1.8.1 Education

Contents

1. Entitlement 
2. An Appropriate Placement 
3. Support  
4. Personal Education Plans  
5. Individual Education Plans 
6. Special Educational Needs  
7. Education Provision within the Continuum Group

1. Entitlement

All children, including those in public care, are entitled to a full and broad education including he National Curriculum.

Continuum believes that it is essential that each young person achieves his/her full potential, and has a positive sense of identity.  We believe that this can only be achieved if they have access to an appropriate educational programme.

Since the Children Act 2000 Local Authorities and a range of other agencies have been given the responsibility of ‘Corporate Parenting’ for Looked After children (sometimes referred to as Children in Care).  These responsibilities include: prioritising education, achieving continuity and stability and high expectations to raise standards.  The Children Act 2004 and other directives since have continued to emphasise the duty of Local Authorities and other corporate Parents to give ‘particular attention to the educational implications of any decisions about the welfare of children in their care’. This includes a responsibility to consider and organise a suitable educational placement at the same time as arranging a new care placement.

2. An Appropriate Placement

Research continues to highlight barriers to educational progress resulting from the care system itself, "particularly the negative effects of placement change.  However, moving from a placement perceived as unsupportive to one that is considered helpful educationally can herald changes in a young person’s attitude to school, their attendance and behaviour.” (NCB 2005)

One of the factors most likely to disadvantage young people in care is the school time they have lost: because no school place has been secured; because of exclusion from school; and because of poorly managed transitions or re-integration into mainstream school from out of authority placements or some form of specialist provision. (DfES 2000).

Securing an educational placement is one of the main criteria, which must be used in identifying a suitable care placement. 

Continuum in conjunction with the Local Education Authorities and Social Services Departments as “Corporate Parents need to ensure that young people in (our) care have equal access to educational provision and opportunities, and that the needs of individual students are sensitively and promptly met so that they can take advantage of those opportunities.  For the vast majority of children and young people in public care this will be their local mainstream school.” (DfES 2000).

The education section of the Care Programme will include:

• Whether the child’s needs will be met by attending a particular establishment.
• The procedure for recording and monitoring school attendance.
• Parental, Carer and Social Worker involvement in education.
• Details of any relevant forthcoming examinations or educational assessments.
• Dates or proposed scheduling of statutory Special Educational Needs Reviews and Individual Education Plan.(See Section 5, Individual Education Plans).
• Staff responsible for liaising with schools, colleges, The Connexions Service, job centre and employers.
• Arrangements for travel to school.

The Home Manager will actively seek the most appropriate provision for each young person.  This should be done in consultation with area education Staff and the Education Manager.  Account will be taken of individual needs and preferences of the child.  Reference will need to be made to records of previous schooling and recommendations of the child’s home based Local Education Authority officers and professionals.

The options are:

• Full-time mainstream school.
• Part-time mainstream school plus part-time out of school education.
• Full-time in a Continuum school.
• Part-time in a Continuum school plus part-time elsewhere (e.g. local college). The number of hours being dependent on the child’s aptitude, attitude, ability to cope, etc.

3. Support

Young people placed in the care of Continuum get the full support of the Home Manager, the key worker, the residential Social Workers and the Company’s Directors as well as the teachers and teaching assistants.

The Home Manager and Staff will support the young people in the following ways:

1. Adhering to the requirements of the Home School Agreement.
2. Ensure that they are up and fully prepared for their education each “school” day.  Fully prepared means washed, dressed, fed and with the correct equipment needed for that particular day.
3. Provide the young people with adequate facilities to aid study, which are quiet, have sufficient space, are properly lit and include sufficient storage space.
4. Ensure that any homework set is completed on time, with help if it is needed.
5. Listen to them read and/or read to them regularly.
6. Ensure that each young person has an appropriate Personal Education Plan in conjunction with the home Local Education authority and Children's Social Care Services.
7. Monitor and support the Personal Education Plan of each individual (see Section 4, Personal Education Plans).
8. Maintain daytime routines that support education.
9. Recognise and reward educational achievement in conjunction with schools and colleges.
10. Develop resources that support young people’s education.
11. Provide and monitor clear lines of communication by:
    • maintaining close contact with school Staff, particularly the teacher designated to have liaison responsibilities for looked after children (Children in Care)
    • in the case of Continuum education provision adhering to clear Staff hand-over guidelines as specified in the Home/School Agreement.
    • attending Parents’ evenings, meetings and other events at school, as appropriate
    • ensuring that Social Workers and natural Parents are kept aware of progress, and keeping up to date records of educational attainment and attitude

