Educational opportunities
Headteacher, Debby Rigby: debby.rigby@cityoflondon.gov.uk
Deputy Head, Ismail Ibrahim: ismail.ibrahim@cityoflondon.gov.uk
Our mission at the Virtual School is to ensure the best possible educational outcomes for all children and young people with a social worker, who are looked after by, or reside in the City of London.
We work in partnership with colleagues across the corporation, with schools, health, housing, businesses and Local Authorities across the UK, to promote educational excellence and exciting opportunities for our children and young people.
- We work with children and their families from birth up to 25 years
- We monitor, celebrate and reward success
- We promote excellent school and college attendance
- We ensure that our children and young people attend excellent schools and colleges
- We challenge where necessary and work creatively to solve problems
- We provide education support for young parents who have a social worker
- We provide training for social workers, teachers, and support staff
- We provide exciting projects, online tuition, revision lessons for exams, specialist courses and enrichment activities
- We offer support to care leavers attending university
- We offer information, advice and guidance into work and training
- We listen and learn from our children and young people
We are proud of our children and young people and do all we can to raise aspirations and overcome barriers to learning, so that all can reach their full potential and become life long learners.
We are privileged to work with parents and carers of children who have previously had a social worker, this includes children who have been adopted, live with kinship carers or who are subject to special guardianship orders
The City of London Virtual School Official Key Functions are to:
- Monitor and promote the educational progress and achievement of looked-after Children and Care Leavers
- Ensure that Personal Education Plans are current, relevant and effective
- Promote and advise on the use of the Pupil Premium Plus Grant
- Support schools and Designated Teachers to develop effective strategies and support for looked-after children and previously looked-after children
- Provide advice and guidance for social workers, parents and carers on issues relating to the education, employment and training of looked-after children, previously looked-after children and care leavers
- Commission or fund additional resources to support the education of looked-after children and care leavers
- Provide information, advice and guidance to looked-after children and care leavers about education, employment and training
Additional Duties for Children with a Social Worker
- Identify, monitor and promote the educational progress and achievement of all children with a social worker or who have had a social worker in the past six years
- Enhance partnerships between education settings and social care, promoting high expectations of all children with a social worker or who have had a social worker
- Provide information, advice, education and guidance for schools, social workers, parents and carers on possible barriers to learning and issues relating to education, employment and training of all children with a social worker or who have had asocial worker
- Commission or fund additional resources to support the education of all children with a social worker or who have had a social worker
An apprenticeship is a great way to get a paid job whilst also continuing to learn. You get real life job-specific skills, knowledge, and real-world experiences. On the job learning is given by specialist training providers, with hands-on training supported by experienced staff within the workplace. Apprentices do six hours per week classroom-based learning, which ends in a nationally recognised qualification.
Apprenticeships is a brilliant way to learn new skills and knowledge within a professional job while earning a respected qualification. This can be from a Level 2 qualification which is the same as 5 GCSEs, to Degree level. There are over 700 different apprenticeships to choose from, ranging from Gardner, IT, Electrician to Zookeepers. The apprenticeship training takes place over 18 months, with individuals being employed throughout the duration of their apprenticeship and earning a wage.
For more information about the range of apprenticeships available in the City of London please see the contact details below.
If you would like support in thinking about an apprenticeship please contact your social worker or the Virtual School.
Contact:
The Adult Skills and Education Service at the City of London administers the Apprenticeship Programme as well as the adult learning courses.
The Adult Skills and Education Service works in partnership with community and voluntary organisations, schools, children's centres and libraries to offer training and education to adults living in the City of London.
Together with partner organisations we provide:
- a wide range of family learning courses
- employment skills training
- literacy programmes
- activities for older people.
If you are involved with an organisation that works at a local level we may be able to help you fulfill a local education need.
Apprenticeships
In partnership with employers, we also work to provide training and education through our Apprenticeship Programme. Our service is based on employer requirements and is flexible, affordable and effective. Employers can access the training we provide or we can develop provision that meets a specific need.
For information about the service and available courses, see the web page on the City of London website: Adult Skills and Education Service - City of London
Contact:
Email the Adult Education Team
020 7608 2753
Adult Skills and Education Service
Department of Community and Children’s service
City of London
PO Box 270, Guildhall
London EC2P 2EJ
