1. stoke.gov.uk How the Buttle UK Quality Mark Helps Improve Outcomes: A Virtual Head Perspective June 2013 Tony Clifford Virtual School for Children In Care tony.clifford@stoke.gov.uk

2. Virtual Head The ‘real’ head teacher of a ‘Virtual School’ Corporate parent – ‘would this be good enough for my child?’ Role - ‘To champion the educational needs of LAC in and out of the authority’ - first outlined in ‘Care Matters: Time for Change’ (DCSF, June 2007) Statutory from 2013 Stoke VS: 700 young people aged 0-25

3. Our challenge June 2011 Ofsted inspection highlighted lack of coherent planning and support for young people in care Post 16 Stoke VS extended its remit from 5-16 to 0-25 from September 2011 Beneath the poor outcomes a lack of joined up work and aspiration for our young people

4. Our challenge Case studies showed young people on the wrong courses dropping out or drifting. We consulted with young people. They wanted: An education pathway plan to 21 to create opportunities for young people to sit down with someone who will listen to them, give them encouragement and a ‘kick up the bum’, when they need it... Specialised Careers staff who know how to help YP get into ETE

5. Buttle and the Stoke ETE strategy QM opened up the dialogue: ‘You are ‘good at inclusion’ but how do you know this is working for young people in care?’ ‘How and when do you identify young people in care coming to college and how are you safeguarding?’ Buttle self-assessment process with partner colleges: focus for support and challenge dialogue Termly meetings to track and challenge progress

6. Buttle and the Stoke ETE strategy Improving ETE outcomes: A multi agency challenge: young person, college, careers, social care, carers, VS…… 16-19 Learner Support Agreement: Defines roles and responsibilities Sign up from our partner FE colleges and 12 work based learning providers Keep the Buttle ethos ‘live’

7. 16-18 Learner Support Agreement – Social Care Ensure each young person has an ‘ETE key worker’, who will :  Meet with the provider within a week of the start of the course, if the young person may need extra support, or otherwise by the end of October of Y12. Invite Careers.  Respond to an emergency within 3 hours and an urgent request within 24.  Attend consultation events/’parents’ evenings’ and call extra meetings where there are problems.  Ensure that there is a ‘PEP/EPP’ [education plan] which is updated at least 6 monthly in consultation with Careers and the provider.  Ensure that actions in the plan are fulfilled to timescales.  Inform the provider if the key worker changes within five days.

8. Effective EPP Case Study [Stoke FE] 1 ‘The EPP meeting helped to smooth the transition into college for C through: Meeting the tutor so she could feel comfortable with the person who would work with her in college Discussing help with purchase of uniform-so that C did not feel out of place Understanding how the Care bursary payments work Arranging a bus pass for the first week Exchanging contact details of all key staff in case of any need arising’

9. Effective EPP Case Study [Stoke FE] 2 ‘Link was made to a mentor for the course. A worker from Pertemps NEET Prevention Project linked to the college was also present and offered help in finding part time work if C needed this Holding this meeting early (late August) enabled all this to be set up before the start of the course so that C had no worries around getting to college and could feel confident. Attendance is excellent - 94%.....’

10. Summary Break the pattern of low expectations and under achievement Provide support and challenge to all partners Do it today Provide long term support……… tony.clifford@stoke.gov.uk