All schools are required by law to appoint a Designated Teacher. This statutory duty applies regardless of whether the school currently has any Looked After Children on roll. The purpose is to ensure that, when a pupil becomes looked after or a child in care is newly admitted, there is already a trained member of staff in place to fulfil this critical role.

The responsibilities of the Designated Teacher are outlined in Promoting the Education of Looked After Children (February 2018)  and the Role and Responsibilities of the Designated Teacher for Looked After Children (2018). The appointed Designated Teacher must be:

• A qualified teacher

• A headteacher or

• An acting headteacher

The Role of the Governing Body

The Governing Body has key responsibilities in supporting the Designated Teacher:

• Ensuring the Designated Teacher undertakes appropriate training (Section 20(2) of the Children and Young Persons Act 2008)

• Considering, as a minimum, an Annual Report from the Designated Teacher

• Working with the school leadership team to review the report and act on any issues raised, in order to support the Designated Teacher and maximise the role’s impact

Key Responsibilities of the Designated Teacher

The Designated Teacher should:

• Promote a culture of high expectations and aspirations for Looked After Children

• Ensure each child has a voice in setting their own learning targets

• Provide advice to colleagues on effective, differentiated teaching strategies and make full use of Assessment for Learning

• Prioritise Looked After Children in one-to-one tuition, and work with carers to reinforce the importance of learning at home

• Take lead responsibility for the development and implementation of each child’s Personal Education Plan (PEP) within the school

Guidance adapted from DCSF: Role and Responsibilities of the Designated Teacher (February 2018)