Croydon Virtual School

Our aims

Croydon Virtual School is committed to improving the educational outcomes, employment prospects and overall life chances of every child and young person who is in our care or has passed through it. We act as a consistent advocate, ensuring that each young person receives the support, stability, and opportunities they need to thrive.

Who we are

We are a dedicated team of approximately 23 professionals working in a hybrid model to support care experienced children and young people.

We act on behalf of:

• over 500 children and young people aged 2 to 18
• young people up to the age of 25 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
• children and young people placed both within and outside of Croydon, meaning our work often involves visiting schools across the country or attending meetings online

While we do not function as an online school, we can arrange individual tuition and educational support where appropriate, including remote learning solutions when needed

What we do

We collaborate with all educational settings attended by our young people across the UK. Through monitoring, tracking, and reporting on each learner’s progress, we work to enrich and strengthen their educational experience.

Our core purpose is to ensure that schools and other learning environments are equipped to understand and meet the needs of children who are care experienced. We champion the voices of our young people and ensure their aspirations, perspectives, and needs remain central to every decision made about their education.

Our team structure

Croydon Virtual School operates with a structure similar to a traditional school, consisting of a headteacher and three senior leaders with responsibility for specific age phases:

• Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and Key Stages 1 - 3
• Key Stage 4
• Post 16

Our Advisory Teachers support cohorts of young people, often over several years - providing continuity and trusted relationships. They lead Personal Education Plan (PEP) meetings three times per year, bringing together the adults involved in each child/young person’s education.

These meetings ensure:

• the young person’s voice is heard and valued
• support strategies are appropriate and effective
• schools receive guidance and challenge where necessary to maintain high expectations and understanding of the needs of care experienced children and young people

We also have a qualified in-house careers advisor who provides information, advice, and guidance to support learners in making well-informed decisions about their educational and career pathways.

Who we work with

We work closely with foster carers, social workers, SEND teams and a wide range of partner agencies. Our role is to act as the stabilising educational link for each child, connecting professionals around them to ensure they achieve their full potential.

We also have access to a senior educational psychologist who supports our work with complex needs.

Supporting Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children (UASC)

Croydon Virtual School also runs a short-term, on-site provision for Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children and young people, as well as those who require ESOL support and are currently without a school place.

This provision, Croydon Town School (CTS), operates daily at Oasis Arena Academy. It provides an interim, supportive environment focused on stabilisation, assessment, and preparation for transition into a suitable long-term educational placement.