Gateshead Virtual School
Gateshead Virtual School (GVS) is responsible for promoting the educational achievement of looked after children, wherever they live or are educated. Education is central to all decision making regarding the welfare of our looked after children and will feature in all care planning together with our social care colleagues. Social workers, VSH, IROs, school admission officers, and the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) team will work together to ensure that, except in an emergency, appropriate education provision for a child is arranged at the same time as a care placement.
GVS is also responsible for promoting the educational achievement of those children previously looked after and providing information and advice to parents and educators.
The role of the Virtual School is to ensure we are supporting young people in care to access the best quality education, achieve the best outcomes they can and make incredible progress. We also offer support, advice and guidance to carers and professionals of those children who have a social worker, those in kinship care or special guardianship arrangement and those children previously looked after.
Support we can offer
- support and guidance in personal education planning meetings
- support with school meetings
- free training for schools, professionals and carers around trauma informed practice
- drop in appointments to support schools and social workers
- carers and parents of previously looked after children can contact us for support around their children's education
- traded Thrive approach training for schools and professionals
Contact
Phone: 0191 433 8732
Email: virtualschooladmin@gateshead.gov.uk