Virtual School early years

Virtual School early years

Worcestershire Virtual School support pupils in the early years foundation stage, from the age of two.

In the Worcestershire Virtual School team there are two Learning Advocates supporting Children Looked After (CLA) within the Early Years Foundation Stage.

Our Learning Advocates support:

  • 2, 3 and 4 year olds and deferred school entry children in Private, Voluntary and Independent Early Years settings who are looked after both within Worcestershire and those placed out of county
  • children in their Reception year in school within Worcestershire and out of county

All children who are looked after must have a Personal Education Plan (PEP) which is reviewed 3 times a year. The PEP forms part of the child’s statutory care plan. Our Learning Advocates facilitate the PEP process.

Children who are looked after will be eligible for the Early Years Pupil Premium (2, 3 and 4 year olds) or the Early Years Pupil Premium Plus (reception children in school). This funding should be used to support the outcomes and activities agreed within the PEP.

Children who have been previously looked after (PLAC) but now have an Adoption Order or a Special Guardianship Order or a Child Arrangement Order are also eligible for the Early Years Pupil Premium through the funding portal.

Early years training offer

This offer is fully funded and available to all early year’s practitioners, including nursery settings, childminders, and reception year teaching staff.

We are continuing our partnership with KCA (Knowledge, Change, Action) KCA is an expert provider of training and consultancy to organisations working with vulnerable children and young people.

The training will enable practitioners to:

  • discover your role in supporting healthy brain development
  • understand how you can support trauma recovery
  • use emotion coaching to promote resilience in your setting

Session dates and times

For staff new to the knowledge base there are 2 online core models to attend:

  • core module: Five to Thrive and the Importance of Connected Relationships - 12 February 2025 (4:00pm to 6:00pm)
  • core module: Understanding Toxic Stress and Trauma and Promoting Recovery during a time of Collective Adversity - 12 March 2025 (4:00pm to 6:00pm)

For staff who have attended the above training OR have recently received KCA delivered Attachment Trauma and Resilience training within the past 2 years then there are 3 further online optional modules available as follows:

  • optional module: Emotion Coaching and Promoting Resilience - 9 April 2025 (4:00pm to 6:00pm)
  • optional module: Transitions and Vulnerability - 21 May 2025 (4:00pm to 6:00pm)
  • optional module: Choose your words with Care: Narrative, Shame and Identity - 25 June 2025 (4:00pm to 6:00pm)

Note: anyone who signs up to the core modules but then is unable to attend on the day will then subsequently be sent the link to the FTT and UT mop-up sessions. Similarly, anyone who attempts to book on to the core offer once the sessions are full (max 40 people) will be added to a wait list and then also subsequently be sent the link to the FTT and UT mop-up sessions via our system.

Download: Training for Early Years Practitioners flyer (PDF)

Apply

We look forward to welcoming our early years settings to these wonderful training opportunities.

To take part in this fully funded professional development opportunity please register by following the link:

KCA: Reg form: Worcestershire VS Early Years Spring Summer 2025

While you wait for your training, watch our virtual training course:

Adopting PACE in Early Years settings virtual training

Roots Psychology Group working collaboratively with Worcestershire Virtual School invites you to this unique opportunity to understand and implement trauma-informed practice in Early Years Settings.  

Here are the training videos ‘exploring a trauma-informed approach utilising the PACE model in Early Years settings presented by Dr Ann Laight and Dr Kate Mason’:

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