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Skegness Academy

Looked After Children

Academy Provision for Looked After Children

For Looked After Children (LAC), a positive school experience is one of the most important factors contributing to good outcomes in later life, providing them with stability, structure and purpose.

The GAT Trust Board, Academy Executive Principal, Head of School and Designated Teacher for LAC ensure the best provision and outcomes for LAC by maintaining:

  • A framework for assessing educational need, tracking progress, setting targets and monitoring educational outcomes for all LAC
  • Care planning processes that give full consideration to the children’s education
  • High standards of care and support that help children to do well.

All Looked After Children:

  • Have a Personal Education Plan (PEP) that sets targets for their attainment and details what support they will receive in order to achieve their potential and achieve their chosen goals in life.
  • Are supported to achieve their best academically and to reach their potential.
  • Are supported to achieve high levels of school attendance and punctuality.
  • Benefit from the extra funding that Pupil Premium provides

The GAT Trust Board requires the Academy Principal to appoint a suitably qualified teacher with the necessary experience and status as the Designated Teacher for LAC (see below).

The Head of School / Executive Principal:

  • Ensures the DT receives the full support needed to carry out their role effectively, including training and development opportunities so that they are able to increase their knowledge and understanding
  • Ensures adequate time and resources are made available for the designated teacher to carry out their duties
  • Ensures the DT has opportunities to disseminate knowledge and information to other staff members so that the school environment is one that supports LAC in their learning
  • Continually monitors the effectiveness of school policies and the role of the DT on outcomes for LAC pupils and reports these to the Trust Board through the Executive Principal
  • Acts on any concerns raised by the designated teacher or arising from any other source with regard to promoting the education of LAC

The Designated Teacher:

  • Has regard for the wellbeing, academic progress, social development and aspirations of LAC
  • Promotes a culture within the school whereby staff have a good understanding of the specific educational needs of LAC and the barriers they face.
  • Liaises with carers and social workers to ensure good communication and a consistency of approach to
    supporting the child or young person.
  • Is responsible for the oversight of the development and monitoring of PEPs within the Academy and setting targets for LAC. Development of the PEP is the joint responsibility of social workers, carers and the academy.
  • Helps LAC become involved in the PEP planning process and ensure their views are taken into account
  • Oversees transitions of LAC to and from the school and transfer of information to the child’s next school

Confidentiality

The DT will take care to ensure information sharing with colleagues within the Academy maintains the looked after child’s confidentiality. He or she shares relevant information as required to implement the child’s PEP. In cooperation with social workers and carers the DT will share relevant information with DTs at other schools in order to support smooth transitions between schools. Information sharing is carried out in a “safe” manner using secure electronic systems and email addresses and using password protected files where necessary.

Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND)

Looked after children are more likely to be identified as having Special Educational Needs (SEN) than their peers so it is important that their needs are identified and acted on as soon as possible to ensure they receive the right kind of support. If a child is subject to any other educational plan, for example an individual education plan, this will be incorporated into the PEP. The PEP will be a record of personalised learning that can be used by the school as a tool and will set clear targets and long-term goals and how these will be achieved.

Exclusions

We recognise that LAC are more adversely affected by exclusion than their peers. The exclusion of LAC will be a last resort measure only and the academy, through the DT, will work with social workers and carers to:

  • Manage and improve behaviour and reduce the risk of exclusion
  • Act decisively to help the child remain at school when there is a threat of exclusion
  • Make representations where a child has been excluded
  • Ensure adequate education for the child following exclusion.

The Designated Teacher for Looked After Children is Mrs S Toyne. 

Email - stoyne@skegnessacademy.org