Virtual School for Cared for Children

Supporting Cared for Children

The Virtual School plays a unique role within the local authority. We connect education, social care, health, and the criminal justice system to ensure that every cared for child has the best possible chance to thrive. Our work with all schools, no matter their type, helps bring together services to support some of the most vulnerable learners.

We champion Cared for Children in the borough of Rochdale by:

  • Helping schools and teachers find ways to remove obstacles in a child’s learning journey.
  • Making sure every cared for child has a Personal Education Plan which highlights their strengths, needs, and how additional funding can best support them.
  • Working closely with everyone involved in the child's education, including offering training for teachers, social workers, and carers, so they have the tools to help each child succeed.

Helping professionals support Cared for Children

The Predicting Enhanced Needs policy is designed to help professionals support Cared for Children when they go through major life changes. These changes might include moving to a new home, changing schools, or getting a new social worker. 

The policy is based on the Stability Index 2020, which looks at how change can affect a young person. If a cared for child experiences one or more of these changes, professionals should use this policy to help the child adjust smoothly and feel more secure.

We Care resources

We sometimes hear from our Cared for Children that they are being bullied, stereotyped or don’t get their voices heard. To answer these criticisms, we turned to our own Rochdale Cared for Children and asked them to tell us a little bit about their stories.

The result is this film, ‘We Care’. The tremendous amount of time, effort and care that they put into this film is testimony to both their own commitment and their strength of feeling about wanting to be heard. ‘We Care’ sends a strong message to all of us. To listen, to really hear and to treat young people who are in care for whom they are – each an individual, defined, not by us, by themselves, for themselves; each with a past story; many, many strengths; and also bright futures ahead.

Personal Education Plans

A Personal Education Plan (PEP) is created for every cared for child to support their learning and track their progress. PEPs are available for all age groups, with different formats for:

  • Early Years (ages 2-4)
  • Reception to Year 11 (ages 5-16)
  • Post-16 (ages 16-18) – including college, employment, or training

To manage and document PEPs, we use an electronic system (ePEP) for all children in school, pre-school, and post-16 education.

Why Personal Education Plans are important

The goal of the PEP is to make sure everyone involved. Schools, social workers, carers, and the Virtual School work together to help the child achieve educational success.

  • It tracks progress and attainment for each cared for child.
  • It helps monitor and manage Pupil Premium funding to improve learning.
  • It includes input from the young person, carers, teachers, social workers, and others involved in their education.

PEPs are reviewed at the start of each school term, setting achievable targets for the child.

Making Personal Education Plans meaningful

PEPs must include:

  • Aspirational and SMART goals to support learning.
  • SEND needs, if applicable, and any extra support required.
  • A clear plan for Pupil Premium Plus funding to improve education outcomes.

The young person’s wishes and feelings are central to the process. They contribute to their ‘All About Me’ form, ensuring their voice is heard.

If needed, a member of the Virtual School team can attend PEP meetings to offer additional guidance. PEP meetings held during school hours aim not to disrupt lessons for the child.

Digital Personal Education Plans

Rochdale Virtual School uses ePEP, a digital system to manage PEPs effectively.

Pupil Premium Plus funding

The government provides extra funding, called Pupil Premium Plus (PP+), to help improve education for children in care. This money is sent directly to schools in two payments:

  • The first payment is made in the middle of the year.
  • The second payment is released after the Personal Education Plan is reviewed and confirms how the funding will be used.

A small portion of PP+ is kept by the Virtual School to support creative ideas that help schools meet the needs of Cared for Children.

How schools can use Pupil Premium Plus

Our monitoring shows that schools often use PP+ to provide extra support outside the classroom, such as 1:1 tuition, school trips, or additional resources like laptops or learning tools.

Schools have used Pupil Premium Plus in the following ways:

  • 1:1 tutoring or mentoring tailored to the child’s strengths and needs, with regular progress reviews. Some organisations offering this include Tutor Trust, Prospero, Randstad, and UK Military Mentors. The Virtual School can offer advice on choosing the right support.
  • Enrichment activities like music lessons or sports, based on the child’s interests or career aspirations.
  • Therapeutic outdoor activity groups to improve emotional well-being, confidence, resilience, and social skills.
  • Alternate Provision – off-site education for children struggling in mainstream school, helping prevent exclusions and encouraging engagement.
  • Extra support for reading and maths to boost core skills.
  • Support staff to help children during key transitions (such as moving schools, changing key stages, or even adjusting to a new timetable).
  • Laptops for Year 10 and 11 Cared for Children – Each autumn, 14- and 15-year-olds receive a laptop to support their studies through their last two years of high school.

