Dorset Virtual School

We are the Virtual School for Children in Care and Care Leavers. Our school exists to improve the education and life chances of these children.

Our learners range from 2 to 18 years old and attend real schools or educational settings. The Designated Teacher of each setting provides us with information about our children and their progress. We track each young person throughout their educational journey, providing support and challenge to our settings to ensure that our children achieve and feel that they belong. Our Virtual School team can advise what support is available to help our learners achieve their outcomes.

Dorset Virtual School also provide educational support and guidance for settings and families for:

• children previously looked after
• children with a Social Worker
• children in kinship care arrangements

Virtual School learners

Our school is responsible for 4 groups of children and young people which are:

• Dorset children in care, educated in Dorset
• Dorset children in care educated in other local authorities
• adopted children who were previously looked after
• children who are under special guardianship orders (SGO) who were previously looked after

Extended role of the Virtual School

Our school also provides strategic guidance and oversight (including guidance and signposting) for:

• children with a Social Worker 
• children in kinship care arrangements

Your Personal Education Plan (PEP):

• is a meeting about how you're doing at school, college or your education setting
• happens at least once a term
• should last no more than one hour
• isn't just about school, college or your education setting; you can talk about other activities you like to do
• will last until the end of the academic year that you turn 18 

We work with social care staff

We work with social care staff by:

• advising social workers on choosing a school and on specific issues around the education of our learners
• attending PEP meetings
• advising and updating social care staff on educational issues

We support parents and carers

We advise parents and carers on specific issues about their child's education.

Meet our Dorset Virtual School team

Virtual school leads in our localities.