MOD Virtual School

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What is the MOD Virtual School?

The MOD Virtual School (MODVS) holds responsibility for maintaining oversight of the safety, welfare, and education of children who live overseas in an area that does not have a DCS School (except for the USA, Australia, and New Zealand).

The MODVS does not exist in real terms as a building; the team do not provide children with their education. They remain the responsibility of the school which they attend (or parents for those who Electively Home Educate (EHE)).

Working cooperatively and collaboratively with parents and guardians, Host Nation schools, and overseas commands, the MODVS subject matter experts provide advice and guidance alongside monitoring a child’s attendance, safety, and wellbeing.

The MODVS team includes a Head Teacher with support staff who can give advice and support on all aspects of education overseas, including:

  • Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND)
  • Curriculum enquiries
  • Academic progress
  • Concerns regarding quality of education
  • Support during transitions


How does it work?

  1. Service Personnel assigned overseas follow the DCS Overseas Education and Supportability process and gain ‘Educational Supportability’.
  2. Eligible children are automatically enrolled in the MODVS. At present, this is children who attend non-MOD schools across the world excluding the USA, Australia, and New Zealand.
  3. Data relating to the child and their parents needed for the purposes of education, welfare, and safeguarding will be entered onto the DCS School Management Information System.
  4. Parents will be notified via email that their child has been enrolled in the MODVS, and will receive a follow up email after their assignment date to see how the transition to their new school has gone.
  5. The MODVS team are then available to support families, schools, and Commands with advice and guidance relating to education overseas.
  6. Further emails will be sent to check-in in advance of the provided assignment end date to begin prepping the family for their move, and to ensure that the MODVS are aware of where the child will be going next.
  7. A final email will be sent after the family have returned to the UK to confirm what school the child is now going to and to say farewell.

Other elements of the MODVS

The DCS Welfare Team provide the MODVS with formal and informal support as part of a wider DCS package. Every overseas command location has an allocated Education Welfare Officer (EWO); the EWOs are experienced practitioners who provide subject matter expertise in all overseas spaces regarding education welfare, attendance, and tracking Children Missing in Education.

The DCS Safeguarding Team are another key partner of the MODVS. They provide safeguarding subject matter expertise, advise, and guidance on all matters relating to safeguarding delivery. This includes safeguarding in education, early help, and other below social work threshold concerns.

The DCS Overseas Education and Supportability Team (OES) are integral to the success of the MODVS, giving advice and guidance ahead of assignments in overseas locations as well as coordinating the assessment of educational supportability. This includes notifying the MODVS of incoming eligible children.

If required when returning to the UK, the Education Advisory Team (UK) (EAT(UK)) are on hand to provide authoritative, bespoke, and professional advice to Service and eligible MOD Civilian families on a wide range of educational issues within the UK.