How the funding works

For previously Cared for Children, Pupil Premium funding is managed by their school, not the Virtual School. The amount received is based on the school’s annual census, which records the number of eligible children.

To access this funding, the child’s previously looked-after status must be recorded on the school’s system and reported in the school census data collection. The Department for Education (DfE) sends funding directly to schools.

Supporting previously Cared for Children

There is no legal requirement for schools to create a Personal Education Plan for previously Cared for Children. However, it is considered good practice if the child needs continued support and interventions.

Even though the Virtual School does not receive this funding, we are committed to offering guidance and support to schools and parents to ensure the child’s education remains a priority.

PEP Deadlines for 2024 – 2025

To make sure Pupil Premium Plus payments can be made on time and meet quality standards, schools must complete PEP documents by the following deadlines:

  • Autumn: deadline has passed
  • Spring: deadline has passed
  • Summer:
    • Reception to year 10: 30 June 2025
    • Year 11: 15 June 2025

Post-16 education, employment and training

Since September 2015, young people must continue their education, employment, or training after leaving school. They can choose from:

  • Full-time study at a school, college, or with a training provider.
  • Full-time work or volunteering, combined with part-time education or training.
  • An apprenticeship, gaining hands-on experience while earning and learning.

For any questions about Post-16 support for Cared for Children, get in touch with us at VirtualSchool@rochdale.gov.uk.

Support services for young people

  • Positive Steps: provides advice, guidance, and employability support for young people in Rochdale, Oldham, and Tameside.
  • Engaging Rochdale is a personalised support programme to help young people overcome barriers to employment or education. A keyworker will help build a support plan with regular check-ins to review progress. You can find out more by:

Supporting previously looked after children

Previously looked after children are those who were once in the care of a local authority but are no longer due to:

  • Adoption
  • Special Guardianship Order
  • Child Arrangements Order
  • Adoption from state care outside England and Wales

These children may still need extra educational support to help them succeed.

How We Help

We provide guidance, signposting, and support to parents and carers of previously looked-after children, helping them navigate the educational system and access available resources.

Funding for previously looked-after children

Previously looked after children can receive Pupil Premium funding, which is given directly to schools as part of their annual grant.

To apply:

  • Parents and guardians must declare their child’s status to their school.
  • Schools record this information in the October census.
  • The funding is paid to the school in the next financial year (starting in April).

This money is not managed by the Virtual School, but we can offer guidance on how schools can use it effectively to support children's learning.

What Can the Funding Be Used For?

Many previously looked-after children have gaps in learning due to missed school or special educational needs (SEN). They may also have emotional challenges linked to their past experiences.

Pupil Premium Plus can help by funding:

  • Extra tuition to close learning gaps.
  • Resources to encourage special talents (e.g., arts, sports, music).
  • Therapeutic or enrichment activities that support emotional well-being.

Schools should consider the child’s wishes when deciding how to use the funding. Listening to their voice ensures the support is meaningful and beneficial.

Training and more support

Special Educational Needs (SEND) support

Some Cared for Children and children with a social worker may need extra help due to special educational needs (SEND). Most can get the support they need from their nursery, school, or college—this is called Ordinarily Available Provision or SEND Support.

Reading support for Cared for Children

We know that developing a love for reading is one of the greatest gifts we can give our young people, and to support this, Rochdale Virtual School offers reading offers to specific age groups.

  • Children aged 0 to 5 years old: are able to access Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. We aim to make sure all Cared for Children under the age of 5 in the borough receive the books gifted by this wonderful programme. 
  • Reception and Key Stage 1 Children: each month, Reception and Key Stage 1 children receive Storytime magazine, filled with fairy tales, myths, legends, and modern stories to encourage reading at home.
  • Year 6 and Year 7 Students: we provide a weekly subscription to The Phoenix comic for children in Year 6 and Year 7 to encourage reading. Research shows that comics help young people engage with reading, especially those who might not normally pick up a book.

How to support reading at home

To get the most out of our reading offers, we encourage you to: 

  • Read together regularly – whether it’s a bedtime story or a weekend comic, shared reading strengthens reading habits. 
  • Talk about stories – discussing favourite characters, predicting endings, and asking questions deepens engagement. 
  • Create a comfy reading space – a cosy spot can make reading feel like a treat rather than a task. 

Let children choose what they enjoy, encouraging their preferences helps them develop a lifelong love of reading.

 

Contact Virtual School service