Training Events
A reminder for all Halton Designated Teachers it is part of the statutory duties to attend at least one training session offered by the virtual school each academic year.
KEY EVENT - VIRTUAL SCHOOL CONFERENCE - Wed 22nd October 2025 8:45am-4pm
Free full day conference for education and social care colleagues.
Along with essential updates from the virtual school team we will have guest speakers throughout the day including a briefing about the social care academy.
Our key note speaker will be Ashley John-Baptise. Some of you may recognise Ashley from BBC’s The One Show fame! Alongside his role as an award-winning broadcaster and TV presenter, Ashley John-Baptiste is an inspirational speaker who shares his own story of navigating the care system, and is the founder of 'Be Inspired' events which aim to spark aspirations of people who have spent time in care. Ashley fronted the BBC Three documentary Care Home Kids: Looking For Love as well as a documentary about siblings separated in care. His debut book Looked After: A Childhood in Care was published in 2024.
Please note, lunch and refreshments will be provided. Booking is essential and a link to the booking form has been emailed out - please contact the virtual school team if you need this resent to you.
Along with this key event, we have a range of training on offer to designated teachers, designated safeguarding leads, social workers and carers:
Target Audience | Information | Date / Time / Venue |
Designated Teachers | Autumn Network Meeting · Expectations for the year · Training Calendar & Conference information · College/Primary/Secondary applications · Census | Tuesday 16th September 2025 3:30pm-4:30 Online via Teams |
Foster carers |
Mockingbird Group – Transitions/Funding/Applications
| Friday 26th September 2025 10am-11am Hub carer’s |
Foster carers | Ready for Reception A year of transitions “Autumn” & School applications. Funding Updates | Tuesday 14th October 2025 1pm-1:30pm Online via Teams |
Designated Teachers, Designated Safeguard Leads, Social Workers | Virtual School Conference · Virtual School updates · Social care academy briefing · SMART Target, PEP & PP+ · Ashley John Baptiste – ‘My take on the care journey’ | Wednesday 22nd October 2025 8:45am-4pm DCBL Stadium |
School and Nursery Staff, Social care professionals Parents / Carers | ‘A Family is made in the heart’. Supporting young children in reception and nurseries as they move through the adoption process. | Date & Time TBC |
Social Workers | Early Years Funding Information & Early Years Foundation Curriculum | Wednesday 19th November 2025 11am-11:15am Online via Teams |
For new Social Workers, DTs and colleagues across Education & Social Care | New to DT Role, Virtual School Overview – Delivered virtually by Pete McPartland | Wednesday 3rd December 2025 10-12pm & 4-6pm Online via Teams |
Foster carers | Decoding strategies and fluency training • To understand the importance of decoding to support children’s reading development • To explore the role of reading fluency in children’s reading development • To take away a arrange of strategies to support children with reading fluency and decoding | Wednesday 28th January 2025 10:00-11:00 Online via Teams |
Foster carers | ADHD Considering strategies to support at home. | Thursday 5th February 2026 9:30-11:30 Venue TBC |
Foster carers | Ready for Reception A year of transitions “Spring” and funding information | Wednesday 11th February 2026 11am Online via Teams |
Designated Teachers | Spring Network Meeting Agenda to be sent out nearer the date. | Tuesday 3rd March 2026 4pm-5pm Venue TBC – Runcorn Town Hall? |
Foster carers | Reading for Pleasure • To understand the role of reading in children’s wellbeing (link to emotional literacy) • To engage with a wide range of texts and authors to support children’s reading for pleasure • To consider ways to foster a love of reading with children | Wednesday 4th March 2026 10:00-11:00 Online via Teams |
Designated Teachers, Designated Safeguard Leads, Headteacher | Trauma Informed Environments
Delivered by our Education Psychologist team looking at how the learning environment through a trauma lense. | Date & time TBC |
Foster carers |
Cbeebies Parenting (Formerly Tiny Happy People) Navigating around the website and information. Suitable for Carers with toddlers.
| Tuesday 19th March 2026 10:00-11:00 Online via Teams |
Social Workers |
Early Years Funding Information & Early Years Foundation Curriculum | Thursday 19th March 2026 2pm Online via Teams |
For new Social Workers, DTs and colleagues across Education & Social Care | New to DT Role, Virtual School Overview – Delivered virtually by Pete McPartland | Wednesday 27th April 2026 10-12pm & 4-6pm Online via Teams |
Designated Teachers | Summer Network Meeting Agenda to be sent out nearer the date. | Thursday 14th May 2026 4pm-5pm Venue TBC |
Foster carers | Ready for Reception A year of transitions “Summer” and funding information | Tuesday 2nd June 2026 1pm-1:30pm Online via Teams |
Social Workers | Early Years Funding Information / Early Years Foundation Curriculum / Ready for Reception | Thursday 4th June 2026 9am Online via Teams |
Foster Carers | Bitesize Training Sessions To support all things Early Years – to be recorded and shared with Carers/added to the Website throughout the Year. This will enable Carers to access information sessions at more convenient times. | Ongoing – throughout the year |
Social Workers and colleagues across Education & Social Care
| Bitesize Training Sessions (i) Virtual School Remit (ii) Schools & Attendance (iii) SEND & the EHC Process (iv) School Suspensions & Exclusions (v) Key Professionals Drop-In (vi) Question & Answer Session | Date – TBC due to delivery of sessions at Team meetings. |
If you need more information please contact the virtual school: virtual.school@halton.gov.uk
A downloadable copy of the calendar is available: