School and Education
Standards and Regulations
Fostering Services National Minimum Standards (England) 2011:
Training, Support and Development Standards for Foster Care:
Related guidance
- Promoting the Education of Looked After and Previously Looked After Children.
- Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice: 0 to 25 years: Statutory Guidance for Organisations who work with and Support Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.
- Mental Health and Behaviour in Schools (DfE).
- Designated Teacher for Looked-after and Previously Looked-after Children.
- Keeping Children Safe in Education (DfE).
The aim of the NVS team is to maximise educational experience of looked after children and care leavers. (The Newham Virtual School team tracks and monitors looked after children up to the age of 18.
The NVS provides training sessions geared to the needs of carers on many topics which you are encouraged to attend. They can also be contacted directly on 020 3373 1336 and you will be directed towards the allocated Advisory Teacher or you can email nvs@newham.gov.uk
Change to (www.newham.gov.uk/schools-education/newham-virtual-school
Telephone: 020 3373 1561
Email: NVS@newham.gov.uk)
The Advisory Teachers and Education Advisors within the NVS team ensure that all looked after children have education care plans that identify their short and long term educational needs and take into account wider care planning issues.
(The NVS team is made up of a range of a number of key roles and skills:
- Advisory Teachers and Education Advisors advocate, advise and ensure targeted interventions are in place for young people of school age, in particular those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). They work in partnership with other key professionals to ensure there is a plan on how to meet the young person's education and training needs and that agreed actions are implemented.
- Education, Training, Employment Mentoring Specialists provide targeted advice and support to eligible young people currently Looked After and Care Leavers up to 25. In addition to direct work with the young person, ETE Officers work run regular workshops and other creative projects to address the needs of Care Leavers.
- Systems Information and Development Specialists are responsible for the creation, design and development of CLA Live (CLIVE), a customised web application custom specifically built to meet the case management and statutory reporting needs of Looked After Children, in alliance with the Newham ICT.
All children must be in full-time education within the term that they reach their fifth birthday. For example: a child who turns five in November, will start school in the September prior to their fifth birthday.
Where the child is an unaccompanied migrant child (and looked after by a local authority), they are entitled to the same local authority support as any other Looked After Child: to have a safe and stable placement; to receive the care that they need to thrive; and the support they need to fulfil their educational and other outcomes.
Some unaccompanied children who have recently arrived in the country may never have had access to education before. Appropriate education for unaccompanied children may include a period of time in a setting where their full educational needs can be assessed and integrated into their Personal Education Plan (PEP) (see Section 5, The Personal Education Plan (PEP)). They may need time to be prepared for and then become used to formal education, and their initial educational outcomes may include cultural orientation and life skills appropriate to their age. As a foster carer, you will have a key role in this.
From the term after a Looked After Child turns two, there is an entitlement to free part-time (15 hours or 5 sessions per week) nursery provision.
Primary schools provide education for children between the ages of four (turning five as mentioned above) and 11 years old.
Secondary schools provide education for 11 to 16 year olds. Many secondary schools also offer 6th form provision.
Below is a table outlining the age/year/KS groupings:
| Age | Year Group | Key Stage (KS) |
|---|---|---|
| 2-3 | 'Lower' Nursery | EYFS |
| 3-4 | 'Upper' Nursery | EYFS |
| 4-5 | Reception | EYFS |
| 5-6 | 1 | KS1 |
| 6-7 | 2 | KS1 |
| 7-8 | 3 | KS2 |
| 8-9 | 4 | KS2 |
| 9-10 | 5 | KS2 |
| 10-11 | 6 | KS2 |
| 11-12 | 7 | KS3 |
| 12-13 | 8 | KS3 |
| 13-14 | 9 | KS3 |
| 14-15 | 10 | KS4 |
| 15-16 | 11 | KS4 |
| 16-17 | 12 | KS5 |
| 17-18 | 13 | KS5 |
- EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) which covers Reception – and Nursery if the school has Nursery provision attached;
- Key Stage 1 which covers Years 1 and 2;
- Key Stage 2 which covers Years 3, 4, 5 and 6.
