Training
The Virtual School provides training for:
- Designated Teachers
- Social workers
- Foster carers
- Teacher Training students
- School staff
The Virtual School works with a small group of Warwickshire schools at a time to help them become attachment aware and trauma informed, providing training and support to enable them to develop better relationships within their settings leading to improved academic outcomes.
We continue to share good practice and ideas through our termly network meetings.
To book any of the sessions please email virtualschool@warwickshire.gov.uk with the desired session(s) and the email of the person attending the training.
New to Designated Teacher (DT) training
Are you new to the role of DT? This training will cover understanding the roles and responsibilities of being a DT, including the ePEP online system.
New to DT training will be delivered via Microsoft Teams.
Date | Time |
---|---|
Tuesday 10 September 2024 | 10am to 12noon |
Monday 7 October 2024 | 1pm to 3pm |
Friday 8 November 2024 | 9.30am to 11.30am |
Tuesday 10 December 2024 | 1pm to 3pm |
Thursday 23 January 2025 | 9am to 11am |
Tuesday 25 February 2025 | 9.30am to 11.30am |
Monday 31 March 2025 | 1pm to 3pm |
Friday 9 May 2025 | 10am to 12noon |
Tuesday 10 June 2025 | 9am to 11am |
Monday 14 July 2025 | 1pm to 3pm |
Designated Teacher (DT) training
Annual full day DT training will take place in autumn 2024. The morning session will be delivered by the Educational Psychology Service and afternoon by Virtual School Education Advisers.
Date | Time | Location |
---|---|---|
Tuesday 1 October 2024 | 9am-4pm | St Michael's Church, Budbrooke, Warwick, CV35 8QL |
Tuesday 8 October 2024 |
9am-4pm |
Bulkington Community Centre, CV12 9JB |
Wednesday 16 October 2024 |
9am-4pm |
Bulkington Community Centre, CV12 9JB |
Thursday 24 October 2024 |
9am-4pm |
St Michael's Church Centre, Budbrooke, Warwick, CV35 8QL |
Thursday 7 November 2024 | 9am-4pm | Rugby College, CV21 1AR |
Network meetings
Designated Teacher Network Meetings are run via teams. Please let your linked education adviser / officer know if you would like to share an idea or resource or an idea that you would like to Virtual School to cover.
Term | Date and Time |
---|---|
Autumn Term 2024 | Thursday 14 November 4pm to 5pm |
Spring Term 2025 | Tuesday 11 March 4pm to 5pm |
Summer Term 2025 | Monday 23 June 4pm to 5pm |
To book any of the sessions please email virtualschool@warwickshire.gov.uk with the session being booked and the email of the person attending the training (so that the Teams invitation is set up with the correct email address).
Warwickshire Virtual School Training webinars
We will be using Grey Matter Learning (formerly known as AC Education) to deliver our webinar series this year. Please email virtualschool@warwickshire.gov.uk to book spaces.
Autumn term 2024
Course title | Date | Time | Lead |
---|---|---|---|
Transitions in Education | 6 November 2024 | 3.30pm to 5.30pm | Graham Chatterley |
Communicating with Children and Young People | 11 November 2024 | 3.30pm to 5.30pm | Sheila Mulvenney |
Impulsive Behaviours | 3 December 2024 | 1.30pm to 3.30pm | Jessica Parker |
Managing Challenging Behaviours | 9 December 2024 | 3.30pm to 5.30pm | Graham Chatterley |
Child Sexual Exploitation | 16 December 2024 | 1.30pm to 3.30pm | Vanessa Rogers |
Spring term 2025
Course title | Date | Time | Lead |
---|---|---|---|
Emotion Coaching | 15 January 2025 | 3.30pm to 5.30pm | Alun Rees |
Introduction to Reflective Practice | 29 January 2025 | 3.30pm to 5.30pm | Amelia Brunt |
Self-Harming Behaviours | 10 February 2025 | 1.30pm to 3.30pm | Jessica Parker |
Supporting Asylum Seeking and Refugee Children | 12 March 2025 | 3.30pm to 5.30pm | Andrew Russell |
Exclusions | 3 April 2025 | 1.30pm to 3.30pm | Ruth and Hattie |
Summer term 2025
Course title | Date | Time | Lead |
---|---|---|---|
Transitions in Education | 7 May 2025 | 1.30pm to 3.30pm | Graham Chatterley |
Supporting Children with Mental Health Difficulties | 23 May 2025 | 1.30pm to 3.30pm | Jessica Parker |
Communicating with Children and Young People | 9 June 2025 | 1.30pm to 3.30pm | Sheila Mulvenney |
Sexual Orientation and Gender Indentity | 24 June 2025 | 1.30pm to 3.30pm | Charlotte Gordon |
Kick ASS | 8 July 2024 | 1.30pm to 3.30pm | Liza Lomax |
Professional learning programme
The Virtual School have continued to expand our training offer to schools and education settings so that out children can be taught by knowledgeable, reflective, understanding teachers. Our Designated Teacher training is always well attended. With the expansion of our duties we are offering some wider training opportunities for schools:
Thinking differently for disadvantaged learners
As part of Warwickshire's commitment to closing the gap the Warwickshire Learning Improvement team and Warwickshire Virtual School have joined together to fund access for all Warwickshire Schools to have access to the Challenging Education Professional Learning Programme (PLP).
