Wakefield Virtual School is a ‘virtual’ school as it does not exist as a building and children do not attend but there is a Head Teacher and staff working hard with your school and your social worker for you to achieve your best in your attendance, attainment and achievement in school.    

We are a team of 12 and include a range of staff with previous teaching experience across all key stages to post 16 education. The team has a broad knowledge of the care system and work with a range of services to support children with special educational needs.

We work with school, your carer, your social worker and other professionals to ensure you are given the best opportunities to engage, progress and achieve your full potential in education.

We follow the statutory guidance for looked-after children and previously looked-after children. We offer training to your schools and social workers in order for them to follow the guidance too.

When you first come into care, we will try to keep you at your current school wherever possible, until your care plan is long term so that you can maintain your friendship groups and have the support of your teachers who will know you well.  If your long term plan involves a school move, we will work with your Social Worker to identify a good school nearby that will meet your needs in order to reach your potential and allow you to make friends in the local area.

Working with your social worker, we will ensure you have a high quality Personal Education Plan (PEP) in place. These will be organised by your social worker and completed every term in your school with teachers, carers and social worker. At this meeting there will be a discussion around your progress, your targets and ambitions for the future. It will also give the opportunity to identify any gaps in learning for interventions to be put in place. You will be able to communicate your pupil voice before, or you can attend the meeting. If you are new into care, a PEP will be put in place within 10 working days to support your educational outcomes.

Link to local offer http://wakefield.mylocaloffer.org/Home

If you would like any further information on the Virtual School please get in touch with us.

Email: virtualschool@wakefield.gov.uk

Jackie Roper Virtual School Head

Hello, I am the Virtual School Head for Wakefield and it is me and my team’s role to oversee your education and make sure that the right things are in place so that you can achieve as well as possible. It may be that you never see any of us, but you can be sure that we are in constant contact with your school, and your social worker to make sure they support you.

If you have any issues, speak to your school, social worker or your IRO and they will come to us to try to find a solution.

Best wishes to you all,
Jackie Roper