- Key Stage 3 which covers Years 7, 8 and 9;
- Key Stage 4 which covers Years 10 and 11.
- Key Stage 5 covers years 12 and 13 – which can exist either in a secondary school if it has a 6th form attached, or a college. The raising of the participation age (RPA) requires all young people to be in education employment or training until they are 18 years old;
- All looked after children are entitled to a 16-19 bursary if they are in full time education. They will need to apply to the college or school to receive this bursary. Support and guidance on this process will be offered by the educational establishment.
In Primary schools and Secondary schools at KS3, schools now monitor progress using their own assessment tool. You will need to speak to the school to see how they measure young people's progress.
Examinations are also changing and young people have tests at the end of KS1 (Year 2 Teacher assessments) KS2 (Year 6) and KS4 (Year 11). A new measure of progress has been introduced and the school will be best placed to explain these to you.
At KS5 A levels remain in place, but the number of BTECs and other qualifications that a young person can study has been reduced. The college or school will be best placed to explain these to you.
Every Looked After Child of statutory school age must have a Personal Education Plan (PEP). Schools and Social Workers hold joint responsibility for undertaking the PEP and they will the invite foster carers, possibly parents and other professionals to the PEP meeting.
The PEP details achievements, attainment and progress and identifies areas of need which are then addressed through the development of educational and well-being targets. The PEP and targets are reviewed every term.
Young person's views on education are essential and the school will normally consult with the young person to gain their views.
If a Looked After Child has an Education Health and Care (EHC) plan or has additional SEN needs that are set out in a pre-existing document (i.e. an IEP or provision map), then these plans will be attached to the PEP where appropriate.
In addition, the PEP should have:
- An up to date and accurate chronology of education and training history which provides a record of the child's educational experience and progress in terms of National Curriculum Assessments, including information about schools attended and the reasons for leaving, attendance and conduct record, academic and other achievements, any special educational needs, an indication of the extent to which the child's education has been disrupted before entering care or accommodation;
- A clear statement clarifying existing arrangements for education and training, including details of any special educational provision and any other provision to meet the child's educational or training needs;
- A description of any planned changes to existing arrangements and provision to minimise disruption;
- A description of the child's leisure interests;
- A description of the role of the appropriate person and any other person who cares for the child in promoting the child's educational achievements and leisure interests;
- A description of how the Pupil Premium is assisting the child's progress; and
- Applications for bursaries should be discussed as part of PEP Meetings;
- Details of who will take the plan forward, with timescales for action and review are an essential aspect of all PEP planning.
Taking an active interest in the child's learning is crucial if they are to be successful in school. Becoming familiar with the school's timetable and expectations is vital. Most secondary schools will require you to sign the young person's planner on a weekly basis and in doing so, you can check against the homework calendar.
Most schools have a website which has a link to a learning platform for you to check the homework timetable – this has information on the setting of homework, its frequency and its content.
All primary and secondary schools hold at least one Parents' Carers' Information Evening a year. This allows you the opportunity to meet your child's subject teachers and/or their form tutor. Also secondary schools may also hold other important meetings regarding a young person's choices and future. Carers' attendance at all such meetings is vital.
Supporting the young person with their learning is one of the most important roles that a carer undertakes.
Encouraging the child to regularly read can be one of the most helpful things that you can do to support the child's wider learning. This can be achieved by:
- Reading yourself and communicating what you have read and the pleasure you have gained from it;
- Sharing and reading books together;
- Encouraging the reading of a wide genre of books/electronic media and support that which most 'grabs' the child;
- Encouraging them to join their local library;
- Giving books/electronic print media as presents;
- Taking the child to literary events targeted at children and young people at holiday time and weekends.
Some of the children who you are caring for will have been abused, neglected, physically and emotionally and many will have been the victims of bullying.
Bullying is when a child (or adult) experiences physical or psychological behaviour from another individual or group that causes them anxiety, fear or depression. Bullying tactics might take a physical form like punching, kicking, hitting, pushing or hair pulling; or verbal forms such as name calling, sarcastic remarks, spreading rumours or persistent teasing; or emotional forms such as being socially excluded, tormented, ridiculed or humiliated. Often bullying is a mixture of all three forms of bullying and the bully will encourage other children to be on their side and join in.
