The Virtual School for Looked After Children in Derby has recently received excellent results through national comparison data, coming in the top 10% for results achieved by all Virtual Schools in England.

The Virtual School is a Derby City Council service provided by a team of dedicated professionals to co-ordinate the educational needs of children in and previously in care in Derby.

There are approximately 398 children of school age in care in Derby. All of these children will have experienced distress, loss and trauma which may have an effect on their development and education. The Virtual School aims to tailor education to support and nurture these children to achieve their potential.

The Virtual School team works in partnership with schools, social workers and carers. They have worked hard to target interventions to support pupils up to and beyond the national standards in reading, writing and maths.

The latest results highlighted fantastic achievements in KS2 particularly, standing in 3rd position out of 142 Local Authorities for Writing, and 15th for Reading, Writing and Maths combined.

The team are looking forward to continuing to support Derby’s looked after children and building on this success. Their strapline ‘Thriving through Relationships’ continues to be a key focus in their work, aiming to build supportive and caring relationships with the children they work with.

Headteacher for the Virtual School, Graeme Ferguson, said:

We’re extremely proud of both those who work in the production and support of the virtual school and the looked after children for achieving these fantastic results. Our ethos of ensuring the children’s education is supported through strong relationships is at the heart of all we do, and we look forward to building on this even more in years to come.

Councillor Evonne Williams, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said:

This is a brilliant achievement for all involved with our Virtual School and all who have studied with them. Children who are, or have been, in care often need more support educationally to ensure they reach the potential they deserve. The team involved have created an environment where young people are at the centre of their work through their experience, skills and support.

You can find out more about the Derby Virtual School on the City Council website.