Schools and the Designated Teacher Role
Designated teachers in schools have a key role to play in improving the educational outcomes of looked after Children in our Care (CIOC).
The full government guidance for schools can be found here: Guidance for DTs for Looked After Children (February 2018) The Tower Hamlets Virtual School Guidance for DTs and ePEPs can be found here.
Watch more about the role of the Virtual School here.
Quality teaching has the greatest impact on outcomes for children in our care and that’s why we make sure our children attend the best, suitable provision. However, many will need more than this, due to their experience in care. Some of our children and young people will be coping with neglect, trauma and highly disrupted education. Teachers are heroes and make a difference.
The DT as a champion and advocate:
- Has excellent data and tracking skills
- Has a high level of experience in the pastoral and academic areas of school
- Has gravitas to chair meetings with stakeholders, hold the senior team to account, and report to governors
- Attends training events run by the Virtual School.
- Completes informative ePEPs on Welfare Call
- Arranges and chairs PEP meetings, using PEP Meeting agenda resources, provided by the Virtual School
- Keeps close contact with their Virtual School teacher and advisor
DTs are our superheroes in schools.
The Virtual School supports the role of the DT. We will:
- Allocate a dedicated Virtual School Teacher and Advisor
- Provide Pupil Premium to make individual impact
- Provide you with a code to access your app THVS Learn , where you will find a Digital Library to support you to lead change in your school. Please contact your Virtual School teacher for your access code.
- Offer assistance and guidance to complete a child's EHCP
- Provide advice regarding agreed outcomes during a PEP meeting
- Offer advice and training on trauma,attatchment and attendance for DTs and related staff.
- Keep you up to date on university events for years 10-13 run by UEL and other HE providers
A key responsibility of a DT is to chair PEP meetings and make this a child-centred event, where the child can talk about their education, aspirations and concerns. The ePEP provides young people with an important historical account of the provision in place for them and their progress. Other professionals and bodies will also look at this record for inspection and accountablity purposes.
Oxford university will be running a series of virtual events for students in year 11 and 12 who are considering applying to Oxford or Cambridge. To find out more, click here and here.