There are six recorded training modules available to all staff to access at their convenience. Sessions have been researched and delivered by expert trainers (and experienced school leaders) who have a wealth of knowledge on leadership and teaching of disadvantaged youngsters built up over more than seven years of supporting schools across all phases in Raising the Attainment of Disadvantaged Youngsters (RADY).
This is a tried and tested online learning resource appropriate for all phases of education, designed to help staff to ‘Think Differently’ about working with our most disadvantaged learners.
It has opened my eyes to different thought processes and actions whilst also confirming my beliefs in the system I am driving towards. Headteacher, Primary Phase
A resource that is designed to be flexible and fit in with your school plan for professional development. There is no expectation or requirement to complete all the sessions within a module, and no need to complete the sessions in a particular order. Think ‘pick and mix’ approach!
Each module contains over 90 minutes of recorded sessions. Individual videos are ‘bitesize’, no more than 15 minutes long and can therefore easily be integrated into a longer training session or even a staff briefing. Please refer to the ‘Content of the PLP’ document for details of the sessions in each module.
The modules include downloadable resources, including suggested activities to promote deeper reflection and action and references for those who want to find out more.
There are a number of case studies from schools in England and Wales that help to illustrate how schools are bringing the training to life.
Once registration is complete, you can share your username (this will be your URN) and password with colleagues within your school who also wish to access the materials.
Attachment and Trauma Training Programme
We have linked with many schools to deliver Trauma Informed and Attachment Aware Schools. This year we are able to offer a wider training opportunity through our partnership with AC Education. The programme would be funded for Warwickshire schools as part of the Virtual School training offer as we are committed to supporting schools to become trauma informed and attachment aware.
Aims:
- Increase understanding of the role of attachment and trauma in children’s education and strategies to better address their needs
- Reduce suspensions / exclusions from school and improve attendance of children who are vulnerable
- Improve educational progress and the well-being of children who are vulnerable
- Develop the confidence and skills of teachers and staff to address trauma and attachment
- Identify effective approaches to addressing attachment and trauma in schools
Grey Matter Learning (formerly AC Education) Partnership
Warwickshire Virtual School is delighted to be working in partnership with Grey Matter Learning, in delivering fully funded education specific training in the Warwickshire local authority area.
We wanted to reach out to make you aware that if you are working within a school, college or early years facility in the area, then you could be eligible for a pre-funded training place with Grey Matter Learning.
Grey Matter Learning provide trauma informed training that is designed by subject matter experts in education. The training helps teachers and school staff develop the tools and strategies they need to create a positive learning environment, in which vulnerable children can thrive. The person-centred learning and interactive courses are engaging and impactful for every learner.
The fully funded training gives you access to:
- over 40 courses on our eLearning platform 'Click' 7 training programme, including Attachment and Trauma, Exclusions, and Emotionally Based School Avoidance
- CPD accredited training courses in three delivery methods: online, webinar and face-to-face
If you would like to find out more on the fully funded training, please visit Grey Matter Learning.
AC Education - Warwickshire Virtual School funded training
The Attachment Research Community (ARC)
Warwickshire’s Virtual School offers fully funded membership to allow all schools in the local authority to receive a membership with full access to the ARC members area and ARC resources such as the ARC Pathway, ARC Audit and ARC MATRIX, and up to 10 colleague users per school.
ARC’s purpose is to support all schools and education settings to be attachment and trauma aware in their practice for the benefit of all members of the learning community and particularly the most vulnerable, by bringing together, sharing and celebrating best practice.
Becoming a member of ARC will open up professional and educational pathways within a membership platform with readily available resources, regional workshops, panel discussions and virtual events that allow our members to network and support each other.
What is the ARC Pathway?
Utilising the ARC Audit, Development Plan and Project, members have access to online self-evaluation, development planning and project management tools to enable them to complete their journey.
Bronze award: audit, development plan and staff training
The ARC Audit helps you to evaluate your attachment, trauma, mental health and well-being practice, which guides your development plan and gives a baseline to measure the impact of your work. ARC membership includes advice on commissioning training and links to members and trainers for further support.
To complete your Bronze level membership, you will need to ask the Virtual Head to verify that attachment and trauma aware training has been completed by your staff. Please email virtualschool@warwickshire.gov.uk
Silver award: embed, action, case study
ARC’s membership includes tools for setting up a project group with an online space for forum discussions, sharing documents and uploading data.
Gold award: share your learning
Sharing your ARC work can benefit many, particularly schools beginning their attachment and trauma aware journey.