Training and Support Programme 2026-2027
Information about the training and support offer
Goal of Oxfordshire Virtual School’s Training and Support Offer:
Caring
All schools and settings, wherever Oxfordshire’s children experiencing instability, adversity or additional need are placed, provide environments in which children feel safe, valued and experience a strong sense of belonging.
Collaborative
Schools and settings working with Oxfordshire’s children are supported to work in partnership with the Virtual School and wider professionals, recognising that improving outcomes is a shared responsibility that extends beyond geographical boundaries.
Competent
All adults working with Oxfordshire’s children are supported and enabled by the Virtual School to develop trauma-informed, attachment-aware, relational and restorative practice, strengthening their ability to understand need, reduce barriers and promote stability, inclusion and achievement for children who need us most.
The Virtual School delivers training and offers support for a wide range of partners. See below for training and support available to schools and education settings, and to other key stakeholders.
We are happy to discuss any training and support needs you have related to children we care for, care leavers, previously cared for children, children with a social worker and children in kinship care.
If you have a training or support need that is not covered as part of our training programme, please get in touch with us: virtualschool@oxfordshire.gov.uk
All training listed on this webpage is funded through money allocated to the Virtual School for this purpose. Where the Virtual School is unable to deliver training directly and an external cost is involved, education settings may use funding allocated to the relevant group of children (for example, Pupil Premium Plus) to commission training. This should be in line with the Department for Education guidance on the appropriate use of Pupil Premium Plus and should support staff to better meet the needs of children we care for, previously cared‑for children, children with a social worker and children in kinship care.
Designated Teachers (DTs) are encouraged to take advantage of the full training offer provided by the Virtual School. Attendance at induction training is expected of all DTs, and attendance at the annual Virtual School conference is strongly encouraged. Where not already completed, DTs are expected to complete training in Attachment, Brain Development and the Impact of Trauma, and PACE. Training in Formulation is also highly recommended.
DTs should be mindful of their statutory responsibility to report annually to governors on their training and professional development as Designated Teacher.
Section 1: Graduated Training and Support Offer for Schools and Settings
If you are not already registered on the Oxfordshire Education Services platform, you will need to create a user account by selecting ‘sign up’.
If you have any booking queries, email oxfordshireeducationservices@oxfordshire.gov.uk or call 03300 249046
Additional training and support for schools and settings
A Thinking Space for Professionals Supporting Care-Experienced CYP
Dr. Hester Riviere from the ATTACH Team offers monthly bookable consultation slots for professionals. These consultations are designed to be reflective, problem-solving conversations about a care-experienced children and young people. They draw on psychology, both explicitly and implicitly, to help make sense of a situation. While EP involvement is not ongoing, these consultations can be helpful if you want to consider a situation through an attachment or trauma-informed lens and engage in a joint problem-solving conversation to share concerns, clarify issues and, where relevant, create an action plan.
However, a consultation might be less helpful for you if:
- You already have access to a Linked EP and prefer to use that service, especially if they know you and your setting or are likely to take a full referral in the future.
- You know that the child or young person requires a full referral or an in-person assessment visit, perhaps due to highly complex needs.
- You are seeking access to a specific resource (e.g. an EHCNA, a literacy assessment, or a report) rather than a problem-solving conversation.
Slots can be booked up to a month in advance through your Virtual School Advisory Teacher. If unsure, email virtualschool@oxfordshire.gov.uk
Free training to support schools in supporting refugee and unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and young people
The Healing Classrooms programme from International Rescue Committee (IRC) aims to support schools and educators to develop inclusive and nurturing learning spaces where refugee and asylum-seeking students can gain the necessary academic, social and emotional skills to develop their full potential.
The IRC offers free training sessions and resources to educators and schools supporting refugee and asylum-seeking students in the UK.
Whether or not you have accompanied or unaccompanied asylum-seeking and refugee children or young people at your school, we encourage schools and settings to participate in this training, which will support you in working with those who have experienced considerable trauma and loss
To book the training, go to: Healing Classrooms Basic Training
Looking for more?
Alongside our core offer, a wide range of high-quality training is available across Oxfordshire:
- Oxfordshire Education Services – comprehensive training and events for education professionals
- SEND Framework Professional Development Offer – targeted training to support inclusive practice
- Oxfordshire Relational Schools Programme (ORSP) – developing relational and trauma-informed approaches
Follow the links above to explore each offer in more detail.