Emotional bullying, like ridicule and social exclusion, seems to be more common than physical violence and is often the most difficult type of bullying to cope with or prove. This kind of bullying can also be carried out through messaging and social media. See also: Bullying Procedure.
This is when an individual uses the internet or mobile phone, to threaten, tease or abuse someone.
There are lots of ways cyberbullying takes place such as:
- Sending abusive emails to someone, or to a group of people who may then join in the bullying, sending inappropriate videos and other pictures or computer viruses, by email;
- Using instant messaging in chatrooms to send threatening or abusive messages to someone and asking others to join in;
- Creating fake profiles of people or leaving abusive messages on existing profiles for others to see;
- Sending abusive texts, videos or photo messages as well as sharing videos of physical attacks on individuals.
Most children will show signs that they are being bullied, even in a passive way. If the child you are caring for shows any of the following signs, bullying may be the reason and you might want to ask if someone is bullying or threatening them.
Signs of bullying may include the child:
- Being frightened of walking to and from school, or changing their usual route to school, or constantly asking you to drive them to school;
- Being unwilling to go to school (or be 'school phobic'), or regularly feeling ill in the mornings;
- Begins to truant;
- Doing poorly in their school work, when they previously had been doing well;
- Coming home regularly with clothes or books destroyed or having missing possessions;
- Coming home hungry (bully taking dinner money);
- Becoming withdrawn, lacking confidence, becoming distressed or anxious or stopping eating;
- Attempting or threatening suicide;
- Crying themselves to sleep, having nightmares;
- Asking for money or starting stealing (to pay the bully), or they continually 'lose' their pocket money;
- Refusing to talk about what's wrong;
- Having unexplained bruises, cuts, scratches;
- Begins to bully other children, siblings.
Constant bullying can result in depression, low self-esteem, anxiety, isolation and poor academic achievement.
Anyone can be bullied. But it is often the quiet, less aggressive children who tend to get bullied more or children who are small for their age. Children who have special needs are also more likely to be bullied.
Some useful tips:
- Don't let bullies think they are scaring or intimidating the child. Suggest they ignore or laugh at what is being said to, or about them;
- Try to get the child to hide their anger in front of the bullies, as showing anger may encourage the bully to continue their behaviour;
- Suggest the child tries to stay with other children. Bullies usually pick on other children when they are alone;
- If the bullying is ongoing, get the child to keep a diary, listing each time an incident occurs and what was said or done to them.
Children who are being bullied are often frightened to tell someone what is happening to them so be prepared for them to deny at first that there is anything wrong. Encourage them by saying that you are concerned and that you want to help and support him or her, whatever the problem. Take whatever the child says seriously and find out what exactly has been going on. Don't promise to keep the bullying secret but reassure the child that you will help them sort out the problem.
Tell the child's social worker and tell your supervising social worker when you next speak to them. Tell your child to report any further bullying to a teacher straight away. Talk to your child's teacher about the bullying and discuss with the school their anti-bullying procedure. Every Newham school has a policy on bullying, so carers can always talk to the school if they think or know their child is being bullied.
Carers in particular, should be aware of the possibility of bullying within their own household, particularly where more than one child is being looked after.
Useful websites for further information include
Looked After Children are a vulnerable group, and all staff, working in schools should be aware of the systems in place to support safeguarding. As a foster carer, it is important for you to be aware of the school's safeguarding policies.
The aim of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children in education should be:
- Protecting them from maltreatment, including emotional, physical abuse and harm; bullying and cyberbullying; upskirting [1]; sexting [2] (also known as youth produced sexual imagery); sexual harassment, etc.
- Preventing any impairment of their mental and physical health or development;
- Ensuring they are growing up in circumstances consistent with safe and effective care;
- Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.
