Welcome to the Barnet Virtual School

The Virtual School is a team of teachers, advisers and professionals who work with nurseries, schools, colleges, trainers and employers to make sure you get the best education or training possible.

We will make sure that your head teacher and the staff in your nursery, school or college are giving you the support that you need with your education.

Your school will have what’s called a ‘designated teacher’ – a teacher who knows about being in care and what it means. They understand that you might feel confused and unsettled, so they’re not just there to make sure you do as well as you can with your work and activities. You can also talk to them if being in care is making school hard for you.

Your own teacher and the head teacher will know you’re in care but won’t tell anybody else unless they need to know so they can help you.

If you’re not sure what to tell people at school about being in care, your social worker and your designated teacher can help you work out what to say if you like.
 

Your Caseworker

You will have a caseworker from the Virtual School who will also support you and talk to you, your foster carer, your social worker and your school to make sure you are happy at school and doing as well as you can.

Your caseworker will ensure that you have all you need to support you – this may mean they will look at accessing additional tuition for you, getting you a laptop if you need one, giving you opportunities to take part in enrichment activities or helping with thinking about what you want to do next when you reach 16 or 18.
 

PEPs

You will have a personal education plan – a PEP for short. PEPs are special plans to help you do well in your school work and enjoy your time at school. Your designated teacher will work out with you so that you can have your say in your PEP.  Your social worker and carer will be invited to the meeting too, but the most important person there will be you. You can help to decide what you want to achieve in each school year and will be part of discussing how things are going in school. Meetings will then take place each term, so we can check that you're getting the support you need.

The Virtual School is a team of teachers. advisers & professionals who work with nurseries, schools, colleges, trainers and employers to make sure you get the best education or training possible.

We will make sure that your head teacher and the staff in your nursery, school or college are giving you the support that you need with your education.

Your school will have what’s called a ‘designated teacher’ – a teacher who knows about being in care and what it means. They understand that you might feel confused and unsettled, so they’re not just there to make sure you do as well as you can with your work and activities. You can also talk to them if being in care is making school hard for you.

Your own teacher and the head teacher will know you’re in care but won’t tell anybody else unless they need to know so they can help you.

If you’re not sure what to tell people at school about being in care, your social worker and your designated teacher can help you work out what to say if you like.
 

Your Caseworker

You will have a caseworker from the Virtual School who will also support you and talk to you, your foster carer, your social worker and your school to make sure you are happy at school and doing as well as you can.

Your caseworker will ensure that you have all you need to support you – this may mean they will look at accessing additional tuition for you, getting you a laptop if you need one, giving you opportunities to take part in enrichment activities or helping with thinking about what you want to do next when you reach 16 or 18.
 

PEPs

You will have a personal education plan – a PEP for short. PEPs are special plans to help you do well in your school work and enjoy your time at school. Your designated teacher will work out with you so that you can have your say in your PEP.  Your social worker and carer will be invited to the meeting too, but the most important person there will be you. You can help to decide what you want to achieve in each school year and will be part of discussing how things are going in school. Meetings will then take place each term, so we can check that you're getting the support you need.
 

More Information