Designated teachers

A designated teacher is usually the head teacher or other member of a school’s senior management team who is responsible for the educational achievement of any children in care in their school. This role has been a legal requirement for all maintained schools since September 2009.

The teacher has a responsibility to make sure other staff at the school understand issues there may be around educating children in care. They have contact with social workers and the virtual head teacher for the area, if there is one. The appointed teacher must make sure the school does everything it can to maximise educational stability for looked after children.

Designated teachers should prepare an annual report for the school governing body which details levels of progress for looked after children compared with other pupils, patterns of attendance and exclusion for looked after children compared with all pupils, as well as how their learning needs are being met by the school.

The designated teacher is also responsible for the child’s personal education plan (PEP), a vital document which outlines the child’s educational history and progress. The PEP should set high expectations for a pupil’s progress, and put in place any support necessary to achieve those goals.

News

• Government policies on access to further and higher education abandon care leavers to the whims of localism, says report - 16-Mar-2012
• The Trust calls for Government to look wider than adoption - 14-Mar-2012
• Care leaves most looked-after children better off, study finds - 12-Mar-2012

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