[1] Upskirting is against the law. See also: GOV.UK, Upskirting: know your rights
[2] NSPCC, Sexting: advice for professionals
An Ofsted thematic review (Review of Sexual Abuse in Schools and Colleges (Ofsted)) identified substantial levels of sexual harassment for both girls (90%) and boys (nearly 50%) – usually in unsupervised settings. Sexual harassment and sexual violence exist on a continuum and may overlap. Where the latter occurs, there could be a criminal offence committed.
The Ofsted Review of sexual abuse in schools and colleges also recognised a wide variety of behaviours that children and young people told (them) happened online including:
- Receiving unsolicited explicit photographs or videos, for example 'dick pics';
- Sending, or being pressured to send, nude and semi-nude photographs or videos ('nudes');
- Being sent or shown solicited or unsolicited online explicit material, such as pornographic videos.
Keeping Children Safe in Education notes that with regard to sexual harassment, all staff working with children are advised to maintain an attitude of 'it could happen here' and must respond to all reports and concerns about sexual violence and/or sexual harassment, including online behaviour and incidents that have happened outside the school/college. This could include picking-up information from other pupils.
Nevertheless, the Ofsted thematic Review also reflected that children said they did not bring events to the attention to staff for fear of losing control over events and the subsequent consequences.
A foster carer who has concerns about the sexual harassment or bullying of a child (in any setting), should always raise these concerns with their supervising social worker or the child's social worker. It should not be assumed that the school will necessarily inform you of such concerns or behaviour (they may not be aware).
See also: Internet, Photographs and Mobile Phones Procedure.
There should be staff (usually the Designated Teacher or the SEND coordinator) who will be able to share with you information about:
- The school's child protection policy and procedures;
- The school's bullying policy;
- The Data Protection Act and safeguarding;
- The child behaviour policy;
- The staff behaviour policy (code of conduct);
- The safeguarding response to children who go missing from education.
They will also explain that staff must report any concerns regarding Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), modern slavery, trafficking or exploitation.
Exclusion is when a pupil is not allowed to attend school for either a fixed period or permanently. Only the Head Teacher or Acting Head Teacher can exclude a pupil if:
- The pupil has broken or refuses to adhere to the school rules;
- Allowing the pupil to stay in school would seriously harm their education or welfare, or the education or welfare of other pupils.
There are different types of exclusion. These are:
- Fixed term exclusion - is when a Head Teacher excludes a pupil for a fixed period (1/2 day up to 15 days). The head teacher will write to you to advise you, as the child's carer, the first day when your child cannot attend their school and the day your child must return to school. In this letter they will also advise you of any arrangements for alternative education or homework during this period. The letter will also notify you of your rights to see a Disciplinary Committee;
- Permanent exclusion - is when the Head Teacher decides that the pupil cannot return to the school. The Head Teacher will write to you to tell you when the exclusion begins, the reason for the exclusion and when the Disciplinary Committee will meet to review the head teacher's decision to exclude.
It is very unusual for a looked after child to be permanently excluded from school. If the child you are caring for is excluded from school, you should contact the child's social worker as soon as possible to inform them.
Children should not be taken on holiday during term time.
This section explains your responsibilities as a foster carer for making sure your foster child attends school regularly and on time.
By law, all children of compulsory school age (between five and eighteen) require full-time education (post year 11 Education, Employment or Training). As the child's carer, you are jointly responsible for ensuring this happens. In consultation with the social worker, you will be required to make a school application to either the Local Authority's Pupil Admissions Department or to a school directly. The social worker will need to provide you with a letter stating that the young person is looked after by their local authority. Discussions will need to take place with the social worker and NVS with regard to school choices.
All schools are concerned by attendance that drops below 94% and will take action to ensure that young people's attendance remains above the acceptable threshold.
As a foster carer you should ensure that the school is notified of any absences, so that it can be authorised. Any unauthorised absences should be investigated by the school and yourselves. As soon as you are concerned by a young person's attendance, you should contact the school's attendance officer to discuss how to address the issue.
You should also always tell the young person's social worker that a young person is absent from school if it is not for a valid reason (medical appointment, illness, etc.).
Plans for school trips should be discussed in advance with the child's social worker to ensure the school trip is suitable for the child and the necessary permissions are in place.
Last Updated: August 13, 2024
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