Tameside Virtual School

What is the Virtual School?

Tameside Virtual School is a service within the local authority that works to promote the education, attendance and progress of children and young people who have a social worker. Although it is called a “school”, it does not have a building or classrooms. Instead, it works in partnership with schools, carers and professionals to make sure children receive the support they need to succeed in education.
The Virtual School Head provides strategic leadership and challenge to ensure the local authority fulfils its responsibilities to improve educational outcomes.

Our Role as Corporate Parent
The local authority has a legal (statutory) duty to promote the educational achievement of children in its care. As a corporate parent, we aim to provide the same level of care, support and aspiration that a good parent would.
The Virtual School plays a key role in this by:

• Championing educational achievement
• Promoting high aspirations
• Ensuring barriers to learning are identified and addressed
• Supporting high-quality planning for education

Who we support
Tameside Virtual School supports children and young people of statutory school age in the following groups:

• Children in care (looked after children) – statutory duty
• Previously looked after children (for example, those adopted or on special guardianship or child arrangements orders) – statutory duty to provide advice and information
• Children with a social worker (including those on child in need or child protection plans) – strategic support in line with national guidance

Who we work with
We work in partnership with:

• Children and young people
• Schools, academies and early years settings
• Foster carers, kinship carers and residential settings
• Social workers and wider children’s services teams
• Health professionals and partner agencies

Contact Us
Email: admin.vritualschool@tameside.gov.uk
Telephone: 0161 342 4057