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Awena is Cornwall's Virtual School for children and young people who have a social worker and:
are in care
have left care, or
have been supported by social care in the past
Our children and young people attend schools, colleges and early years settings across Cornwall and beyond. We work with them, their families, carers, schools and professionals to help them do well in education.
We also provide virtual school services for the Council of the Isles of Scilly.
Why we are here
Many children and young people with a social worker do well in education. Some face extra challenges that can affect learning and progress. Every local authority must help improve outcomes for children with a social worker. In Cornwall, this is the role of Awena Virtual School.
Our Headteacher:
tracks how children and young people are doing in education
works with schools and other services to improve outcomes
promotes high aspirations
is the safeguarding and child exploitation lead for children in care
We work with schools, social care teams, health services and other partners to make sure children get the support they need.
Who we support
Virtual Schools have a statutory responsibility to support:
children and young people with a social worker
children and young people who have previously had a social worker
children and young people living in kinship care arrangements
In Cornwall, this includes:
Children in Care and Care Leavers including children who are:
educated and looked after in Cornwall
educated outside Cornwall but looked after by Cornwall Council
educated in Cornwall but looked after by another local authority
Children Previously in Care including children who:
have been adopted
are subject to a Special Guardianship Order (SGO)
are subject to a Child Arrangements Order (CAO)
children in Kinship Care
children who are cared for by relatives or family friends
Children with a Social Worker including:
Children in Need
Children subject to a Child Protection Plan
How we support children and young people
We support children and young people aged 2 to 25 years.
Our children and young people attend a range of schools and settings. This includes nurseries, mainstream schools, specialist schools and colleges. We work closely with education providers and other professionals to:
track educational progress, attendance and attainment.
identify barriers to learning.
provide advice, guidance and targeted support.
promote stability and successful transitions.
advocate for children's educational needs and aspirations.
Our goal is to ensure every child and young person can access education that meets their needs, helps them feel safe, and enables them to achieve their full potential.
Working with our partners
Schools and Education Settings
We work closely with schools and designated teachers to:
track progress, attainment and attendance
provide advice on individual circumstances and educational needs
support schools to achieve the best possible outcomes
deliver training for Designated Teachers and Governors responsible for vulnerable learners
administer Pupil Premium Plus funding for eligible Children in Care where PEP requirements have been met
For additional information, resources and training opportunities, schools / education settings can access our Services for Schools platform.
Visit our Services Schools platform
Social Care Staff
We:
advise on school placements and educational provision
attend Personal Education Plan (PEP) meetings, particularly first and transition PEPs
support complex educational planning
deliver training and updates on educational matters
Parents and Carers
We offer:
advice and guidance on education-related issues
information, training and updates on educational developments
support in helping children achieve positive outcomes
Your voice matters
Children and young people are at the heart of everything we do. We ensure their voices influence our work by:
including young people in our Governing Body structure
inviting them to take part in interview panels
seeking feedback on our services and activities
working closely with youth forums and participation groups
If you would like to get involved with Awena Virtual School, please contact us using the details provided at the bottom of this page.
Primary school team
Our Primary Team has extensive experience across education and social care. The team includes:
Phase Lead and Deputy Headteacher
Three Learning Advocates
Inclusion, Welfare and Education Officer
Out of County Lead
We work closely with:
Early Years settings
Primary schools
Alternative and specialist provisions
Social workers
Health professionals
Children and carers
What We Offer
Quality assurance and improvement of Personal Education Plans (PEPs)
Advice and guidance for schools supporting Children in Care
Transition support from Nursery to Reception and Year 6 to Year 7
Access to summer school opportunities
Individual and group support in literacy and numeracy
Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) support through Trauma Informed Schools (TIS) and Thrive approaches
Attendance at PEP and Enhanced Support Meetings
Education planning and multi-agency meetings
Advocacy for children and young people
Support with SEND identification and EHCP processes
Training for designated teachers, carers and social workers
Signposting to additional support services and agencies
Secondary school team
Our Secondary Team combines expertise in education, social care and post-16 progression. The team includes:
Phase Lead and Deputy Headteacher
16 to 25 Specialist Education Adviser
Two Learning Advocates
Inclusion, Welfare and Education Officer
Out of County Lead
We work closely with:
Secondary schools
Colleges and higher education providers
Alternative and specialist provisions
Social workers
Health professionals
Children and carers
What We Offer
Quality assurance and improvement of Personal Education Plans (PEPs)
Advice and guidance for schools supporting Children in Care
Year 6 to Year 7 transition support
Post-16 transition planning and progression support
Support for young people at risk of becoming Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET)
Functional Skills learning pathways
One-to-one educational support
SEMH support through Trauma Informed Schools (TIS) and Thrive approaches
Attendance at PEP, Enhanced Support and professional meetings
Advocacy for children and young people
SEND and EHCP support
Employer engagement and work experience opportunities
Training for designated teachers, carers and social workers
Information for Designated Teachers
Post 16 specialist education adviser
Our Post 16 Specialist Education Adviser supports young people as they move from Year 11 into:
further education
higher education
employment
training
They also quality assure PEPs up to age 18 and work closely with:
colleges
SEND Caseworkers
Careers Advisers
Social Workers
Support includes:
direct engagement with young people
monitoring those who are not in education, employment or training
helping them re-engage through partnerships with organisations such as Carefree
Personal Education Plans (PEPs)
We use Welfare Call's secure electronic Personal Education Plan (ePEP) system. The ePEP:
is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
can be accessed securely by authorised users
guides contributors through colour-coded sections
is quality assured by a senior member of the Virtual School team following each meeting
We monitor educational progress, while also supporting access to Pupil Premium Plus funding.
Attendance
We monitor attendance for all Cornwall's children in care from Reception to Year 11. Schools should:
submit attendance registration certificates by 2pm every Friday
use attendance codes C, B, O or I and provide a reason for the code used
report unauthorised absences by midday on the day of absence due to safeguarding requirements
Attendance information should be sent to attendance@cornwall.gov.uk.
Suspensions and permanent exclusions
Where a child is suspended or permanently excluded, schools should submit:
An exclusion form
A risk assessment
Training
You can find all Designated Teacher training and resources in the Services for Schools platform (login required).
Governance
The Awena Governing Body provides:
strategic leadership
support and challenge
to ensure the Virtual School delivers the best possible outcomes.
Its key responsibilities are to:
ensure clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction
hold the Virtual School Headteacher to account for educational outcomes
ensure resources are used effectively and provide maximum impact
Membership includes representatives from:
Awena Virtual School
primary and secondary education
social care
foster carers
young people in care
alternative provision
other Cornwall Council services
Governors meet three times a year and oversee areas including:
safeguarding
health and well being
educational performance
They also undertake training in:
safeguarding
safer recruitment
governance
Governing Body Shadow Board
The Shadow Board is hosted by Carefree and is made up of care-experienced young people. The Board is helps young people's voices influence decision-making across Awena Virtual School. Board members:
meet at least three times each year.
discuss issues affecting young people in education.
attend Governing Body meetings.
provide feedback and recommendations.
contribute to the development of Virtual School services
The Board writes a newsletter that shares updates and stories from care-experienced young people. It is available to:
virtual school staff
foster carers
designated teachers
social workers