The ßÙßÇÂþ» Virtual School (SVS) training offer has been designed to enable our partners to develop knowledge and understanding of the four cohorts within the SVS working remit that will make a difference to their education. Our training offer has been planned to ensure the statutory duties are met and will build capacity within our system.
The target audience for our training is Designated Teachers (DTs) and Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs); we are delighted to extend this training offer to all adults in education settings working with children and young people in the four cohorts.
Our increased continued professional development (CPD) offer also specifically relates to Early Years. These sessions are for staff in the private, voluntary and independent (PVI) sector and school nurseries with a child looked-after, previously looked-after child, a child with a social worker or in kinship care arrangements. Bookings can be made through the site.
To view and book onto a range of training courses for the 2025 to 2026 academic year, please visit the .
Page contents
- Introduction to the SVS training offer
- SVS Ambitions app
- Highlighted content
- Personal Education Plans (ePEPs) and Pupil Premium Plus (PP+)
- Our Shoes Training
Introduction to the SVS training offer
The SVS training offer ensures every school (nationally) who has a ßÙßÇÂþ» looked-after child can access our statutory training, have membership to the SVS Padlet and in addition to this, schools can also attend a variety of webinars and networks on a termly basis.
These sessions will cover topics relating to care experienced pupils, previously looked-after children, children with a social worker and those in kinship care arrangements; and are open to designated teachers, designated safeguarding leads and other members of school staff working with these cohorts of pupils.
We will provide a training record to demonstrate DTs keeping up to date with training as stated in statutory guidance and as additional evidence for external bodies such as Ofsted.
ßÙßÇÂþ» Virtual School Ambitions app
We are excited to invite designated teachers and other educational practitioners to download the SVS app for schools. This free to use app provides access to a wealth of resources and over 30 training courses designed to support you in assisting vulnerable children and their educational teams.
With bite-sized modules, the app facilitates learning across your settings, enhancing outcomes and maximizing the positive impact professionals can have on vulnerable learners. Don't miss out on this valuable tool!
To find out more about how to access the app, please email: svs.training@surreycc.gov.uk.
Highlighted content
New to role designated teacher training
The states 'the governing body of a maintained school and the proprietor of an academy must ensure that an appropriately qualified and experienced member of staff (the designated teacher) undertakes the responsibilities within the school to promote the educational achievement of looked-after and previously looked-after children on the school's roll. They must also ensure that the designated teacher undertakes training that is appropriate to carrying out this duty'.
This in-person training course has been designed to ensure operational tasks of a designated teacher are looked at in depth and the implications of them considered in practice. It will also enable designated teachers to effectively identify the areas of need and difficulty characteristic of looked after learners.
This is underpinned with an introduction to attachment and trauma. All education settings are required to have a trained and named designated teacher in post regardless of if they have any children looked after on roll.
This course will include:
- securing knowledge and practice linked to the Statutory Duties and the Local Authority Legal Corporate Parenting Duties,
- mechanisms for Pupil Premium Plus Grant (PPPG) Funding and maximising impact,
- completion of Personal Education Plans (PEPs) including looking beyond the operational aspects to the effective process leading to writing a meaningful action plan,
- consideration of strategic planning for the vulnerable groups linked to the Virtual School,
- introduction to understanding attachment and trauma,
- care experienced pupil perspectives.
Post course, the ßÙßÇÂþ» Virtual School will provide a follow up virtual Q&A drop in session, and access to a member of the team for support.
Curiosity in Action: Using the ßÙßÇÂþ» Virtual School Curiosity Tool
Newly launched, this course will train teachers to use the ßÙßÇÂþ» Virtual School (SVS) Curiosity Toolkit. This will support schools to consider the children and young people, for whom the SVS has oversight, with a trauma informed, attachment aware lens. The toolkit is not designed to be an assessment or diagnostic tool.
This is a discussion tool to support reflective practice into action. The process the Curiosity Tool will take you through can then be captured in the plans (Personal Education Plans/Child in Need, Child Protection/Education Plan Previously Looked After) to ensure we have captured our understanding of needs which will lead to a meaningful action plans and supportive interventions.
By the end of this training, you will:
- have an accessible easy to use toolkit that will help to identify the areas of need and challenge for our most vulnerable learners,
- understand the areas of need and challenge for cohorts the virtual school have oversight for,
- have ideas, approaches and strategies to support pupils find it hard to engage with their learning.
Take a Walk in My Shoes - using virtual reality to understand trauma in children and how this may impact education
This immersive story-telling experience will use virtual reality headsets as a tool to bring children’s perspectives to life. This training is an opportunity to extend understanding of the experiences of children and young people who have or continue to live through childhood trauma, the long-term impact this can have, the challenges it can present in schools as well as opportunity to reflect upon our response.
This course best suits schools looking to begin to develop their understanding of children who have experienced Adverse Childhood Experiences and consider how relational interactions can support children’s emotional development.
The above courses, and many more can be viewed and booked thought the .
Personal Education Plans (ePEPs) and Pupil Premium Plus (PP+)
The ßÙßÇÂþ» Virtual School team can offer 1:1 training to navigate the Welfare Call platform where Personal Education Plans are recorded. This includes providing current progress and attainment data, setting Smart targets and using pupil premium plus funding to support learning targets.
To request a 1:1 conversation with one of our education support officers, please get in contact with us.
Our Shoes Training
Developed over a decade in collaboration with young people from a variety of backgrounds and lived experiences, Our Shoes is an award-winning training series that equips professionals with the empathy, awareness, and confidence needed to work effectively and respectfully with young people.
Sessions are co-developed and delivered by young people alongside experienced facilitators. This approach gives voice and power to the people who know the issues best — those who have lived them. Their insights bring authenticity to each training session, offering real-world context that simply can’t be replicated in traditional training environments.
If you are interested in booking onto one of the Our Shoes training courses, please visit the Our Shoes training series website. If you would like to contact the team to discuss individual training courses, please email ourshoes@surreycc.gov.uk.