Issue - meetings

The Deputy Mayor and Executive Member for Children’s Services and the Director of Education and Partnerships submitted a report for the Executive’s consideration. The purpose of the report was to provide information on the Virtual School peer review, which had been undertaken by the National Association of Virtual School Heads (NAVSH). Attached at Appendices 1 and 2 were the accompanying action plan and full report, which detailed NAVSH’s findings.

A system of peer review had been developed by the NAVSH to help Virtual Schools improve and develop. The Council was keen to regularly access such support to independently assess its position in relation to services provided to support children. The peer review of Middlesbrough’s Virtual School took place on 21 and 22 September 2021.

NAVSH had assessed the Council against four core themes, which were detailed a paragraph 5 of the submitted report.

In line with the Council’s commitment to transparent and honest engagement, the findings of the review would be published if approval and endorsement were received from the Executive.

OPTIONS

The Council could have chosen not to endorse the action plan. That option was not recommended because Children’s Services was keen to build on the strengths of the Virtual School, and to encourage it to improve and develop alongside all aspects of the services the Council provided for children. Not endorsing the action plan may have slowed the speed of improvement or may have prevented the Virtual School from deriving maximum benefit from the peer review process. That in turn may have led to a less effective service being provided for looked after children.

ORDERED

That the outcomes of the Virtual School peer review be noted and the accompanying action plan be endorsed.

REASON

The peer review allowed Children’s Services to utilise the NAVSH resource and provided an opportunity to gather views from a range of experienced Virtual School Heads from local authorities in other parts of the country. The resulting report allowed officers to reflect on the strengths of the current provision and helped identify areas for development. The areas for development could be considered within an improvement action plan, which planned to help guide Virtual School officers and provide a clear framework for monitoring their progress and holding them to account. That in turn would lead to an improved service and enhanced offer to schools and Middlesbrough’s looked after children.