Student Helps Create Virtual School Website

A student at Canterbury College has helped to design a website that will be used by experts to make sure children in care get more out of life.

Theresa Jackson has been working on ideas for Kent County Council’s new Virtual School website for the past three months. The Virtual School offers advice and information to professionals who work with children in care, or those who have recently left care.

Theresa is in the first year of a BTEC Extended Diploma in Art and Design, and after finishing the course, is hoping to go to university and eventually become an interior designer.

The 18 year-old from Whitstable said: “I was asked to design a logo for the site because I was studying art and had been in foster care myself. I understand a lot of what others in foster care go through so have tried to make the site welcoming. It was a lot of hard work; I prefer sculpting so designing a logo and graphics was very different. I am really proud of the final outcome and the fact that a lot of people will be using this site.”

Course Tutor Rob Black said: “Theresa has worked really hard on the designs and we all think the finished website looks really good. It’s great for our students to get experience working with big organisations like KCC, and thousands of people will eventually benefit from this particular website.”

The website, which can be used by teachers, teaching and support assistants, tutors, KCC officers who work with and around looked after children, social workers, school governors, headteachers, designated teachers, special educational needs coordinators and carers, is available at www.virtualschool.lea.kent.sch.uk (opens in new window).