Phase one evaluation of the Virtual School Head's extension of duties to children with a social worker and the Post-16 Pupil Premium Plus pilot

This document summarizes evaluations of various programs and policies designed to improve educational outcomes for Children with Social Workers (CWSW), Children Looked After (CLA), and Care Leavers (CLs). The evaluations, conducted by the Rees Centre and other entities, used mixed-methods approaches, including Theory of Change workshops, surveys, case studies, data analysis, and interviews. The programs aimed to enhance educational support through increased awareness, attendance, and strategic planning, and by addressing transitions to post-16 education. Results showed progress in areas such as staffing, collaboration, and educational planning, but also highlighted challenges like recruitment difficulties, data sharing issues, and resource constraints. Recommendations include extending funding, making certain duties statutory, improving data systems, and providing consistent educational plans. Overall, the evaluations found that despite some barriers, there is evidence of improved support for vulnerable students, though further long-term evaluations are needed to assess the full impact of these initiatives. **This summary was written by an AI model and therefore should not be considered a definitive summary of the report. If you are aware of inaccuracies, please email evaluation.registry@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.**

Description

• Lead department: Department for Education (DfE)
• Evaluation stage: A complete evaluation report
• Other departments: No other departments listed
• Evaluation types: Process evaluation
• Process methods: Case studies; Focus groups or group interviews; Individual interviews; Other; Surveys and polling
• Grant information: This intervention is not distributing funding via a grant
• Government Major Project information: This intervention is not a major project
• Policies: No policies provided

Event Dates

• Event Name: Publication of final results
• Event date: December 2022

Evaluation Costs

• Cost: Not provided

Evaluation sharing

• Link(s) to published report(s): Yes
• Links to evaluation plans: No link provided
• Links to published evaluations (DEBUGGING): No final report link found.
• Findings: Not provided
• Permission to share confirmed: Yes