Ealing virtual school autumn newsletter

Dear designated teachers,

Thank you all for the support that you have given Ealing’s Children looked after. It has certainly been a busy autumn term and there are still a few days left to go.

So, as you navigate the end of year mocks, music concerts, nativities as well as maintaining your teaching and marking commitments, I wanted to say thank you for your prioritisation of your Ealing CLA and for the support and space that you give to them and the adults that are in their life. Your work and collaboration with the Social Workers, Carers, Health workers and Virtual School is very much appreciated. I am delighted to say that thanks to your day to day work, Ealing’s CLA continue to receive great educational opportunities and experiences.

Highlights of the term

• Over 35 Designated Teachers have attended a Virtual School training event this term. We ran PEP sessions in September, the DT briefing, PEP sessions in November and also attachment training – all of these were by Teams. Look out for more to come in the new year.
• PEPs are now available for DTs to fill in and download for school records directly – all via Welfarecall.
• PEPs are now in place for all children of statutory school age.
• We have an Early Years PEP
• We have a college based PEP School and for the first time, College attendance is being collected.
• The first pupil premium plus payment of £450 for each school age CLA has been made to schools. Please evidence how you spend this money on the Targets tab of the PEP.

Big shout out to

The 15 schools signed up to be Think Equal schools – using the amazingly innovative story based sessions that support peer relationships, empathy and language skills in Reception classes.

These are freely available to all Ealing Primary schools – it’s just a case of requesting the pack. Training, details and ways of using the 39 story books are all free (there is no catch!) If you want to know more, please contact me, @Sian Hender or @Lucy Hammond at Think Equal directly.

Think Equal schools:

• Acton Gardens Primary School
• Alec Reed Academy Primary School
• Clifton Primary School
• Derwentwater Primary School
• Featherstone Primary School
• Greenwood Primary school
• Hobbayne Primary School
• Horsenden Primary School
• Lady Margaret Primary School
• North Ealing Primary School
• Perivale Primary School
• St. Ann's School
• St. Augustine’s Priory
• St. Raphael's Catholic Primary School

What’s coming in spring 2025

A specific template for the PEP for those children with disabilities and whose steps of progress are well below national expectations. This is for Ealing CLA who are in specialist settings and need the most specialist support. We are very excited about this development as it has been requested for a number of years and we will be one of the few Virtual Schools nationally to offer schools a way of reporting these small steps of progress.

Further training offer

Book via CPD online links below:

CLA PEP training / briefing | Ealing CPD Online

Attachment training parts 2 and 3:

Ealing Virtual School Webinar for DTs of CLA: Session 2- School Strategies | Ealing CPD Online

Ealing Virtual School- Webinar for DT's of CLA: Session 3- Relational Approaches | Ealing CPD Online

CLA designated teachers network (high school and primary) 22 January 3.15 - 4.45pm

Access PEP training resources and information

Opportunities to refine and plan developments to the Ealing PEP on welfarecall for Sept 2025.

Best wishes,

Andrew Martin

Headteacher, Ealing virtual school for children looked after