Hackney Virtual School

The Hackney Virtual School App is a platform that embodies everything that Hackney Virtual School offers. Foster Carers and children who are looked after are provided with instant access to updates and information where and when they need it. From training opportunities, to trips away and apprenticeship offers, this app ensures users never miss a chance to grow, develop and flourish. Ensuring users are kept up to date, regular news of upcoming events are made to the app, often accompanied by push notifications, to guarantee immediate notice of the issues and events surrounding Hackney Virtual School, and beyond! Users will also have access to contact information of Virtual School Staff when they need it most, with interactive buttons to call or email the staff or organisations contained within a dedicated Staff Directory. Users can also access age-appropriate information about the Online World, with live feeds of Online Safety News within the App. This will ensure that all adult users are kept abreast of the changing online environment and what to be aware of to ensure the children in their care are able to stay safer online. How It Works: Adult users and looked after children over 16 select their appropriate role and create an account. Available roles are Foster Carer, Social Worker, School Staff or Looked after Children 16+. This gives them access to age and role appropriate in App content.  They’ll receive targeted push notifications from the virtual school when relevant news is uploaded for them to read, or when opportunities for training or apprenticeships are announced. This information will also be retained in their App for future reference when it’s convenient and necessary. Targeted news items will also be added into the app by the virtual school team, making long scrolls in message groups a thing of the past.