Training for education and social care professionals
Details of currently available training opportunities.
Booking forms will close two weeks before the sessions. If the minimum number of delegates is not reached, then the training may be cancelled.
Non-attendance and late cancellations for the training may incur a fee.
Planning to meet the educational needs of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage (CiC, PLAC, CiN, CP and Kinship)
Next training date to be confirmed.
A 1-hour virtual workshop, via Teams, for Designated Teachers, educational and social care professionals to support multi-agency planning for students to promote educational outcomes for those who are or have been known to social care. This training will focus on the specific needs of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage.
Emotion coaching training for education and social care professionals
Wednesday 11 February 2026 9.30am to 3.00pm
In-person training at The Hamptons Sport and Leisure, Tydemans, Off Beehive Lane, Chelmsford, CM2 9FH
Based on research by American Psychologist John Gottman, Emotion Coaching uses moments of heightened emotion and resulting behaviour to guide and teach the child and young person about more effective responses. Through empathetic engagement the child's emotional state is verbally acknowledged and validated, promoting a sense of security and feeling 'felt'. This activates changes in the child's neurological system and allows the child to calm down, physiologically and psychologically.
Inappropriate behaviours are not condoned in Emotion Coaching and when the child is calmer, incidents are discussed in a more rational and productive manner. Moves are made to problem solve and engage in solution-focused strategies.
This workshop is available to all Essex social care, health and educational professionals and schools with an Essex Child in Care on roll (both within and out of Essex) and for all Essex schools with a child who is 'Previously Looked After,' Kinship or Children with a Social Worker.
Book by completing the online form.
Multi-agency planning for educational transitions
Next training date to be confirmed.
A 1-hour workshop for designated teachers, educational and social care professionals to support planning in preparation for an educational transition.
Advanced multi-agency planning for educational outcomes
Training for experienced education and social care employees.
Thursday 4 December 2025 9.30am to 3.30pm in person at The Hamptons.
As part of our continuing programme of professional development, the Essex Virtual School is providing training to experienced designated teachers, designated safeguarding leads and social workers to support the undertaking of those roles.
In order to participate in this training you must have:
- designated teachers - attended our level 1 designated teacher training and been an Essex designated teacher for at least one year
- designated safeguarding leads (DSL) - been an Essex DSL for at least one year and be at least level 3 safeguarding qualified
- social workers - attended previous training from the Virtual School around education and be at least one year post-qualified
Book by completing the online form.
Planning for progress - Interactive action research workshops for Designated Teachers
Exploring multi-agency perspectives on the use of PEPs (Personal Education Plans) to promote the teaching and learning of Children in Care to support progress and attainment.
As part of a small-scale research study for a Masters in Teaching and Learning at the University of Oxford, research is being undertaken with a range of professionals to explore their perspectives. You are invited to a 60-minute, interactive online workshop. You will be asked to participate in activities exploring your professional role; in the PEP process, promoting teaching and learning to support progress and attainment for Children in Care and the opportunities for this to be developed and strengthened.
As well as helping to develop the evidence base for teaching and learning for Children in Care, the final project will also inform the strategy for a Virtual School for supporting their cohorts, schools and professionals.
Next training date to be confirmed.
If you would like further information about the study, email leanora.engers@kellogg.ox.ac.uk
Educational planning for wellbeing
SDQ and social emotional and mental health assessments
Tuesday 13 January 2026 9.00am to 10.00am online via Teams
Following requests the Essex Virtual School is offering one hour workshops for designated teachers, education and social care professionals to support educational planning for students who have an elevated 'total difficulties score' on their SDQ and need further assessment and intervention. The workshop will cover:
- reviewing the strengths and difficulties questionnaire, the statutory requirements and how this can be incorporated into PEP planning for children in care and other educational plans
- demonstrating two different assessment tools (6 cores strengths and Boxall profile) that will support PEP and educational planning for these students
- small group discussion with schools' allocated advisors who will be able to answer questions about individual students or signpost to information
Book by completing the online form.
Academic resilience approach
MAP - mentoring for academic resilience and progression
Three in-person sessions at The Hamptons. There is an expectation to attend all sessions.
Training session 1 Tuesday 13 January 2026 9.00am to3.00pm overview:
- introduction to MAP mentoring programme - focussing on the 'Foundation sessions' including training on the tools, activities and resources that are available to support mentors
Training session 2 Tuesday 10 February 2026 9.00am to 3.00pm overview:
- mentors will be invited to reflect on sessions that have been delivered, sharing feedback, resources and exploring possible solutions if appropriate
- introduction to 'Building Block sessions' and support for individualised planning for mentors
Training session 3 Thursday 2 July 2026 9.00am to 12pm overview:
- half day reflection and supervision session
Book by completing the online form.
Pathways to change
Essex Virtual School are working in partnership with Dr Rob Long (Educational Psychologist) to offer a 'train the trainer' project for staff managing LSAs.
This will use evidence-based interventions such as:
• meta-cognition
• problem-solving
• positive psychology
If you are interested, complete the booking form as soon as possible as places are limited.
Next training date to be confirmed.
Further education and social care information is available on the Previously Looked-After Children page
Supervision Mid Pilot Sessions
Essex Virtual School, we know the power of well-rounded provision for students and staff. Following extensive with schools and professionals, we have worked in partnership with Nerys Hughes and Whole Child Therapy Ltd to create a new approach to providing creative and holistic support, advice and coaching. This approach is called Kokua Ahoy.
Over eight sessions, educational professionals (teachers, pastoral support staff and teaching assistants) will have the opportunity to attend supervision groups where they will receive support, coaching and advice by trained Essex Virtual School Advisers, in interactive sessions. In each session, attendees will receive a toolkit around the theme or content of the session, participate in interactive activities related to the topic and a facilitated solution focussed reflection activity. There is an expectation of attending most sessions.
Next training date to be confirmed.
All training will take place in person at Hamptons Sport and Leisure, Tydemans, off Beehive Lane, Great Baddow, Chelmsford, CM2 9FH. A commitment is required to attend all 8 sessions. Book via the online form.
Training for adult mentors
In person training at Pontlands Park Hotel and The Hamptons.
At Essex Virtual School, we know the power of well-rounded provision for students and staff. Following extensive work with schools and professionals, we have worked in partnership with Nerys Hughes and Whole Child Therapy Ltd to create a new approach to providing creative and holistic support, advice and coaching. This approach is called Kokua Ahoy!
In two days of training, educational professionals (teachers, pastoral support staff and teaching assistants) will have the opportunity to be trained in a new style of holistic mentoring that will benefit not just students from Virtual School cohorts but all students in a school.
They will be provided not just with the knowledge to undertake sessions with young people, but opportunities to engage in a range of interactive and creative activities to enable them to deliver targeted mentoring to individual children that are focussed upon raising aspirations and nurturing academic resilience. Attendees will receive a comprehensive set of materials to support them to deliver their first round of mentoring in school, be supported to measure the impact of this and receive follow up support when delivering their first round of mentoring in school.
Next training date to be confirmed.
Supervision group West Kokua Ahoy in person at the Ongar Centre
At Essex Virtual School, we know the power of well-rounded provision for students and staff. Following extensive work with schools and professionals, we have worked in partnership with Nerys Hughes and Whole Child Therapy Ltd to create a new approach to providing creative and holistic support, advice and coaching. This approach is called Kokua Ahoy.
Next training date to be confirmed.