Online training for teachers who are designated leads for looked after children in their educational setting

Invitation to Quote – Contract ref: CQNV 035

Submission deadline 22 February 2018 (13:00)

1. Introduction

Virtual Schools are established by Local Authorities (LAs) to support and improve the educational achievement of their looked after children (LAC) and care leavers, aged 2 to 18. The virtual school approach is to work with looked after children as if they were in a single school, liaising with the schools they attend, tracking the progress they make and supporting them to achieve as well as possible.

In Shropshire, the role of the Virtual School includes:

  • Championing the learning needs of Shropshire LAC whether they are educated in Shropshire or out of county;
  • Ensuring they have the best possible education and every chance to realise their potential;
  • Advising on interventions to raise attainment and aspirations for the future;
  • Tracking progress and targeting resources effectively to promote achievement;
  • Training schools’ Designated Teachers, governors and leaders on expectation and strategies for LAC;
  • Supporting schools, providing quality assurance of Personal Education Plans (PEPs) and challenging underachievement;
  • Monitoring the expenditure of the Pupil Premium Grant (PPG). This is funding allocated to schools to specifically support outcomes for LAC.

2. Our current position

In Shropshire, the Virtual School Team (VST) comprises teachers, Senior Education Welfare Officer and an Information & Guidance Personal Adviser, who work with LAC and care leavers in Early Years Settings, schools, other education settings, social care colleagues and carers. The team works across Shropshire and in other counties, wherever our children are placed.

The VST currently supports approximately 240 statutory school aged LAC across a range of educational settings, within and outside of Shropshire.

Where an educational setting has a LAC, they must designate a teacher who acts as the Designated Lead (DL) for LAC.

The role of the DL is underpinned by a statutory framework and guidance:

  • “Promoting the education of looked after children” - Statutory guidance for local authorities, July 2014;
  • “The role and responsibilities of the designated teacher for looked after children” - Statutory guidance for school governing bodies, 2009. A revised document is due for publication in April 2018, which will extend duties to cover “previously looked after children. “

The current guidance says that

“Every teacher involved in helping looked after children achieve in education should have high expectations of looked after children’s involvement in learning and educational progress. They need to be aware of the emotional, psychological and social effects of loss and separation from birth families. The use of targets set and strategies to overcome barriers to help each child reach their potential is key to a quality PEP. And every Looked After Child has a Personal Education Plan (PEP) and it is the responsibility of the Designated Teacher to prepare and keep this document up to date, this is integral to the Care Plan.”

The Virtual School is a key source for advice and guidance for DLs. It offers key training on the implementation of the revised guidance for Shropshire schools on the role and responsibilities of the designated lead for LAC.

Shropshire is a rural county. Most educational settings are in the five markets towns, as well as in rural areas. There are numerous Early Years settings, 139 primary schools, 32 secondary schools and 4 FE colleges.

3. What we want to achieve

We want to ensure that all our DLs are up to date on their roles and responsibilities.

The distribution of schools in a large rural county has implications for accessing training. We know from teacher feedback that the option to provide online training, in addition to the VST’s face to face training, would be valuable in this context.

The learning objectives of the training include the following:

  • The Role and responsibilities of the Designated Teacher
  • The impact of trauma on a child’s behavior and potential barriers to learning
  • Preparing for the Personal Educational Plan (PEP) meeting and reviews
  • Use of the Pupil Premium Plus (PPP) grant and the use of SMART targets
  • Reporting to the school’s Governing Body, as well as the VST.

The council wants to establish a one year contract with a provider, starting from 1 April 2018 and ending on 31 March 2019. We have not commissioned this type of service before, but we estimate that between 30-40 DLs will access this training during this period.

The council wants to pay a fixed fee

  • In arrears, for each learner who completes a module and is satisfied with the quality of the training. We are unable to pay for learning which did not take place.
  • In advance, for one year of learner support
  • In advance, for one year of access to the online system to monitor learner uptake, training completions, satisfaction and other impact measures.

4. Requirements for providers

4.1A proven track record of providing effective online learning on an e-learning platform and an encrypted network to comply with all data protection regulations.

4.2Experience of working with Virtual Schools and Designated Leads. We expect that the online content is coordinated with our face to face training content.

4.3 The training should fully comply with the requirements of the statutory guidance and any revisions, referred to in section 1.

4.4 The e-learning platform should present information

  • In a way that is easy and straight forward to use;
  • In an interactive way that meet the needs and learning styles of the Designated Leads.

4.5 The provider needs to offer dedicated customer support for the Designated Leads.

4.6The online system needs to be able to automatically

  • Track a learner’s progress and their training history.
  • Evaluate the learner’s experience of using the online training.

4.7The online system needs to allow access to the VST to monitor and generate reports

for this information.

4.8 The provider can demonstrate effective outcomes for their training. This would include satisfaction ratings and evidence of how the learner will implement the learning into their practice.

4.9The provider can accommodate the council’s payment terms and conditions.

5. Our terms and conditions

5.1 The council reserves the right not to appoint a provider subject to the quality of responses received.

5.2The agreement between the council and the successful provider will be based on the

information provided in this Invitation to Quote and a council Purchase Order,

representing the council’s general terms and conditions.

These can be seen via this link

www.shropshire.gov.uk/doing-business-with-us/current-opportunities-for-tendering/

5.3Payments will be made receipt of satisfactory invoice, as described in section 3.

5.4The invoice needs to be forwarded to ,

FAO Rose Hooper, quoting the contract reference CQNV 035 and the council’s

purchase order number, the company name and number, BACS/Bank details, date of remittance, period covered, breakdown of costs.

For costs associated with individuals’ training, the invoice needs to detail the service provided, including Learner’s name, educational setting, date of completion of training, confirmation of learning outcomes achieved.

Timeline for ITQ & delivery
5 Feb. 2018 / Publish ITQ
22 Feb. 2018
13:00 / Deadline for applications
23-27 Feb. / Evaluate applications / RH & MV
27 Feb. 2018 / Notify all providers
Beg. March / Start up meeting in Shropshire with successful provider / RH & another
1 April 2018 / Access to online training starts
31 Mar. 2019 / Access to online training ends

6. Next step

If you wish to be considered, please complete the following proposal form and email it to

(SC, Virtual School Head)

(SC, Commissioning Development Officer)

For further information contact: Rose Hooper01743 250124

Marion Versluijs 01743 253795

Online training for teachers who are designated leads for looked after children in their educational setting

Information required for invitation to quote

Provider Information (insert below heading)
Name & type of your organisation
(Including registration / charity number)
Address (Including website)
Name of contact person
Telephone
Email
Commissioner evaluation
Meets our needs?
Y/N/Partial / Our comments &
Justification for rating
About your organisation
1 Provide evidence that your organisation has the experience & skills referred to in section 3 and 4 to provide this service effectively and efficiently (max 1500 words):
Your proposed provision
2 Describe the practical steps your organisation would take to provide this service for us. Include key staff.
3 Describe how you ensure and measure that the Designated Leads will achieve the outcomes of this training.
4 Costs (including VAT)
12 months learner support ______
12 months access to monitor and report ______
Unit cost per individual learner ______
Note: The council will use public funds to pay for this service and as such, we are bound to a general duty to ensure value for money
Provide names, roles, email addresses and telephone numbers of two references, for whom you have done comparable work.
Other information in support of your quote
(including added value)
(maximum 500 words):
Please sign here to validate your quote and to confirm that you have understood and are able to meet all the requirements relating to your expression of interest:
Signature ______
Print name ______
Date ______

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