The Virtual School supports children to do their very best at school by making sure that they all receive suitable education and feel safe to learn.
The Virtual School Headteacher is Jane Walker. The Virtual School Deputy Headteacher is Tara Prescott.
The Education Welfare Team works to ensure that the local authority’s statutory duties and other responsibilities for safeguarding children in relation to the criteria listed are carried out to the highest possible standard. The Education Welfare team promotes and enforces regular attendance at school and alternative provision for all children, including looked after children, vulnerable learners and those students with an education health care plan (EHCP), in order for them to take full advantage of the educational opportunities available to them. Work is undertaken on behalf of children in partnership with their parents, schools, alternative providers, and other professionals, to enable each pupil the maximum opportunity to benefit from their educational entitlement. Work is also undertaken at a whole school level to support schools with their policies and practices to improve attendance. This can involve support which is non-statutory but available through the team's service level agreement. To refer a pupil to Education Welfare please complete the form below and return it to educationwelfare@northumberland.gov.uk:
The local authority has a duty to identify and engage with pupils who are not receiving their entitlement to full time education. These pupils are either at risk of missing out on or are missing out on full time education. The Education Welfare team delivers this service for Northumberland local authority. Our arrangements have been developed in partnership with the NSSP and enable us to establish the identities of children in our area who are not on roll at a school and who are not receiving suitable education otherwise than at a school. The agreed procedures include measures to prevent children at risk of becoming missing from education and fulfils statutory guidance. The Lead Education Welfare Officer (LEWO), Dawn Westerby, is the ‘named person’ for Children Missing from Education (CME). Northumberland's arrangements can be downloaded here:
For further advice or guidance please contact Education Welfare 01670 622800 or email educationwelfare@northumberland.gov.uk
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