What support can you expect from your Post-16 Officer?

Our Post 16 Officer is Kat Johnston and she provides a range of support to our young people who are age 16+. She also works with a number of our Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children. Here is more information about how Kat can support you:

• Kat attends termly PEPs (Personal Education Plan meetings) for all young people in care and care leavers until the end of year 13. PEPs can continue beyond this if the young person would like this support. The purpose of a PEP is to review a young person’s education/training/employment progress, identify any barriers, provide any additional support and set targets.
• Kat can request 1:1 tuition for GCSE resits as well as other subjects including ESOL for our unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people (usually 1 hour per week).
• Kat will request a laptop/iPad/tablet for every young person on her caseload (a new device can be reissued after 3 years).
• Virtual School can fund £100 towards the purchase of a bike if needed to access education, employment, training or other enrichment activities.
• Other funding can be requested for support such as mentoring, sports clubs, work experience, training and UCAS applications.
• Kat can provide careers advice and guidance around post 16 options, job-searching, CV-writing and applications, where this is not available elsewhere. Kat is happy to provide this support virtually or go out and meet with young people in their homes/ placements and do joint visits with social workers, personal advisers or other professionals involved. Kat is a level 6 qualified Careers Adviser with many years’ experience of supporting young people and adults.
• Virtual School can fund Morrisby psychometric testing which is an assessment tool which takes into account someone’s abilities, skills and interests and suggests relevant careers and courses,
• Kat can signpost to other opportunities such as University taster days, revision courses and internships.
• Kat is there to support young people in care/care leavers with any aspect of education, employment or training and to challenge schools/colleges/employers or other professionals if they are not doing what they should be. Kat can also provide information, advice and guidance to other professionals working with the young person.
• Anything discussed with Kat is confidential unless the young person is happy for the information to be shared (the exception would be if there is a safeguarding concern).

You can contact Kat directly here: kat.johnston@wokingham.gov.uk 

There is also an excellent list of resources available to support post 16 students available here