How local authorities should extend the virtual school head role to champion children with a social worker and promote their education.

Documents

Promoting the education of children with a social worker: virtual school head role extension

PDF, 255KB, 22 pages

Virtual school head role extension: grant determination letter

PDF, 159KB, 7 pages

Virtual school head role extension: memorandum of understanding

MS Word Document, 40.6KB

Details

From September 2021, virtual school heads will be strategic leaders who promote the educational outcomes of children with a social worker.

The guidance on promoting the education of children with a social worker:

  • defines the cohort of children in scope
  • explains what the extended role involves
  • provides direction on how to partner with education settings to improve children’s outcomes

The grant determination letter sets out the terms of the section 31 grant that local authorities will receive to support the change in role.

The memorandum of understanding describes the expectations of the Department for Education and the local authority delivering the change in role.

Statutory guidance on promoting the education of looked-after and previously looked-after children is also available.

Published 16 June 2021
Last updated 3 August 2021 + show all updates

  1. Grant determination letter has been updated with funding allocations for North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire. Removed information about local authorities returning the memorandum of understanding by 31 July 2021 as the deadline has now passed.

  2. First published.