Being a virtual school head can be a lonely job. Each local authority has to have one (although some have less than one and some like to share) and while most have a dedicated team to support the work of improving educational outcomes for looked-after children, a few do not.
It is also one of the few roles that straddles education and children’s services, helping teachers and social workers translate decisions, understand the child’s needs in context and being the point of contact for all matters relating to the education of children in care.
The virtual school head often sits in the buffer zone, using the pupil premium plus to provide a bit of extra support when things start to get rocky at school, preventing managed moves to maximise stability and providing a “challenge” to school leaders to help ensure their schools are trauma-aware and attachment-friendly. A virtual head has to combine the tenacity of a terrier with the loyalty of a Labrador; we have to be focused on the individual child at the same time as improving the whole system.
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