This webinar, held Thursday 9 December 2021, focused on the development of Virtual Schools and the roles of Virtual School Head Teachers (VSHTs) and Care Experienced Teams (CETs) in Scotland. Together, we discussed how this work, at both a local and national level, can improve the educational outcomes and experiences of care experienced children and young people.
The webinar was hosted by Linda O'Neill, Education Lead at CELCIS. We were delighted to welcome:
Mary Jane Hunter, Virtual School Lead, North Lanarkshire
Janine McCullough, Senior Education Officer, Education Scotland
Patrick Ward, Virtual School Head Teacher in Lewisham, and Chair of the National Association of Virtual School Heads (NAVSH) in England
Andrew Morison, Policy Manager, Scottish Government
Larissa Gordon, Virtual School Head Teacher, Aberdeen City, and National Advisor to the Virtual School Network, CELCIS
Joanne McMeeking, Head of Improving Care Experiences, CELCIS
Michael Bettencourt, Education Consultant, CELCIS
We have collated the full set of materials from the day for anyone who was unable to join us on the day, or for those who were there and would like to access the materials we used. A recording and a transcript of the event are available to view and download below.
You can read more about Virtual School Head Teachers and Care Experienced Teams in Scotland here.
Download the webinar transcript
Scotland’s Virtual School Head Teachers’ and Care Experienced Teams’ Network booklet
This booklet explains what a Virtual School is, the aims of the role and the Network and discusses the impact that the work is having for children and families. It also sets out how a Network has grown to support those fulfilling these key strategic positions which aim to improve educational experiences and outcomes for children and young people with experience of care.