The Provider:

Children's Services, Serco, Walsall

• Walsall lies in the Black Country area of the West Midlands. The Borough was formed in 1974 covering 106 square kilometres. It is a mixture of urban, suburban and rural communities and has a population of 253, 499 (2001 Census).
• In the 1970s and 1980s the Borough's economy was hit by economic change and the loss of traditional sources of employment (heavy and craft based industries). In the past there have been many low paid, low skill jobs available. This had led to a community in which education has been undervalued. Walsall also has substantial deprivation and regeneration needs - with particularly high levels of heart disease, cancer and under 18 pregnancy rates.
• The Free School Meal % for the borough is relatively high, again indicating the potential levels of deprivation.
• 14% of Walsall's population are from minority ethnic backgrounds. The borough has also participated in the Government's dispersal programme for asylum seekers and there is a small but growing number of residents from Kosovo, Afghanistan and Iraq, with around 40 different languages being represented.
• The Ofsted inspection of January 2002 concluded that Walsall LEA was failing to exercise all of its functions effectively in order to raise standards in schools. As a result education services were outsourced to Serco Ltd as Education Walsall.
•  The Virtual school supports Walsall's vision for inclusion and the integrated working agenda. 
• In April 2008 there were 295 looked after children of school age (5-16) and 20 who are placed in nurseries.
• The Virtual School has a Head Teacher (0.6) and a support staff of 15.
• Children's Services, Serco, Walsall, has a total of 119 schools; 19 secondary schools,   86 primary schools, 6 Special schools, 8 nursery schools and 3 pupil referral units - with a total number of 47,709 pupils.
•  40% of Walsall's looked after children are placed outside of the borough.
• Its leading aspect is fully inclusive and as such covers all of these schools.

Summary:

• The Virtual School is "a model by which the LA provides services and support for the education of looked after children and it offers a constructive challenge to those providing the services". 
• The Virtual School team is an integrated team comprising Education, Social Care and Health colleagues, providing a holistic and comprehensive approach to the support of looked after children in all areas of their lives. This is helping produce better educational outcomes, and enhanced personal and social development.  
• The Virtual School is one of only 11 in the country and has developed a unique relationship with looked after children and their support services.
• The Virtual School has an on-line resources for all years and is accessed by looked after children in residential and care settings.  In addition the local authority traveller support service has access tothis for children whose traditions mean that they travel.

The Aim:

• The Virtual School is successfully supporting Walsall's looked after children, enabling them to access education more effectively.
• This is strongly supported by the school's belief that everyone working with looked after children, their families and carers in Walsall have a common core vision for the inclusion for looked after children and their future in Walsall.  The Virtual School is helping them to achieve this.

What do you see in the school?

• Quality assurance
• Intense level of support for looked after children.
• Virtual Learning Environment
• Walsall's looked after children  Policy is supported by a comprehensive school-specific tool kit -  issued to all Walsall Schools
• Designated Teachers 
• Clear direction leading to improvement and high quality service
• Promoting partnership working with both internal and external agencies/organisations
• Students are set targets by their schools and progress towards these targets is being monitored
• Collaborative working across the service and partner agencies has enabled more looked after children to maintain their mainstream placement and therefore access a broad and balanced curriculum.  This has enhanced the learning of individual pupils
• Promoting life long learning through increased participation
• The Virtual School has established tracking/monitoring systems to ensure that all looked after children are attending school and making good progress
• Dedicated Attendance Support Worker monitors attendance on a weekly basis
• Dedicated Data Officer collects academic targets annually and compares to Fisher Family Trust B & D.  A spread sheet highlights those pupils that are on track and those who require additional support.  Support is reviewed weekly.  Progress against targets is tracked termly
• Attendance at Excellent events
• Greater links with other authorities
• Training delivered at Local, Regional and National Conference.
• Reward System
• Publicity

What difference does it make?

• Designated person in all schools
• All schools have a policy on looked after children
• Regular attendance by schools at termly training sessions
• A total of 135 young people received awards at Celebration Events.  554 people attended the 3 events (2007)
• Attainment outcomes have improved in the last 2 years
• At KS2 there was a 5% improvement in English and Maths (2007)
• At KS4 there was a 16% improvement in attainment overall (1 or more A* - G)
• Increased in-school and borough-wide awareness of how schools can effectively support the needs of looked after children
• Improved SATs/GCSE results
• Virtual School team provides effective support for pupils

From where is evidence collected to prove the Leading Aspect?

• Annual Report
• Attainment database
• Attendance database
• BIP Conference - March 07
• Copy of policy and tool-kit available
• Benchmarking Document
• Corporate Parent Strategy
• Data System
• DCSF Documentation
• DCSF National Training
• DCSF Pilot Scheme
• Director of Children & Young people's Services and EW Managing Director prioritise and champion the needs of looked after children
• Education In Walsall Plan
• Evidence of links with local college
• Excellent Reward File has been acknowledged as good practice.  Initiative won The Community Care Award in Dec 05.  Presentations have been made at National Conferences and at the Welsh Assembly in Jan 07
• Foster Care Associates - Sheffield April 07
• Items relating to the Virtual School and its initiatives have been published in the local press, school news and DCSF website
• LAA Target
• Looked after children receive free swimming passes and swimming lessons
• Making Data Count - London Feb 06 & Nov 07
• Minutes Of Governing Body
• Personalised learning programmes in place for key students
• Quality Protects Regional meetings
• Raising of Achievement Strategy
• Regional Net work meetings - Crewe March 07
• Reports to Governing Body
• Spreadsheets available and regularly updated to review the performance of looked after children.  This informs planning and support for the C&YP.
• Strand Manager has worked with the Advisor for Technologies, Advanced Skills Teachers and Shepwell staff to develop VLE.  Work has been acknowledged by the DCSF as good practice
• Strategic Action Plan
• Support timetable
• Transition and re-integration
• Virtual School team represented on a variety of panels and working groups, CME, COG, APP
• Walsall's Children & Young People's Plan
• Work on the Website, VLE and Benchmarking Document has been presented at conferences

The Verifiers Comment

• The underlying ethos that everyone shares in the corporate parenting of looked after children irrespective of the agency or organisation for whom they work.
• The use of data and its analysis to: track and target intervention at the earliest opportunity to address identified underachievement; evidence change [exceptionally high attendance levels]; evidence attendance [best in Britain]
• Ensuring the voice of young people is embedded in all aspects and development of provision
• Embedding the role of designated teacher within schools to provide a focus of support for looked after children
• Additional targeted support for individual students
• The use of a reward system which may be used within and beyond school
• The use of "excellent events" to raise self esteem and promote achievement
• Extending the curriculum opportunities through commissioned services
• Creating a "can do" culture across a number of different agencies which provides a coordinated approach of support based on prioritising the needs of looked after children
• Using self review effectively to identify inconsistencies and gaps  in provision