Schools and local authorities have a new duty, required by the Department of Education, to promote education, progress and achievement for previously looked after children.   These are children who may have been adopted, placed on special guardianship orders (SGOs) or a child arrangement order (previously, Residency Order) from care.

These new duties recognise that children who have previously been in care may well require additional support as a result of their life experiences prior to being adopted or placed in permanent families.

Schools are currently allocated additional funding for this group of pupils, called Pupil Premium Grant Plus, and this will continue.

St Peter's School have 

• Appointed Miss Wilkinson (a qualified teacher) as the named person to lead within the school on promoting education progress and attainment for looked after and previously looked after children.
• Ensured school policies take into account the needs of potentially more vulnerable pupils.
• Continue to use the Pupil Premium Grant effectively to support progress and achievement for these pupils.
• Track progress and attainment.
• Provide advice, support and information to parents and guardians.

Local Authority Support

The local authority duty is to provide advice, information and guidance to schools, parents and guardians. The Lancashire Virtual School will lead on the local authority duties.

They can be contacted by email virtualschool@lancashire.gov.uk.

In order for a school to access the additional funding and provide any additional support required, they need to know which of their pupils have been adopted, are on SGO s or subject to a child arrangement order, from care. This enables the school to claim the funding when they complete the school census. Only children who had a period in care prior to being adopted, placed on an SGO or a child arrangement order, are eligible for the funding.