Agenda item

Virtual Schools update

The Head of Virtual schools will provide a verbal update to the Board.

Minutes:

The  Head of Virtual schools was in attendance following a request from the Corporate Parenting Board in relation to transition of Children Looked after from  year 11 to 12 and year 5 to 6.

 

The Corporate Parenting Board has also requested the data in relation to Key stage 4 results, however the Head of Virtual schools advised that these results were not yet validated, however the Board had a right to query and therefore she would provide an overview of results.

 

 

In terms of transitions, the Board were advised of the following:

 

Year 11 to year 12

 

·         There were 40 children in year 11 who transited to year 12 whilst in the care of Middlesbrough Local authority. All children are Rated RAG on complexity of the transition need.

 

·         7 (17%) RAGed red in June meaning we thought these young people were at the greatest risk of becoming Not in Education, employment or training (NEET).

 

·         9 (22%) Young People where RAGed yellow indicating there were some barriers to overcome but the local authority were confident in securing placement for those young people.

 

·         5 (12%) young people are currently NEET with very complex backgrounds. The Local authority  predicted 7 as they were able to secure placement for two complex young people.

  

·         34 (85%) of Young people went onto education placements, 11 went to different placements from where they had planned to go in July (e.g. had enrolled on a hair and beauty course but changed courses) but none the less entered Further education.

·         The Local authority now have 54 Young people in Year 12 which is a 14 Young person  increase since July

·         With a total of 15 NEET (meaning 10 new to care  are NEET) 

·         There are 47 young people in  Year 13

·          17 being NEET.

·         23 are in Education

·         4 Are in Employment or training

·         In total there are 101 post 16 students.

·         69% of Care Leavers are in Education Employment or Training

·         31% are NEET 

 

In term of support for those young people who are NEET, the Head of Virtual schools outlined that there has been significant work undertaken to address this. Councillor M Smiles, Executive Member for Communities and Education had attended the Virtual school governing body and a discussion had taken place to how we can ink children looked after into Council apprenticeships. The Virtual schools had been working with the Interim Head of Looked after children and Corporate parenting to assign every young person with  key worker from the pathways team and there had been some discussion surrounding establishing a virtual college.

 

Year 6 Transition

·          There are 27 Students in Year 6

·         All students have a school place

·         81% are educated in the borough (which is approx. 22 students )

·         70 % have been in care for over 12 months (approx. 19)

·         Male/ Female split around 50/50

·         24 in mainstream schools

·         2 in Special Schools

·         1 in an Alternative Provision 

 

End of key stage 4

 

The Head of Virtual Schools advised that Board that the reformed GCSE qualifications are awarded on a grade scale of 9 (the highest grade) to 1 (the lowest). This scale is aligned to key grades on the previous A* to G scale.

 

GCSE results are based on students being awarded their centre assessed grade or calculated grade, whichever is higher. The outcomes presented are core subjects Math and English grades. These grades are un- validated

At KS4, 30 children from the 40 children on roll had been in care for more than 12 months.

Of the children who had been in care for 12 months or more, 16 attended a mainstream school.

 •    ¼ of looked after children who attended a mainstream school achieved English and Math at level 5+.

    Of all children who were looked after for 12 months or more 13% achieved grade 5+ in the Basics measure, a pleasing increase on previous years as in 2019 10% and in 2018, 3% of students achieved this outcome.

    There is clear evidence that being looked after by Middlesbrough for more than 12 months has a positive impact on educational outcomes as all the children achieving 5+ had been looked after for 12M+ however there is some travelling distance to close the gap between Children looked after and their peers.

 

The Chair thanked the Virtual Head for the information.  A Board member queried whether all children looked after had been supplied with a laptop from the DfE, which was discussed in a previous meeting. The Head responded by advising the Board that 948 laptops had been supplied by the DfE, which was shortfall for the number of children looked after under the care of the local authority. Due to this, the virtual schools had worked with head teachers to identify supply and demand. Schools however how had the ability to order laptops directly through the DfE portal which should hopefully ensure all children looked after are issued with a devise.

 

AGREED- That the information be noted.