4.2 Whole school audit to evaluate, monitor and develop good practice

Based on DCSF (2009). The role and responsibilities of the designated teacher for looked after children: Statutory guidance for school governing bodies. Nottingham: Author

1: fully embedded / 2: in place / 3: partly in place / 4: not in place / Actions
Planning
Raising the attainment of Children Looked After is includedin the school improvement plan
The school has developed policiesthatencouragecollaborationwith other agencies and services e.g. health professionals,CAMHS, schoolattendance services
All staff receive timely professional development in relation to vulnerable children, including CLA
The school assists local authorities with requeststoprovidedataon attendance,attainment and exclusions
1: fully embedded / 2: in place / 3: partly in place / 4: not in place / Actions
Raisingstaffawareness
Theschoolhas safeguards in place forsharingsensitiveinformationaboutindividualChildren Looked Afterwithrelevantstaffmembers
The school has effective procedures for liaising with carers/residentialchildren’s homesand social services toensurethat the school has relevantinformation abouta child’scare history
The school communicates the child’s achievements to the carers
Admissions
Applications outside of usual admission arrangements are appropriate for CLA
Arrangements are effectiveforwelcoming new (looked after) pupils and take intoaccountthat Looked After children (perhaps arriving mid-term)mayhave additional support needs
The school ensuresthat new admissions arewell supportedby their peers
The school providesinformationtocarers and social workers aboutthe school’s admission and appeal process
The Designated Teacher, or equivalent, liaiseswithotheragenciestoensurethataneducationplacementworks
1: fully embedded / 2: in place / 3: partly in place / 4: not in place / Actions
Recordkeeping and transfer
The DT, or equivalent, keeps the child’s PEP up-to-date
School records are updated with currentaddresses of carers,birthparents,social worker,etc.
The school has effective procedures toprepareinformationfortransfer if a looked afterchild changes school
Promotinginclusive schooling and good home-school communication
The school records who is entitledto a child’s report, receivesinvitationtoparents’evenings and other school events, and this information is rigorously adhered to
Carersgiven a named person, such as the DesignatedTeacher,to contactif they haveconcerns
Carers are asked tosign the home school agreementeven when their childmay be placedtemporarily in the school
The school takes effectivestepstoensurethatcarershaveunderstood andsigned the home school agreement
The school charging policy ensures take up of trips among CLA
The full range of study support and out-of-school opportunities such ashomeworkclubs,careersguidance and workexperience areavailableto lookedafter childreneven if they join school mid-year
1: fully embedded / 2: in place / 3: partly in place / 4: not in place / Actions
Promotinginclusive schooling: curriculum and options
The needs of Children Looked After have been considered in theschool’s curriculum policy
The school alwaysconsultsrelevantprofessionals, the young person and his or her carers when consider an alternative curriculum at KS4
Flexible,personalisedlearning available to lookedafter children
The school has a good baseline of information – informedbytransferof school records and thoroughassessments – so that barriers to learning arequickly identified andactions are put in place tosecure each pupil’s progress
Theschooltimetable is flexiblewith regard to outside fixed activities such as contact meetings
Promoting high expectations and achievement
SchooltargetsforChildren Looked After are ambitious
The school includes measures of individual children’sprogress
The school is clear about the specific barriers to achievement facing CLAand takes effective action to address these
The school works very effectively with FosterCarers and children’s homes so that they are actively supportingchildren’s learning
Where CLA fall behind their peers, this is rapidly identified and help is provided
The school celebrates the educationalsuccesses of CLA
1: fully embedded / 2: in place / 3: partly in place / 4: not in place / Actions
Regular access to a key, consistent person in school is available to all CLA, that the pupil likes, trusts and respects
Revision support is made availableforexaminationsand CLA areencouraged and supportedtoattend these
CLA areencouraged and supported toaccesstasteractivities for further and higher education
CLA are engaged in the gifted and talentedprogramme
SEN
The school ensuresprompt identification ofspecial educationalneeds of CLA
Carers areinformedthat the child has special educational needs and offered support fromParentPartnership Service
Carers/socialworkers areinvolved in assessments and reviews
Young people are involved in reviews and target setting
1: fully embedded / 2: in place / 3: partly in place / 4: not in place / Actions
The level of support giventoCLA with special educationalneeds is sufficientconsideringtheirstatus
Staff training needsin connectionwith meeting theneedsof CLA are addressed
Exclusions
TheHeadteacherandthegoverningbodyrefer to theSecretaryofState’sguidanceonexclusion,ImprovingBehaviourand Attendance:Guidance on Exclusionfrom School and PupilReferral Units
Trends in exclusionrates of CLA are identified and addressed
The school has effective strategiestoavoidexclusion of vulnerablechildrenincluding CLA
The appeal process fully explained to social workers and FosterCarers whena CLA is excluded
Young people in careencouragedtoattendgovernors’hearings which arereviewing their exclusion
1: fully embedded / 2: in place / 3: partly in place / 4: not in place / Actions
The Head teacher’sletter of exclusionalwayssignposts Foster Carersto the ACEexclusion helpline or similar
The appropriateperson/team in the Local Authority with responsibilityforchildren missing education are always notifiedofachild's exclusion
The school gives places to vulnerablechildren, such as Children Looked After, who have been excludedfrom other schools
The reintegrationarrangementsfor looked after children who havebeen excluded are effective
Other agencies working with the child deliver thenecessary support e.g. clinical psychology/CAMHS
Where a looked after child is at risk of exclusion, his or her PEP includespastoral support provision
1: fully embedded / 2: in place / 3: partly in place / 4: not in place / Actions
Promoting health
The needs of CLA are considered in health-promotingschemessuchascycling to school; cyclingproficiency training;‘walking buses’; study support and out of school hours activities
The citizenship and PHSE curricula take full account of including childrenwhose experiences andunderstanding of‘family’may be different
Pastoral support
The school hastargetedinterventionsthatfocus on groups ofchildren who have known risk factors, such as being in care
The school behaviour policy pre-empts escalatingbehaviouralproblems
1: fully embedded / 2: in place / 3: partly in place / 4: not in place / Actions
The school ensuresthatinitiatives such as lunchtime clubs andanti-bullying work includespecific vulnerable groups suchaslookedafterchildren
The school hasproceduresfor contacting relevantprofessional helpforspecific problems, e.g.localauthority Behavioural SupportTeam, CAMHS,educationalpsychologist
Carers are contacted on the first day ofany unexplained absence
Carers are aware of the school’santi-bullying policies
Study support
Thestudy support programme is flexible enough to cater for theneedsof CLA
The school regularlyconsults with carers and CLA aboutstudy support activities
1: fully embedded / 2: in place / 3: partly in place / 4: not in place / Actions
The school is in contact with the local authority study support co-ordinatorto discuss ideas
One-to-one tuition is providedfor every CLA