About the Virtual School
Reference group
The Virtual School Reference Group meets formally three times a year and has a terms of reference which defines the structure and purpose of the group.
Aims
- Challenge and support the work of the Virtual School with the purpose of enabling the Group to be a champion for educational outcomes for the children and young people within its remit.
- Create partnerships to recognise, establish and achieve joint best practice so that the Virtual School can support every individual child or young person in its care to (i) achieve their potential through learning, and (ii) reach and develop their aspirations.
- Provide challenge and support to the Virtual School Head to deliver an enhanced experience for all children and young people who are part of the Virtual School.
- Explore and understand the barriers to learning through listening to the voice of the child and the voice of the carer, and explore how these can be addressed
- Offer advice, support and recommendations to NCC on its practices for supporting the education of children in care and previously in care.
- Establish a correlation between action and impact through evidence presented to the group
Terms of Reference:
- Regularly review data on progress and achievement and wider outcomes. Through analysing this "data", provide challenge and support
- Analyse the monitoring of the quality and timely completion of PEPs
- Maintain oversight and ensure that the work of the Virtual School aligns with other strategies
- Provide challenge and support to the Virtual School Head to deliver the stated outcomes of the Virtual School
- Where appropriate, act as a collective advocate for the education of all children and young people who are part of the Virtual School, gaining an outward facing perspective of the work of the Reference Group to enhance the experience of pupils further and champion best practice
- Actively seek partnerships which can improve practice and further raise the profile of the work of the Virtual School
- To listen to the 'voice of the child' and monitor the impact of their views
Membership
- Head of Virtual School
- County Council Children's Services representative members
- Independent Statutory Service (IRO)
- Representatives from each of the Primary, Secondary and Post 16 sectors
- Representatives from the Special school sector
- Council officers in attendance
- Foster Care Representative
- Social care
