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It’s been a decade since the Welsh Government published , a strategy to improve the educational experiences of care-experienced children. Linked to this is the recent , a £1.2 million investment designed to bridge education and social care. The findings? A mixed picture of strong recommendations focused on consistency and monitoring, paired with fundamental weaknesses in governance, monitoring and clarity of purpose.

What is the Virtual School Model – and why does it matter?

Not to be confused with online learning, a Virtual School is a local authority team who are responsible for supporting care-experienced learners. The learners remain in their usual school, and the Virtual School operates to provide an additional layer of support to improve their school experiences and progress. The Virtual School Model (VSM) has operated in every English local authority since 2014, where each authority has a Virtual School Headteacher (VSH) and their team; in Scotland, two-thirds of local authorities have a VSH or equivalent. Each team provide schools with strategic oversight, accountability and multi-agency working to advocate for care-experienced learners. Evidence for the VSM shows improved attainment at age 11 and 16, and a reduction in permanent exclusions (Harrison et al., 2023).

The Welsh context

Before the pilot funding, local authorities had Looked-After Children Education (LACE) coordinators supporting care-experienced learners. However, concerns grew regarding inconsistent responsibilities, and limited influence. Responding to Sir Alasdair Macdonald’s report on the , the Welsh Government per local authority (12 out of 22) to create a more consistent system for care-experienced learners.

Was it a success?

The evaluation revealed several positives, including increased attendance and reduced school exclusions for care-experienced learners, as well as improved data systems and enhanced staff training and oversight. But fragmentation remained, as some local authorities appointed VSHs while others retained their LACE co-ordinators. Critically, Welsh Government overlooked setting an initial monitoring framework, particularly capturing numeric measures. This meant missed opportunities to track outcomes like attendance, wellbeing and attainment – data that could have complemented the qualitative insights gathered from 89 stakeholders, and 24 care-experienced children.

Stakeholders reported poor communication about the pilot’s purpose. Some viewed the VSH as a ‘back-office role’ while others saw LACE positions as equivalent – diluting the model’s intent and maintaining fragmentation. Yet, based on Scotland’s job profile (Bettencourt et al. 2025), a VSH should be a headteacher experienced in supporting vulnerable learners – a role carrying status, credibility and bargaining power. There is an uncomfortable truth in education – status matters – and the VSM requires senior leadership to effectively challenge decisions made by schools. This is reflected in other areas of the report, as LACEs mentioned a lack of agency and decision-making influence.

This echoes political tensions in Wales: two systems operating in parallel, with pilot funding failing to deliver integration. Yet one point of consensus emerged – those without a VSH recommended appointing a senior, credible lead for care-experienced learners and creating a consistent approach adaptable to local needs. Interestingly, these are the core features of the VSM. Which begs the question: What form should a Welsh VSM take?

Missing voices – and missed opportunities

‘Wales risks territorial injustice where educational experiences and outcomes differ depending on local authority and school placement.’

While learner voice was a priority of the pilot funding, care-experienced learners’ own perceptions and experiences occupied only three pages of a 73-page report. The report stated that they were not aware of the pilot, but little was done to raise awareness or to involve them. Yet, their voices are paramount to evaluating a system designed for them.

Fundamentally, Wales risks territorial injustice where educational experiences and outcomes differ depending on local authority and school placement.

What’s next for Wales?

The report has recommended that each local authority should introduce a statutory head role so care-experienced learners’ rights can be championed – signifying the value of VSHs and their teams. It also calls for a consistent, shared framework for monitoring, and a renewed focus on children’s rights and entitlements where a minimum standard of care is agreed. Looking ahead, Wales must tackle the fragmentation and foster collaboration across local authorities.

Evidence from Scotland demonstrates the importance of an independent host in convening and supporting implementation teams, while maintaining flexibility to respond to local needs – insights that could usefully inform practice beyond Wales. Taken together, this signals that a renewed national strategy for care-experienced learners is overdue – aligning with Plaid Cymru’s 2026 manifesto area where vulnerable learners have been prioritised in education. 

The question isn’t whether Wales needs the Virtual School Model – it does. The real challenge is in designing a model that is understood, trusted and properly resourced – and perhaps most importantly, Wales specific. Care-experienced learners deserve an education which champions their rights, amplifies their voices, and ensures that wherever they live they have access to the same support and successful futures.

References

Bettencourt, M., Peat, L., Blyth, F., Williams, D., & Harrison, N. (2025). A role profile for a Virtual School Head Teacher in Scotland. CELCIS.

Harrison, N., Sebba, J., Wigley, M., Pryor, R., & Blyth, F. (2023). Improving the effectiveness of virtual schools. KPMG Foundation. ÌýÌý