Attendance at school will be monitored regularly :

• Authorised absences are absences from school which are authorised by the Head Teacher or Teacher e.g. for essential dental appointments. Other non essential appointments should be made outside school hours. The following could constitute authorised absence: Exclusion; (Extended) Family Holiday (agreed); Illness; Medical/Dental appointments; Religious observance; Study leave; Traveller absence; Enforced closure.
• Unauthorised absences are absences from school which are not authorised by the Head Teacher/Teacher. For example: Family Holiday (not agreed); Illness suspected as not genuine; Late – after registration closed. Where children are thought to be especially vulnerable or prone to frequent unauthorised absences from school, this will involve daily contact with the school. Where there is a continued absence from school, or a worrying pattern of absence, the Home Manager will initiate both a review of the placement plan and (where applicable) the Care Plan of the child, and of the relevant current care practice of the home.

See Absent/Missing Children Procedure.

4. Personal Education Plans

"Every child and young person in public care needs a Personal Education Plan which ensures access to services and support; contributes to stability, minimises disruption and broken schooling; signals particular and special needs; establishes clear goals and acts as a record of progress and achievement.” (DfES 2000).

The Personal Education Plan (PEP) is an integral part of the Care Plan, reflecting any existing education plans, e.g. Individual Education Plan, Statement of Special Educational Needs or Careers Action Plan.  Wherever possible the content of a Pastoral Support Programme or Learning Mentor Action Plan (will) be included in the PEP avoiding the need for duplication.  PEP's will also be helpful in compiling an accurate educational record for the young person and National Record of Achievement/Progress File (DfES 2000).

5. Individual Education Plans

Individual Education Plans (IEPs) are produced by schools for students who have a Statement of Special Educational Needs or are on the SEN continuum with recognised learning needs.  IEPs usually have three or four targets relating to the key areas of communication, literacy, mathematics behaviour and social skills. 

All Children placed in Continuum homes who have Statements of SEN will have an IEP wherever they are educated.  Many students who have special educational needs do not have a Statement of SEN and will not have their particular learning needs formally recognised.  Many children who are educated outside mainstream provision are likely to come into this category.  If they are educated within a Continuum school or education centre or have home tuition, they will have an IEP that provides targets relating to their personal learning needs and support requirements. 

IEP targets are normally reviewed every half term or each term by the teacher and student.  Parents/Carers and all concerned professionals will be informed of progress in meeting targets, informed of new targets and asked to sign the IEP. 

Copies of the targets will be given to the young person, Social Workers and the home as well as being kept in school or college.

6. Special Educational Needs

Many of the young people in our care have a Statement of Special Educational Needs.  Sometimes this is on academic grounds.  More often it is based on behavioural, emotional and or social difficulties.  Whatever the situation, we constantly strive to help the young person to achieve the objectives set out in the statement. 

Where a young person has a Statement of Special Educational Needs the Home Manager and the key worker, in conjunction with the Headteacher or College Principal, will ensure that appropriate action is taken to fulfil the objectives of the statement.  Action will be taken to guarantee that all necessary information is passed to the proper authorities within the statutory 20 days of the placement.

