Public reports pack Wednesday 22-Jul-2015 19.00 Council

Page 772.56 The Virtual School manages the PEP process in Lambeth and has worked with socialworkers to redesign the PEP documents to make them more user-friendly and in linewith legislative changes to education. A new form has been devised on Framework andensures that targets set at the previous PEP meeting are carried across to the interimVSH PEP for review.2.57 Nationally CLA perform less well than their peers but the gap is narrowing. Comparedwith national figures for looked-after children, there has been a trend of gradualimprovement in Lambeth since 2010 resulting in 36% of young people gaining theexpected 5 GCSEs graded A*-C including English and maths last year, which is verypositive. This figure is up from 23% last year, and 5% the year before that. Thiscompares with a national figure for looked after children in 2014 of 15% (Lambeth overallfor all children 57% National 53%).2.58 In 2014 there were 48 care leavers aged 16 that were in further education, training or anapprenticeship and 8 young people were receiving support as NEET. There were 89care leavers post 17 and 18 that were in further education, training or an apprenticeship,LASPO or NEET. As of April 2015 we had 56 young people in Higher education.2.59 The Virtual School have also become responsible for the way in which the PupilPremium (PP) is spent. PP spend is discussed by social workers/teachers and fostercarers and a decision is made at the PEP meeting about spend and impact.2.60 In Lambeth the Pupil Premium is paid in three termly instalments to ensure that there isan amount of money available to follow the child if they move schools. An initial reportsix months in to the programme showed a positive impact of the use of this funding.There will be future work with young people to discuss what they feel pupil premiumshould be spent on and to ensure they are aware of it.2.61 The Virtual School now provides training for carers through the Foster Carer’s Forumthat was set up in the previous academic year. In contrast to the training that is offeredby the fostering service which is mandatory, the VS FC Forum offers an opportunity forfoster carers to meet in a relaxed atmosphere, to share problems and good practice witheach other as well as receive the more formal training that the Virtual School provides.Meetings are one per term - six per year - with the dates all mapped out and agreed bythe foster carers. It is still in its early stages, but there is a core group of carers whoregularly attend and numbers are gradually increasing. Subjects covered have been anupdate on curriculum changes, the SEN Review, Precision learning arranged by our EP,an introduction to the online learning that VS have offered children.Education Employment and Training Outcomes for care leavers2.62 Lambeth has an Education Advisor that provides bespoke support to Social Workers andpersonal advisors around specific NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training)issues, and to signpost the care leavers to a variety of partnership agencies foremployment, education and training opportunities.2.63 The Education Advisor does the followingWorks directly with care leavers11