How the Buttle UK Quality Mark Helps Improve Outcomes: A Virtual Head Perspective June 2013

1. How the Buttle UK Quality Mark Helps Improve Outcomes:A Virtual Head PerspectiveJune 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. • Aworker 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