Celebrating Partnership and Progress: Join Welfare Call at Wonde Discover, BETT 2026
Since 2020, Welfare Call’s partnership with Wonde has helped transform how Virtual School Heads collect and act on attendance data. What began as an innovative step forward has become a vital hybrid model for safeguarding, inclusion, and improved outcomes. This January, we’re proud to take that partnership further, joining Wonde on the Wonde Discover stand […]
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 […]
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 […]
Why your PEP system might be holding your Virtual School back (and how to fix it)
For Virtual School Heads (VSHs) and their teams, the quality of a Personal Education Plan (PEP) system can make or break their ability to support looked-after children. A poor system doesn’t just create frustration; it undermines efficiency, data accuracy, and, ultimately, the outcomes for children in care. So what are some of the challenges faced […]
The Extended Role of the Virtual School Head in Kinship Care
Last month saw Kinship Care Week (7 – 13 October 2024), an opportunity to raise awareness about the amazing role that kinship carers play in children’s lives and society. It’s essential to acknowledge the incredible work kinship carers do. Every day, these carers provide stability and love for children who cannot live with their parents, […]
Kinship Care Week: Recognising and Supporting a Vital Family Role
It’s Kinship Care Week 2024 this week (7–13 October) which is an opportunity to celebrate the incredible role that kinship carers play in children’s lives and society. It’s essential to spotlight kinship carers—those who step up to raise children when their parents are unable to. While the importance of kinship care often goes under-recognised, these […]
Reflections on the NAVSH conference 2023
A massive thank you to everyone who came to say hello and chat with us at the NAVSH conference 2023. We had a fantastic two days at the event and as always it was lovely to catch up with some very familiar faces, many of whom we’ve only had the chance to see from […]