Section 2: Training and Support for Wider Partners and Stakeholders
Training for Trainee Teachers
We deliver training to trainee teachers through our partnership with local training providers. These sessions cover the Virtual School’s role and statutory duties, clarify key groups and practical expectations for schools and settings, and focus on creating the conditions for vulnerable children to thrive.
See below for details of upcoming sessions and how to book.
Training for Trainee Social Workers
We deliver training to trainee social workers through our partnership with local training providers. These sessions cover the Virtual School’s role and statutory duties, clarify key groups and practical expectations for professionals, and focus on creating the conditions for vulnerable children to thrive.
See below for details of upcoming sessions and how to book.
Training for Oxfordshire County Council staff, including Newly Qualified Social Workers
The following training is available via the Learning Zone to Oxfordshire County Council colleagues working within the Children, Education and Families directorate:
Supporting the Education of Children We Care For: The Role of the Virtual School (For Social Workers)
This course is designed for social workers working with children we care for and focuses on understanding the statutory role of the Virtual School in promoting educational outcomes. It will cover key duties, including oversight of Personal Education Plans (PEPs), use of Pupil Premium Plus and the importance of education within care planning.
The session emphasises the critical role of social workers as corporate parents and how effective partnership with the Virtual School is essential. The Virtual School cannot fulfil its statutory duties in isolation - strong, proactive collaboration is key to securing stability, high aspirations and positive educational outcomes for children we care for.
Championing Education for Children with a Social Worker: The Role of the Virtual School (For Children’s Social Care Practitioners – CIN/CP)
This course is aimed at practitioners working with children subject to Child in Need or Child Protection plans. It explores the extended duties of the Virtual School to promote the educational outcomes of children with a social worker and what this means in practice.
Participants will develop a clear understanding of how education can be a protective factor and the importance of identifying and addressing barriers to learning early. The course reinforces that all practitioners are corporate parents in action, with a shared responsibility to work alongside the Virtual School to improve attendance, inclusion and educational stability.
The Virtual School and Our Collective Responsibility: Corporate Parenting in Practice (For CEF Workforce)
This course is for all practitioners across Children, Education and Families and provides an overview of the Virtual School’s statutory role across all cohorts, including children we care for, previously cared for children, those with a social worker and those in kinship care.
It highlights the importance of understanding the Virtual School’s function within the wider system and reinforces that improving outcomes for vulnerable children is a shared endeavour. The session promotes a collective commitment to corporate parenting, emphasising that the Virtual School relies on effective partnership working - everyone has a role to play in championing education, removing barriers and supporting children to thrive.
Training for School Governors
We deliver training for Oxfordshire school governors. These sessions cover the Virtual School’s role and statutory duties, clarify key groups and practical expectations for schools and settings, and highlight the role of governors in providing effective oversight and support for vulnerable children.
See below for details of upcoming sessions and how to book.
Collaborating with our Children/Young People
A core part of our work focuses on ensuring that the voices of children and young people are central to all planning, decision-making and support.
We are clear that children and young people’s views must be captured before, during and after every Personal Education Plan (PEP) meeting. Our training supports professionals to understand how to do this meaningfully - not as a process, but as a relational and purposeful practice.
Alongside this, we actively create a range of opportunities to hear from children and young people and ensure their experiences shape our work. This includes:
- Promoting and supporting pupil voice within PEP processes
- Encouraging and analysing surveys and engagement activities
- Actively supporting and promoting Youth Voice initiatives
- Ensuring representation through the Guardians For Us Forum, which is regularly attended by the Virtual School Head
- Encouraging children and young people to reach out directly to the Virtual School where needed
Our aim is to ensure that children and young people feel heard, understood and able to influence the decisions that affect their education and wider experience.
Find out more about Youth Voice and the Guardians For Us Forum:
https://oxme.info/wellbeing/children-care/youth-voice
Engaging with Carers, Families and Professionals
Oxfordshire Virtual School is committed to working in partnership with the adults who know children and young people best. We proactively create opportunities to listen to and learn from a wide range of perspectives, recognising the vital role they play in supporting education and wellbeing.
We regularly attend and, where appropriate, facilitate forums and engagement opportunities with carers, parents and those with parental responsibility.
We recognise that the experiences and insights of carers, families and professionals are essential in helping us understand what is working well and where improvements can be made. Their voices are an important part of shaping our practice, strengthening our support offer and improving outcomes for children and young people.
Our approach is underpinned by a commitment to listening, collaboration and respect, ensuring that all contributions are valued and inform both individual planning and wider service development.
For further enquiries, please contact virtualschool@oxfordshire.gov.uk, and a member of the team will get back to you.