What we do

The aim of the Virtual School Post 16 team is to improve outcomes for as many of our care leavers aged 16-25 as possible. We do this through:

• direct work with young people
• driving improvements in practice amongst professionals and providers.

Young people aged 16-25 (including those without EHCPs and not in education) are offered service from the Virtual School post-16 team.

Our service offers a spectrum of support according to need that can be defined as follows.

• Strategic arms-length monitoring and reporting, working through other key professionals and adults, supporting, challenging and building capacity.
• Specific one-off interventions to remove barriers and enable progress.
• 1-2-1 work to enable progress towards sustainable education, employment or training (EET) outcomes.

How we work

The team supports young people’s aspirations, skills and achievements. We work directly with Oxfordshire Children We Care For and Care Leavers aged 16-25 as well as:

• colleges
• schools
• training providers
• social care
• foster carers,
• supported housing providers
• edge of care services (REOC)
• employers.

We offer career advice, support and guidance and career coaching for all our young people as well as support where needed with CVs, applications and interview preparation.

We want to achieve the best possible young person-centered and appropriate Education, Employment and Training (EET) outcomes for our young people. To enable this, we advise support and challenge education providers and support services.

Support and plans

We ensure that support and plans are in place for Oxfordshire Children We care For and Care Leavers aged 16-25. There are:

• personal education plans (for those in education and training)
• EET support plans (for those not in EET).

For further information about this support contact us.

September guarantee

All young people leaving year 11 and 12 are entitled to a suitable learning offer for the following September. They do not have to accept the offer. 

Post 16 personal education plans (PEP)

The PEP is an evolving record of what needs to happen for Children We care For and Care Leavers to enable them to:

• make at least expected progress in line with their peers
• fulfil their potential.

The PEP should reflect the importance of a personalised approach to learning that:

• meets the identified educational needs of the student
• raises aspirations
• builds life chances.

PEP toolkit

View the PEP toolkit.

Responsibilities

The PEP is the joint responsibility of the relevant local authority and the education provider. Social workers, carers, VSHs, designated teachers and other relevant professionals will need to work together.

Everyone involved in the PEP process should involve the student at all stages (according to understanding and ability) and, wherever appropriate, relevant family members.

How often we produce plans

For students in years 12, 13 and 14, we continue with three PEPs a year (one per term) to ensure sufficient support is in place around our students. We operate a mixture of:

EPEPs and in some circumstances paper PEPs.

If you are unsure which to use, contact us.