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Contents

1. When a Child Joins a New School
2. When a Child Moves into a New Local Authority
3. When a Child has No School Place

1. When a Child Joins a New School

Choosing and applying to a school place is primarily the social worker's responsibility but may be delegated to or shared with others (e.g. the carer, a local education authority officer).

1.1 Notification

At least one member of staff in the school - the Designated Teacher for Looked After Children or the Head Teacher - must be informed that the child is a Looked After Child. Other members of staff should be identified at the Personal Education Plan (PEP) meeting, taking into account the child's wishes concerning confidentiality.

1.2 Pupils With Statements of Special Educational Needs

A pupil who has a Statement of Special Educational Needs applies to schools through the special needs section of the LEA maintaining the statement, not directly. Similarly, a change of schools at any other time needs the agreement of the LEA to approach the school and for the statement to be amended. This needs to be planned for as early as possible as it can cause long delays.

The social worker should ensure that he/she is aware of the current position of the statement and whether any additional support is provided and by whom.

1.3 The First PEP in a new school

Please read the following in conjunction with Personal Education Plans Procedure.

The meeting should usually be chaired by the social worker.

A new or updated Personal Education Plan (PEP) should be in place within the first 20 days of a child joining a new school.

Subsequent PEPs should correspond with the statutory review cycle. PEP decisions and recommendations must be available to Reviewing Officers at statutory reviews.

The first PEP in a new school should:

• Identify the child's immediate needs (e.g. English as an Additional Language, literacy support, behaviour management)
• Establish contact between carer, school staff and social worker - the basis of a working partnership
• Agree who contacts whom about what
• Establish boundaries of confidentiality
• Share important information - perhaps including the Placement Plan/Placement Information Record
• Ensure records are forwarded from previous school and/or carer
• Agree how and when the next full PEP is going to be drawn up (this needs to take account of the statutory review cycle because the PEP has to be ready before or at the Review; but also term dates, parents evenings, school target setting days, Individual Education Plan (IEP) Reviews, annual reviews of Statement of Special Educational Needs)

2. When a Child Moves into a New Local Authority

Whenever possible a child should not be moved to a new placement until s/he also has a school place.

If a child is placed out of the borough and either continues with his/her current school or required a new school, the social worker must ensure the authority where the child is receiving his/her education and the school are notified of the child's new (Looked After) status.

If child is to be placed out of the borough and will need a new school, efforts to obtain a school place should (unless it is an emergency placement) begin well before s/he moves to a new placement.

Where the child does not have a school place - see Section 3, When a Child has no School Place.

2.1 Pupils With Statements of Special Educational Needs

The Statement of Special Educational Needs Department of the Local Education Authority where the child lives (unless in residential accommodation) is responsible for the placement and provision for a pupil who has a statement of special needs.

Applications to schools are made by the LEA maintaining the statement. If the LEA agrees to adopt a statement then it will need to be amended . This needs to be planned for as early as possible as it can cause long delays.

3. When a Child has No School Place

Finding a school place is primarily the social worker's responsibility but may be delegated to or shared with others (e.g. the carer, a local education authority officer).

Looked After Children in need of a mainstream school place are usually entitled to preferential treatment for admissions.

3.1 PEPs

Children without a school place should still have an up-to-date Personal Education Plan (PEP). It should address immediate educational needs and longer-term planning (see Personal Education Plans Procedure).

3.2 Children Placed Within the borough

Where the child does not have a school place because one cannot be found, or because mainstream school is not appropriate to their needs, the child's social worker should notify Admissions and also alert Haringey Virtual School EWO (Education Welfare Officer).

The local authority should identify a school place within 20 working days at the latest; and should be asked to provide alternative education if a school place cannot be found immediately or is not appropriate.

3.4 Children Placed Outside the borough

Where the child does not have a school place because one cannot be found, or has been placed at very short notice, the child's social worker should notify admissions for the education authority in the area where the child is placed and request that a school be identified for the child as soon as possible.

That local authority should identify a school place within 20 working days at the latest; and should be asked to provide alternative education if a school place cannot be found immediately or is not appropriate.

3.5 Pupils With Statements of Special Educational Needs

A pupil who has a statement of special needs applies to schools through the special needs section of the LEA maintaining the statement, not directly. It requires the agreement of that LEA to approach the school and for the statement to be amended. This needs to be planned for as early as possible as it can cause long delays.

End