How Barnsley Virtual School Uses Welfare Call to Drive Data-Led Support for Vulnerable Learners
A case study with Tom, Virtual Headteacher for Looked After Children and Vulnerable Groups At Barnsley Virtual School, ensuring every child receives the support they need at the right time is at the heart of everything they do. With growing demands, complex needs, and the pressure to deliver measurable outcomes, they needed a way […]
Why Prioritising Value Over Cost Matters in Virtual School Procurement
Balancing limited budgets with growing responsibilities has always been a challenge for Virtual School Heads. The extension of your role, increasing complexity of data needs, and rising expectations for outcomes mean decisions about where and how to invest resources are under closer scrutiny than ever. It’s no surprise that procurement decisions often start with cost […]
What the 2025–26 Grant Letter Tells Us About the Future of the Virtual School Head Role
The Department for Education has now published its 2025–2026 grant determination letter for the extended Virtual School Head (VSH) role. This update confirms continued investment in both the Children With a Social Worker (CWSW) and Kinship Care strands, with specific allocations now available by Local Authority. It’s a moment of clarity and opportunity for the […]
Virtual Schools Forum Highlights: Two Powerful Days of Insight, Connection and Shared Purpose
Over the past fortnight, Welfare Call was proud to host two Virtual Schools Forums – first in York, then in London – bringing together professionals from across the country for two energising days of learning, collaboration, and reflection. With over 150 attendees in total, representing local authorities, Virtual Schools, and sector partners, the Forums were […]
A Simpler Way to Procure Trusted Solutions for Virtual Schools: Everything You Need to Know
Finding and procuring education software shouldn’t be an exhausting process. We understand that local authorities and Virtual School Heads need to make confident, informed decisions, especially when it comes to systems supporting vulnerable children. That’s why many of our customers choose to procure through approved public sector frameworks. These routes strip out the complexity of […]
Building the Golden Record: How Welfare Call’s API Is Powering Data Interoperability for Virtual Schools
The power of data lies not just in what you collect, but in how seamlessly and accurately you can use it. That’s why we’re investing in the development of a new Application Programming Interface (API) designed to enable true data interoperability across the systems you rely on every day. Currently in active development, this […]
Five Years Strong: How Our Partnership with Wonde Is Powering Better Attendance Monitoring for Virtual Schools
At Welfare Call, our mission has always been clear: support Virtual Schools and Local Authorities to safeguard vulnerable children and improve outcomes. A core part of that mission is ensuring the data we collect is accurate, secure, and timely because when it comes to attendance and exclusions, insight needs to lead to action. That’s why we’re […]
Join Us at the Welfare Call 2025 Annual Forum: Shaping the Future Together
At Welfare Call, we believe that the best solutions are built with our customers, not just for them. That’s why we are delighted to invite our valued colleagues and partners to the Welfare Call 2025 Annual Forum — an invitation-only event for our customers and users designed to share knowledge, spark ideas, and shape the […]
Championing Education for Looked-After Children: Welfare Call at the NAVSH Annual Conference 2025
We’re pleased to announce that Welfare Call will be attending and exhibiting at the NAVSH annual conference once again this year. The role of Virtual School Heads (VSHs) has evolved significantly over the last decade, becoming one of the most vital leadership positions in education and children’s services. VSHs work relentlessly to ensure that looked-after […]
What We Can Learn from Sweden’s Covid Strategy: The Importance of Keeping Schools Open
The pandemic disrupted education worldwide, with school closures leaving a profound legacy. In the UK, children faced learning loss, mental health challenges, and social isolation. But Sweden took a different path, keeping most schools open throughout. This decision provides valuable insights into how we might prioritise school attendance in any future crisis. Sweden’s Covid policy focused […]