Admissions and Exclusions

Admissions 

Gloucestershire's Virtual School works in partnership with the placement school, social workers, governors and Gloucestershire's school admissions team to ensure that children in care are prioritised in the finalising of school placements in schools that are rated as ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ by OFSTED.

In the event where a child will need to change an educational placement, the Virtual School will work with all relevant professionals to ensure that a new school place is finalised and there is a smooth transition into the new placement.

School Admissions Checklist

• Has the Virtual School been informed?
• Is the school judged by OFSTED to be good or outstanding?
• Given the young person’s location, is the school most suitable based on their needs?
• Does the young person’s have SEN needs?
• If young person has a EHCP, have the SEN department been informed?
• If young person has a EHCP, is the School’s Local Offer able to meet the young person’s needs?
• Is the young person able to maximise their progress if they attend this school?
• Has an informal visit been made?
• Does the young person want to attend this school?
• Any other reasons for preferences? (Special provision, mentors, SW’s?)

Exclusions

Many schools make use of ‘internal exclusions.' Whilst  this still creates an opportunity for learning, this must not be used as along-term solution.

Gloucestershire Virtual School will ensure that systems are in place to identify children where engagement is decreasing before the lack of engagement starts to impact their  progress.

The Virtual School will ensure that all relevant agencies comply with and uphold the statutory guidance on school suspensions and exclusions.

To reiterate, in line with the statutory guidance, Headteachers at the placement school must avoid permanently excluding any looked after child.

When Gloucestershire Virtual School are informed of a looked after child’s behaviour which could lead to a suspension or exclusion, Gloucestershire Virtual School will implement a course of action to ensure that permanent exclusions are avoided at all costs. Solutions may include, finding an alternative education provision suitable for the child’s needs or implementing a course of mentoring to help address the reasons behind this behaviour or other interventions that will help address this.

Children in Care transfer protocol

The purpose of this protocol is to prevent permanent exclusions of Children in Care in Gloucestershire mainstream and special schools; it provides an alternative to permanent exclusions. This protocol seeks to ensure a multi-agency approach to meeting the social, emotional and behavioural needs of these pupils. This protocol is now part of the GCC Exclusions Guide for head teachers.

• Click here for our Virtual School Child in Care Permanent Exclusion Guidance for Schools and our Virtual School Child in Care Permanent Exclusion Guidance for Parents/Carers and Social Workers.
• For further information on other Virtual School policies and procedures, please take a look at our policy page.

Children Missing Education (CME)

Anyone concerned that a child is missing education (CME) can make a referral to the Access to Education team at Gloucestershire County Council

Children Missing Education (CME) refers to 'any child of compulsory school age who is not registered at any formally approved education activity eg school, alternative provision, elective home education, and has been out of education provision for at least 4 weeks'. CME also includes those children who are missing (family whereabouts unknown) and are usually children who are registered on a school roll / alternative provision. This might be a child who is not at their last known address and either

 Please click here for further information and resources.

Children placed outside Gloucestershire

Young people may be placed outside Gloucestershire for a variety of reasons. These reasons can range from insufficient placements within County, to a suitable educational establishment best fitting to the young person's needs or even current foster carers moving home out of county.

A young person being placed out of county does not mean that we no longer oversee their educational needs.  The Virtual School continues to work alongside Carers and Designated Teachers to ensure that the Young Person has the best possible opportunities available to them.