This means that:

• A copy of the Statement will be obtained, from either the Social Services Department, the LEA or the student support services of the Placing Authority.
• The student support services of the “home” authority will be informed.
• Individual Education Plans (IEPs) will be produced on a regular basis (see Section 5, Individual Education Plans).
• IEPs will be based on the needs of the student as per the Statement or Annual Review.
• Communications with the school Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO*) will be maintained on a regular basis.*Special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs) have responsibility for managing the effective delivery of the education psychology service, learning support, behaviour support, SEN assessment and administration, and Parent support.
• Managers and Staff will attend any relevant school meetings including the Annual Review of a child’s Statement of SEN.  This will be arranged by the school or education establishment and includes a Transition Review in Year 9 which at this stage, and all subsequent years, will include involvement of The Connexions Service.  

In conjunction with education Staff the Home Manager and the key worker will ensure that any young person with a Statement of Special Educational Needs gets “...the greatest possible access to a broad and balanced education, including the National Curriculum”.  (DfES 2000)  ...according to individual needs and aptitude. Where the Statement of Special Educational Needs is based on emotional and/or behavioural difficulties the needs of the young person will be met with “...well planned support (which) promote(s) an inclusive policy within the context of robust pastoral systems”. (DfES 2000).  

7. Education Provision within the Continuum Group

As children are placed within the care of Continuum residential or fostering provision their educational requirements will be considered as an integral part of the referral process and Placement Planning.  Information and advice from home LEAs and information from previous schools will need to be obtained, ideally prior to placement.  

There is a wide range of provision within the Continuum Group. There are currently eleven day schools and and 30 solo/dual home registered as single student schools.

Students come from Continuum residential and foster care placements, or are day referrals from local authorities. In addition there are a number of care homes which are registered schools and offer education on site. Where appropriate, students attend mainstream schools, PRUs and Increased Flexibility provision in Colleges, or a combination of locally available options. Students can receive individual or small group teaching; support for reintegration to new schools and transfer between all of these as required.

Continuum Schools’ Policies

1. Authorised absences are absences from school which are authorised by the Head Teacher or Teacher e.g. for essential dental appointments. Other non essential appointments should be made outside school hours.  The following could constitute authorised absence: Exclusion; (Extended) Family Holiday (agreed); Illness; Medical/Dental appointments; Religious observance; Study leave; Traveller absence; Enforced closure.
2. Unauthorised absences are absences from school which are not authorised by the Head Teacher/Teacher.  For example: Family Holiday (not agreed); Illness suspected as not genuine; Late – after registration closed. Where children are thought to be especially vulnerable or prone to frequent unauthorised absences from school, this will involve daily contact with the school.  Where there is a continued absence from school, or a worrying pattern of absence, the Home Manager will initiate both a review of the Care Programme and (where applicable) the Care Plan of the child, and of the relevant current care practice of the home. 
3. All schools are required to have a comprehensive range of policies relating to the functioning and ethos of the school as well as specific Curriculum policies. Continuum schools have a full range of Education policies which are expected to be specific to individual establishments and comply with the requirements of OFSTED. For further information go to: the Teachernet site.
4. The Education Service adopts the policies and procedures contained in this manual. (e.g. Complaints, Bullying and Child Protection - go to Contents List for links to these and other relevant procedures)
5. Curriculum policies are developed according to the specific needs/requirements of individual educational establishments and reflect the practice of the school.
6. Other policies and documentation such as Guides and Welcome booklets and Home School Agreements are expected to be school specific. The school Prospectus must adhere to Ofsted criteria in terms of content and required information. See Sample Welcome Pack and Sample Prospectus.
7. Certain documents such as Home/School Agreements and Admissions policies and procedures are of particular relevance to our multi-disciplinary work environments. As such, all Staff should be familiar with them and be aware of their implications in relation to their work place and role within it. Home school agreements are devised collaboratively by the school and residential establishments.  They set out clear expectations and obligations for the school, Parents/Carers and students. 
8. School Admissions procedures are similarly important as they will involve an initial information gathering process and a familiarisation meeting.  From this follows an introduction to the school in a carefully planned manner designed to ensure that the child is ready, and the school is as prepared as possible to meet their educational needs.

End