Coventry Virtual School - guidance and support

Welcome parents and carers

At Coventry Virtual School, we know that you play a vital role in supporting your child’s education and wellbeing. Whether you are a foster carer, kinship carer, or residential carer, your involvement and encouragement can make a real difference in your child’s learning and life chances.

This page is here to help you understand how we work together, what support is available, and how you can get involved to help your child thrive at school.

Your role in your child’s education

As a parent or carer, you are a key part of your child’s education team. You can help by:

• Being a positive role model who shows how important education is by supporting, encouraging, and setting high expectations for your child.
• Helping your child get ready for school and ready to learn each day.
• Attending and contributing to Personal Education Plan (PEP) meetings—these are important opportunities for children in care, to discuss progress and plan for learning needs.
• Talking with your child before PEP meetings and helping them to share their views.
• Keeping track of PEP meeting dates and contacting the school or social worker if a PEP is overdue.
• Encouraging good school attendance and punctuality.
• Supporting learning at home by providing a positive environment for homework and reading.
• Communicating regularly with your child’s school and Designated Teacher.
• Raising any concerns you have about your child’s education, wellbeing, or happiness to school and the child’s social worker
• Helping your child access additional opportunities such as clubs, trips or Coventry Virtual School’s enrichment activities
• Working with the Virtual School and other professionals to support transitions between schools and into post-16 education, training or employment.
• Challenging others when you feel your child needs additional support to succeed.

How Coventry Virtual School supports you

We offer a range of help and resources to parents and carers, including:

• Information and advice about education rights and school support
• Access to training sessions designed to help you understand your child’s needs, including topics such as attachment, trauma, and supporting learning at home.
• Opportunities to get involved in enrichment activities and events to build confidence and skills.
• Dedicated staff you can contact for advice or to discuss any concerns about your child’s education.

Getting involved

We encourage all parents and carers to:

• Attend PEP meetings and other school meetings whenever possible.
• Take part in Virtual School training sessions and events
• Stay informed about your child’s progress and any additional support they are receiving.

If you need support or have questions, please get in touch - we’re here to help.