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 powerful reminder of the dedication, care and leadership driving support for some of the most vulnerable children in our education system.

 

Exploring What Matters Most

This year’s theme ‘Every Child Included’ ran throughout every session, speaker and discussion. From inclusive practices, SEND and kinship care, to smarter data use and service design, the agenda was built around what matters most to Virtual Schools: helping every child feel seen, supported and successful.

Across both forums, attendees heard from leading voices in the field, including:

• Dr Paul Shuttleworth (Kingston University London), whose keynote on Kinship Care offered a moving and research-led insight into the lived experiences of children raised by relatives and family friends.

• Welfare Call’s own team, who showcased innovations designed to support Local Authorities and Virtual Schools with more joined-up, user-friendly tools.

 

Peer-Led Practice, Real Impact.

Our elective sessions led by experienced Virtual School Heads and teams offered practical, honest reflections on what’s working in the field and where challenges remain.

1. Annual Reporting – Making the Invisible Visible

Led by our Product team, this session supported Virtual Schools preparing for year-end reporting by breaking down how to turn raw data into clear, purposeful storytelling. Attendees explored:

• The multiple purposes of annual reports, from accountability and scrutiny to team recruitment and stakeholder engagement.

• How to align data with Ofsted’s ILACS framework, local governance, and wider Children’s Services goals.

• The importance of planning your “data harvest” early and embedding storytelling with data to give every cohort visibility — including attendance, attainment, suspensions, EET, and pupil voice.

The overarching message: Tell the story of your year with purpose and don’t let data live in a spreadsheet when it could shape strategic decisions.

 

2. ePEP Strategies – From Compliance to Impact

This session featured a broad panel of Virtual School leaders sharing their journey to high-quality, meaningful Personal Education Plans (PEPs), highlighting:

• What a “living PEP” really looks like — evolving, comprehensive, and centred on the child’s experience.

• Real success stories, including 97%+ PEP compliance, improved academic outcomes, and increased post-16 progression.

• Smart integration strategies — with designated teachers, social workers, and IROs all using the same live view to drive collaboration.

• How to build PEP templates that reflect diverse needs, including for Early Years, Post-16, SEND, and Youth Justice.

• Innovations like pre-quality assurance compliance checks, automated attendance reporting, and the use of data quality officers to maintain up-to-date records.

The shared ambition: To ensure every PEP is not just written, but makes a difference.

 

3. CIN & CP Monitoring – Making Data Meaningful

As Virtual Schools take on a more formalised duty for Children in Need and those on Child Protection Plans, this session tackled:

• How to build a multi-agency monitoring strategy, supported by Welfare Call’s analytics and weekly reporting tools.

• The power of triangulating data from attendance, suspensions, and wider wellbeing indicators to prompt early intervention.

• The role of attendance surgeries, re-integration plans, and targeted training in reducing persistent absence and exclusions.

• Insights from Norfolk, North Somerset, Merton and others on raising the profile of CWSW cohorts through strategic reporting, trauma-informed practice, and collaborative planning.

• Encouragement to move from data collection to data influence; using what we know to change outcomes.

A key takeaway: With the right tools and commitment, Virtual Schools can lead the way in championing invisible cohorts.

These sessions created valuable opportunities for open dialogue and sharing of best practice, with speakers from Manchester, Middlesbrough, Norfolk, Swindon, Ealing and beyond offering honest insight into the successes and challenges they face every day.

 

 

Celebrating Connection and Community

The Forums also featured a diverse range of exhibitors who work closely with Virtual Schools, including Cornerstone VR, First Star Scholars UK, Fresh Start in Education, the Attachment Research Community, and photographer Alan Torres, whose Resilient Souls project celebrates care-experienced individuals through visual storytelling.

Each exhibitor brought a unique perspective and a shared mission: to support professionals working with children who face complex challenges.

 

 

What Delegates Had to Say

We were thrilled by the overwhelmingly positive feedback from attendees across both forums. Virtual School professionals valued the practical insights, peer learning, and time to reflect on their own approaches with many already taking ideas back to their teams.

Here’s just a snapshot of what delegates shared:

“Fresh and innovative, thought provoking. I can see how solution focused Welfare Call staff are. Never standing still – looking to the future.”

“Really made me think about how we incorporate children’s views in our kinship work.”

“Huge food for thought . . . Useful to hear upcoming developments so I can share with VS & Head – particularly Post 16 data, analytics new dashboards, and mobile device use.”

“You guys at Welfare Call are all so helpful and flexible – thank you. I love the new work around benchmarking.”

“Great to hear from other Virtual Schools . . . good ideas to use, good network to do some ePEP peer reviews.”

“Good sessions & choices of workshops.”

“Brilliant, very engaging. Great to see next steps forward.”

The Forums weren’t just about learning, they were also a chance to connect with peers, share local practice, and shape future thinking together. From updates on data and analytics to rich discussions around kinship care and ePEP quality, delegates left feeling inspired, supported, and better equipped for the year ahead.

 

 

Keep the Conversation Going

The Forum may be over, but the conversations don’t have to be. We’d love for you to continue connecting with peers, sharing practice, and discussing ideas through our Virtual School Professionals LinkedIn Group. It’s a space for ongoing dialogue and mutual support – we’d be delighted to welcome you there:
Join the group here

 

 

Looking Ahead Together

We’d like to thank everyone who joined us in York and London — whether as a speaker, contributor, exhibitor or delegate. Your insights and energy made these Forums what they were: an honest, hopeful space to reconnect with purpose and possibility.

To those who couldn’t attend this time: we’re always happy to share the presentation slides or arrange a catch-up session with your account manager. Just get in touch and we’ll make sure you don’t miss out.

Because as ever, our focus remains the same:
Every child included. Every Virtual School supported. Every insight put into action.

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If you’d like more information on the topics covered, contact your Account Manager in the usual way or contact us using the details below:

[email protected]
Tel: +44 (0)1226 716333

 

If you’d like to enquire about joining us at our next Forum as a delegate, speaker or exhibitor then get in touch with us at [email protected]

 

 

 

 

We’re proud that so many attendees found the Forums not only informative, but energising and immediately useful in their day-to-day work.

“Excellent conference… Looking forward to the next one!”

“Fabulous forum.”

“Very insightful & thought-provoking.”

“Outstanding… Very good conference.”

“Good sessions & choices of workshops.”

“Interesting, real solutions. Good to know what is coming, some really exciting ideas.”

“Great to see/hear what other VSs are doing and to network, share ideas on systems and funding.”

“Really useful to gain ideas from other VSs and see how they do things.”

“Appreciated the opportunity to hear contrasting experiences from very different LAs.”

“Informative and useful info to take back and discuss with the team in terms of improving kinship work.”

“Great to hear what other VSs are doing, good ideas to use, good network to do some ePEP peer reviews.”

“Lovely day, great venue and food. Thank you Welfare Call.”

It’s clear these Forums didn’t just deliver updates; they provide meaningful professional learning, peer connection, and practical reflection. Thank you again to all who contributed.