Virtual headteachers are a new idea to help raise the educational attainment of children in care.
They were first suggested by a government white paper in 2007.
The idea is that each local council employs an experienced teacher to oversee the educational progress of all children under the care of that local authority. A single school may have only one or two children in care on their registers and be unfamiliar with the issues. The virtual headteacher will have the specialist knowledge to provide extra support to designated teachers. They also have a 'bigger picture' remit to work with all professionals in the Children's Services department of the council and with all schools in the area on initiatives to promote the education of children in care.
Sometimes the virtual headteacher will need to have tough discussions with schools who don't want to admit a child who is in care, or need to get involved when a young person is facing exclusion from school.
Eleven pilot local authorities have virtual headteachers at the moment: Greenwich, Bournemouth, Warwickshire, Cambridgeshire, Stockport, Salford, Merton, Dudley, Medway, Walsall and Gateshead.
Keith Morrison, the new virtual headteacher at Medway Council spoke to Community Care about his experiences. Although his 'virtual school' has 500 pupils he says he's been able to improve the way that personal education plans are written by teachers, as well as intervening in individual cases. He adds 'unless you listen to young people themselves you are missing a trick'.
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