SEND and Inclusion Services in Peterborough have a specific remit to help our children and young people to achieve their potential and overcome barriers their additional needs may present to them and their educational settings.

In this episode Alex West and Lisa Hatfield have a conversation with Gemma Mead, Peterborough's Area SENCo. Together they explore the complexities of the SEND system and how those supporting children known to social care can navigate it.

Peterborough SEND

SEND code of practice: 0 to 25 years

SEND Information Advice and Support Service (SENDIASS)

For further information about the work of Peterborough Virtual School please visit our website Peterborough Virtual School

If you have concerns around the education of a child or young person known to social care, please contact the Virtual School [email protected]

In the episode, Nic is delighted to be talking with Becca Jones from the charity Become which supports children in care and care leavers. Becca offers advice and support to young people wanting to progress into Further or Higher Education.

Home Page - Become

For further information about the work of Peterborough Virtual School please visit our website Peterborough Virtual School

If you have concerns around the education of a child or young person known to social care, please contact the Virtual School [email protected]

Adam Tams and Anna Noble are joined in this episode by Elle Johnson, Peterborough's Care Leaver Local Offer Led, to discuss why it is so important  that we work to encourage aspiration and ambition among young people. They explain the transformative power of high aspirations and the impact these can have in ensuring that young people successfully transition into education, employment or training. 

Care leavers considerably less likely on average to be in education, employment or training, analysis shows

For further information about the work of Peterborough Virtual School please visit our website Peterborough Virtual School

If you have concerns around the education of a child or young person known to social care, please contact the Virtual School [email protected]

In this episode, Nic Phillips and Fran Haunch are joined by Ishmael Ngundu (Team Manager for  Leaving Care). Ishmael shares his extensive knowledge and experience of the specific needs and vulnerabilities of Unaccompanied Children in Care.

Care of unaccompanied migrant children and child victims of modern slavery: Statutory guidance for local authorities 

Independent Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children Support Service (IUSS)

Children's Commissioned: The Big Ambition for Unaccompanied Children Seeking Asylum - Reflections from my Ambassadors

For further information about the work of Peterborough Virtual School please visit our website Peterborough Virtual School

If you have concerns around the education of a child or young person known to social care, please contact the Virtual School [email protected]

In today's episode, Gina Hayes and Amanda Jones from our Inclusion and Engagement team discuss the range of transitions which children may experience throughout their educational journeys - the big ones such as primary to secondary and also the smaller ones, such as moving from learning time to break time and back again. They explore the considerations which need to be undertaken if a change of school is needed and explain why change can be difficult in some circumstances.

School Admissions Code

Apply for a School Place

Children's Commissioned: Looked After Children who are not in School 

For further information about the work of Peterborough Virtual School please visit our website Peterborough Virtual School

If you have concerns around the education of a child or young person known to social care, please contact the Virtual School [email protected]

Gina Hayes and Clare Webley from Peterborough Virtual School's Inclusion and Engagement Team are your hosts for this episode. They discuss why good school attendance is so very important for all children and young people and acknowledge some of the barriers which may lead to poor attendance for children and young people known to children's services.

They are joined by clinician Vanessa Kinsey-Thatcher to explore the increasing concern around emotionally based school avoidance and what social workers, carers and others supporting children and young people can put in place to ensure that all are enabled to attend school and achieve their full potential.

Working together to improve school attendance

For further information about the work of Peterborough Virtual School please visit our website Peterborough Virtual School

If you have concerns around the education of a child or young person known to social care, please contact the Virtual School [email protected]

All Children Known to Social Care will achieve educational outcomes enabling them to lead healthy, happy and fulfilled lives.

Zoe Lattimer and Nic Phillips are back in this episode to explain the specific way of working in Peterborough Virtual School. They detail the intelligence and evidence base which underpins the model and the intention behind this which is to maximise the impact of the work. They explain in detail the breadth of work across the Virtual School within the internal teams to support inclusion, engagement and partnership working. 

Improving the Effectiveness of Virtual Schools

For further information about the work of Peterborough Virtual School please visit our website Peterborough Virtual School

If you have concerns around the education of a child or young person known to social care, please contact the Virtual School [email protected]

In this episode, Fran Haunch and Emma Slade from Peterborough Virtual School's Partnership and Outcomes team are joined by Peterborough's Service Director for Education, Carrie Traill.

Fran, Emma and Carrie consider children's rights to education and explore the vision of high quality, full-time and well-matched education for all children and young people in Peterborough.

They follow the education journey from nursery into primary school and then secondary school - explaining some of the key milestones along the way. They then discuss the different pathways young people may choose to follow at 16 and beyond.

The Right to Education - UNICEF UK

Education System in the UK

For further information about the work of Peterborough Virtual School please visit our website Peterborough Virtual School

If you have concerns around the education of a child or young person known to social care, please contact the Virtual School [email protected]

In the first episode of our Peterborough Virtual School podcast, Zoe Lattimer and  Nic Phillips introduce the breadth and scope of the Virtual School. They welcome John Gregg, Executive Director of Children's Services, to explore the important strategic role of the Virtual School to make visible the barriers faced by children known to social care.

Virtual Schools: Education's Hidden Asset

Improving the Effectiveness of Virtual Schools 

For further information about the work of Peterborough Virtual School please visit our website Peterborough Virtual School

If you have concerns around the education of a child or young person known to social care, please contact the Virtual School [email protected]