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<p>This government believes that all children and young people in care should be provided
with the support that they need in order to fulfil their potential.</p><p>That is
why we require local authorities, as corporate parents,to fulfil a legal duty to promote
the educational achievement of the children they look after, including supporting
them to progress into further and higher education.All local authorities are required
to appoint a Virtual School Head to ensure that that duty is discharged, and that
each looked-after child has a personal education plan which sets out how their aspirations
and educational needs, particularly around transition points, will be supported in
the short and longer-term.</p><p>In addition, the government provides enhanced pupil
premium funding of £1,900 each year for pupils who have been looked-after and we also
ensure that looked-after children are given priority in school admission arrangements.
Looked-after children and care leavers are also a priority group for receiving the
16-19 Further Education Bursary of £1,200 per annum.</p><p>For care leavers, local
authorities must offer a personal adviser and a pathway plan if they are in education
or training up to the age of 21 or up to 25 if they wish to resume their education
and training. Care leavers who pursue a recognised course of higher education are
also entitled to a one-off £2000 bursary, given by their local authority, as part
of the package of support they receive on leaving care.</p>
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