Croydon Virtual School

The role of the designated teacher

Each school is required to have a nominated designated teacher. This is a statutory requirement whether or not a school has a looked after child currently registered. This is to ensure that whenever one of the pupils becomes looked after or a new child in care is admitted to the school that there is a trained teacher to meet their needs. 

Electronic Personal Education Plan (ePEP)

Each child or young person that is part of the Virtual School has a tailored electronic Personal Education Plan (ePEP) - a record of their education.

The ePEP records our commitments to ensure that every young person in our care has positive experiences with their education. Schools, colleges, and social workers can access this ePEP online.
Meetings take place each term to review this plan alongside the carer and the young person. Together we make sure that it is up to date and working effectively.

We also monitor the young person's:

• attendance
• well-being
• progression
• achievement

Our aim is to ensure that every child looked after by us has the support they need at school.

Visit ePEP online

If you have any training and support needs, please email ePEP@croydon.gov.uk for further information. Also, contact us, using this email address, if you are experiencing issues accessing the ePEP system.

ePEP Video Training

If you are already an ePEP user, you can view our training videos with your password. To request a password to view the training videos, email epep@croydon.gov.uk. Please use this email address for further ePEP questions you may have or if you would  like to book a new users training session.

Pupil Premium Plus (PPG+) funding

PPG+ Funding is allocated to us for the number of looked after children in care. The PPG+ allowance is based on the figures provided by local authorities in their statutory annual returns. 

View our Pupil Premium Plus policy (PDF, 124KB).

The VS nest training app

Read more about the VS nest training app.

Croydon cares app

The Croydon care leavers app, called 'Croydon Cares', is designed to support care-experienced young people transitioning to independence. It provides information and advice on topics such as:

• money and finance
• housing and accommodation
• health and wellbeing
• education, training, and employment

The app was developed in partnership with Focusgoy, a company specialising in digital solutions for local authorities, and coproduced with our care experienced young people.

Features include:

• a real-time feed of apprenticeship opportunities
• an interactive budget planner
• a searchable directory of local services and support groups
• secure, private messaging between young people and PAs or SWs

The app is available for download on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Statutory guidance resources

• admissions - the school admission code
• the designated teacher for looked after and previously looked after children: statutory guidance on roles and responsibilities (PDF, 372KB)
• GOV.UK guidance on the suspension and permanent exclusion of pupils from local authority maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units
• improving behaviour and attendance in schools policy
• improving the attainment of looked after children in primary schools
• improving the attainment of looked after young people in secondary schools
• promoting the educational achievement of looked after children, statutory guidance for local authorities