide information and support for Previously Children Looked After in education:
PAC UK
Tel 0113 230 2100
Adoption UK
Tel 01295 752 240
First Adoption
Tel 0300 222 0022