Virtual School
- Education and learning
- Information, advice and guidance
Description
The Virtual School is a Somerset Council service that supports children and young people aged 0 to 25 who have acute and complex educational needs. We work alongside children, young people, families, schools, colleges and partner agencies to remove barriers to learning and help every child achieve their full potential.
Our support focuses on:
- Early identification of need
- Preventing educational breakdown
- Improving attendance and engagement
- Supporting successful transitions between education settings
- Preparing young people for adulthood
- Championing the education of children in care and other vulnerable groups
- Supporting children who are missing education or experiencing disruption to their education
Our work spans three key phases, providing advice, intervention and support at every stage of a child or young person’s educational journey:
- Early Identification (0 to end of Year 2) – Supporting the early identification of need, working with families and early years providers to help children get the right support at the earliest opportunity and build strong foundations for learning. This includes Portage support for children with complex developmental needs.
- Transitions and Flexible Education (Year 3 to Year 9) – Supporting children and young people who are experiencing barriers to education, attendance difficulties, risk of exclusion, educational breakdown or challenging transitions between settings. We work with families, schools and professionals to improve engagement and maintain successful educational placements.
- Preparation for Adulthood (Year 10 to age 25) – Supporting young people to plan for their future, including further education, employment, training, supported internships, independent living and community participation. Our focus is on helping young people develop the skills, confidence and aspirations needed for adult life.
Alongside this, our Statutory Virtual School champions the education, attendance, progress and wellbeing of Children Looked After, Previously Looked After Children, children with a social worker, and children in kinship care arrangements, ensuring they receive the support, stability and opportunities they need to thrive.
Support for children and young people with acute and complex education needs and wider vulnerabilities
The Virtual School works through a range of support services.
- Advice, guidance and consultation – specialist advice to families, schools and professionals where there are concerns about a child or young person’s engagement with education, attendance, special educational needs or risk of placement breakdown.
- Direct work with children and families – working directly with children, young people and families to:
- Understand barriers to education.
- Improve engagement and attendance.
- Support emotional wellbeing.
- Develop aspirations and future plans.
- Support transitions between settings.
- Early years and Portage support – for children with the most complex developmental needs, we provide specialist Portage support through home visits and group sessions, helping families support their child’s development and learning.
- Autism and transition support – Transition Workers provide advice and short-term support for neurodiverse children and young people who are experiencing difficulties with education or moving between settings.
- Children missing education and flexible education – supporting children and young people who:
- Are severely absent.
- Are receiving EOTAS, SEN Interim Packages or Section 19 provision.
- Have an EHC plan and are not on a setting roll.
- Are at risk of missing out on education.
- Preparation for adulthood – working with young people, families and professionals to help plan successful transitions into adulthood, including education, employment, training and supported employment opportunities.
- Gypsy, Roma and Traveller education – working with families, schools and partner agencies to identify and overcome barriers to education, promote attendance and inclusion, support successful transitions, and ensure children and young people have equitable access to learning, achievement and future opportunities. Our team also provides advice and guidance to education settings to help develop culturally inclusive practice and strengthen engagement with families.
Accessing the Virtual School
If you are a professional seeking advice or guidance, please contact the Inclusion Advice Line (IAL) Inclusion Advice Line. The IAL advisors will triage your enquiry and, where appropriate, allocate it to the Virtual School team for a specialist call-back. This call-back enables us to gain a clearer understanding of the support needed and to provide tailored advice and agreed next steps.
If you are a parent carer and do not have an assigned worker already from the Virtual School, please contact the Somerset Contact Centre on 0300 123 2224 where the team will be able to offer advice and signposting.
Type of provision
Targeted - Extra help for some people, usually after someone has made a referral
Accessibility and adjustments
- Wheelchair access: No