The Virtual School Model pilot programme has helped to address
the needs of children looked after and support their educational
progress an independent evaluation has found.
Virtual Schools are not physical buildings or classrooms that
learners attend. Instead, they are specialist teams that work
alongside a learner's actual school to support their education.
These teams work closely with social workers, carers, and schools
to address the unique barriers that care experienced young people
often face, such as placement moves, trauma or gaps in their
education.
By providing dedicated oversight and support, Virtual Schools
help to ensure that care experienced learners have consistent
educational advocacy regardless of where they live or which
school they attend, helping to improve their educational
outcomes.
The Virtual School Head, or equivalent head role, plays a key
role in the Virtual School, ensuring that arrangements are in
place to improve the educational experiences and outcomes of
children in their local authority, including those placed out of
county.
The Welsh Government provided a total of £1.24M to local
authorities between 2021 and 2024 to run the pilot as part of our
commitment to improving educational outcomes for care experienced
learners.
An independent evaluation of the Virtual School Model pilot
(published 17th December) identified a range of
positive impacts across Local Authorities that accessed the
funding including enhanced integration between teams supporting
care experienced learners and more preventative provision.
The review's findings and learning from the pilot will be used to
shape work to ensure care experienced learners in Wales have the
support they need in their education to thrive.
Cardiff's Virtual Headteacher, Deborah said:
“Since the launch of the Virtual Headteacher model in Cardiff, we
have seen proven success in keeping children looked after in
their registered schools, closely tracking attendance and
achievement and championing pupils' rights so every young person
gets the education and support they're entitled to. The approach
has strengthened partnerships across education, children's
services and health, embedding trauma informed practice and
celebrating our learners' successes with tailored interventions
from play therapy to bespoke activities.
“We warmly welcome the independent evaluation and particularly
its recommendation to create a consistent national network by
introducing a statutory Virtual Head role in every local
authority. We believe this would provide the strategic leadership
and cross border alignment needed to sustain impact, ensure
equity, and accelerate the progress we're already seeing in the
capital, for children and young people looked after.
“With the final report now published, we hope Welsh Government
will consider all six recommendations and I urge them to embed
the model across Wales so that collaboration, engagement and
rigorous monitoring continue to give every child in our care the
best possible opportunities in life.”
Cabinet Secretary for Education, said:
"I am grateful to everyone who has worked to support care
experienced learners through Cardiff's virtual school which was
initiated as part of our Virtual School pilot. I have seen
first-hand how this support is making a real difference to
learner's lives and how they have supported schools and school
staff to support each young person, considering their individual
backgrounds, experiences, and needs.
"Care experienced learners can face difficult times that affect
their learning. This review shows we are making good progress in
helping them, and I look forward to building on this work to make
sure all care experienced learners in Wales get the support they
need to reach their full potential."
