When a child or young person is taken into care, we have a responsibility to keep things as stable as possible for them.
Maintaining continuity by keeping the child in the same school is a priority. The school may change later as the child is placed permanently but keeping them in their existing school helps with continuity of learning, friendships, and pastoral support from their school.
Where this isn’t possible, the social worker should work in partnership with the Virtual School to identify appropriate educational provision.
As the lead professional, the social worker should always complete school application forms in partnership with the foster carer.
Where a child becomes looked after and is placed within Bracknell Forest, the placements considered should take into account where the child currently attends school.
The Virtual School must be consulted before any change is considered or communicated to the child.
If, for any reason, a child has to change school, the social worker should, wherever possible, make sure that a new school place has been identified before moving a child from their current school.
When a school place needs to be sourced
The social worker may need to find a new school place for a child in care if they are:
- starting school for the first time
- moving from primary to secondary school education
- moving from year 2 to year 3, if attending an infant school
- being moved a significant distance to a new care placement, for example to live with a family member (where it is workable to transport the child to their current school, the school move should only take place once permanency has been agreed)
- to be moved from their current school on a permanent basis for safeguarding reasons
- being placed for adoption
Who to involve
The social worker must tell the Virtual School as soon as plans to move the young person are being considered.
The Virtual School must always be consulted with before making plans for a school move. Where a child is placed out of their home local authority in a planned way, then staff from the Virtual School will research local schools and will work with staff from the Virtual School from the receiving local authority (as necessary) to find the best school for the child or young person.
Under no circumstances should the proposed carers be asked to seek a school for the child.
The social worker should work in close partnership with the other key adults involved in the care and education of the child, to make sure that the choice of school is appropriate, and that it forms a positive part of the child’s care plan. It’s crucial that the young person is involved in the decision making process.
All school change planning should be recorded in the young person’s care plan and agreed through the child looked after review process.
It is also the social worker’s responsibility to record the school history on the child's Personal Education Plan.
Things to consider
Before applying for a school place, the Virtual School should always be contacted. They will support the process.
Ofsted ratings
The current Ofsted judgement of the school must always be considered.
Statutory guidance states that good or outstanding schools should be prioritised. Children in care shouldn’t be placed in schools with an inadequate Ofsted rating. The Virtual School will support you in reviewing the most recent Ofsted reports.
Where a child is already attending a school which is inspected and judged to be inadequate, it is important that the termly personal education planning and monitoring process is used to assess the progress the child is making, and to make a judgement about whether there needs to be a change in school.
The professionals involved in this decision making will need to consider the recommendations from Ofsted in terms of impact on the child and the progress monitored towards the school’s improvement. This may require a site visit by either the Virtual School Head or Education Support Officer.
The school’s location
Transport to and from school should be a consideration. Think about:
- the child being able to travel to school safely
- how long travel to school takes
- how easy it is for the foster carer to get the child to school
While convenience shouldn’t be the overriding factor, where 2 or more schools could meet the child’s needs, ease of travel arrangements can be considered.
Where the child is at an appropriate age and stage of development, consideration should be given as to how, over time, they can travel to school independently.
Applying for a school place
Before an application is submitted, the Virtual School should be consulted about the choice of school. The Virtual School must be involved in order that they can fast track the admissions procedure to make sure that no child is out of education.
For moves to a Bracknell Forest school, the social worker should complete a school application form through the School Admissions team.
Once the School Admissions team receives the application they will work with the relevant school. You will then receive an offer of a school place from the Admissions Team.
If an out of borough school place is required and a suitable school is identified, the relevant local authority’s arrangements for moving school during the year should be checked and followed.
The social worker should complete an application form and submit it either to the relevant local authority or directly to a school as advised.
Children with SEND or an Education Health and Care Plan
Where a child has a special educational need, a school best placed to meet those needs will need to be identified.
If the child has an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP), the SEN Team must be involved in order to make sure that an appropriate specialist provision is available in the location the child is due to be placed.
It will be necessary for the child’s named casework officer to undertake a statutory consultation process to identify a school that can meet the specific needs identified in the EHCP.
If a child is undergoing a statutory assessment for special educational needs every effort should be made to keep them in their current school until the assessment has been finalised, and the appropriate type of provision has been identified. This may take up to 20 weeks.
Where a child has significant special educational needs, or an EHCP, transition planning for secondary school should begin early in year 5.