Vale of Glamorgan Council
Cyngor Bro Morgannwg
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Out of School Tuition

We provide Out of School Tuition (OOST) tutors through the Inclusion Team in the Learning and Skills directorate.

 

Our tutors help support learners who are unable to attend school full time. We may work with learners if they are unable to attend school for any of the following reasons:

  • medical reasons

  • mental health related problems

  • pregnancy

 

Our tutors support learners both in and out of school settings. They work with school staff and other professionals to support the childrens’ learning They also help to support learners to return to school.

 

How do learners get OOST support?

Schools can refer learners to our Social and Emotional and Mental Health Panel (SEMHP). Before a school applies to the SEMHP for support, they must get consent from the learner's parent or carer. Medical evidence of need must be provided as part of the SEMHP referral.

 

OOST is just one of the possible ways the Local Authority can offer extra support. 

 

We review OOST tutor provision as part of a learner’s pastoral support plan (PSP). Their PSP helps support them back to a fuller and broader learning offer in a phased and gradual way.

 

How long will OOST work with learners for?

OOST tutors work with learners on a short-term basis.

 

Tutors meet with the school, learner and their parents or carers to put together a Pastoral Support Plan (PSP). The PSP says what their individual learning will look like. There will be regular reviews of their PSP. Parents, carers, and learners all have a part to play in these review meetings.

 

Some learners will have a short-term assessment offer. They may have learning support remotely (online), in the wellbeing hub or in school.

 

OOST will end when:

  • the learner can return to their school, or

  • when they are no longer of school age (end of Year 11), or 

  • if an alternative provision better meets the learner’s needs

 

The PSP review will set out what the ending or transfer support is. It will also set out how OOST will close to the learner in a planned way. The SEMHP will be part of these OOST closure decisions.

 

What do the OOST tutors do?

The aim of the Inclusion Service is to make sure learners access a suitable full-time education that meets their needs. This may look different for each learner but will be a needs-based plan of provision as set out in the PSP.

 

Subject to the terms of the SEMHP referral and targets identified in the PSP, a member of the OOST Team will listen to the learner and liaise with the relevant school to support the learner’s education on an individual basis. This may include for example, providing teaching support for GCSEs in Mathematics and English at Key Stage 4 or providing access to the Wales Essential Toolkit (WEST) to develop numeracy, literacy, and digital skills.

 

Schools will continue to play a role in the learner’s education throughout the time OOST is offered, by:

  • setting up and attending PSP meetings

  • offering access to online learning and resources

  • enabling access to examinations