What Is a Personal Education Plan?
A Personal Education Plan (PEP) is a statutory part of the care plan for every looked-after child of school age. It is a working document that records a child’s educational needs, targets and the support in place to help them progress. Every looked-after child in England must have a PEP, and it must be reviewed regularly.
Who Is Involved in a PEP?
A Personal Education Plan is created and reviewed together by the people around the child, typically including:
The carer or residential keyworker
The child's social worker
The designated teacher at their school
The child or young person (their views are central)
A representative of the Virtual School
What is a PEP Covers
A good Personal Education Plan sets out:
The child's current attainment, progress and attendance
Their strengths, interests and aspirations
Clear, achievable targets
Any additional support needs, including SEND support or an EHCP
How Pupil Premium Plus funding will be used
Actions, who is responsible, and timescales
The PEP Meeting
The Personal Education Plan is reviewed at a PEP meeting, normally held at least once every term (three times a year). The meeting checks progress against previous targets, sets new ones, and makes sure the right support is in place. The child should be helped to take part and share their views.
Pupil Premium Plus and the Virtual School
Every local authority has a Virtual School Head responsible for promoting the education of its looked-after children, part of the council’s wider corporate parenting duties. Looked-after children also attract Pupil Premium Plus, additional funding used, through the Personal Education Plan, to support their education with things like tuition, resources or enrichment activities.
How Welcare Supports Children's Education
Promoting education is one of the nine Quality Standards Welcare works to.
Across our therapeutic care homes, our keyworkers actively contribute to each child’s Personal Education Plan, advocate for them at PEP meetings, and work closely with schools and Virtual Schools to remove barriers to learning.
We support attendance, homework and aspirations, and use digital records to track each child’s progress over time. For young people moving on, this continues through our supported living service and preparing for adulthood work.
Final Thoughts
The Personal Education Plan is the key document keeping a looked-after child’s education on track. By bringing together the child, school, social worker, carer and Virtual School, and by making good use of Pupil Premium Plus, a strong PEP helps children in care achieve their potential despite the disruption many have faced.
Frequently Asked Questions
A statutory document, part of a looked-after child's care plan, that records their educational needs, targets and the support in place to help them progress.
At least once a term, three times a year, although they can be held more frequently if a child's circumstances change.
Typically the child, their social worker, the school's designated teacher, the carer or keyworker, and a Virtual School representative.
Additional government funding for looked-after and previously looked-after children, used through the PEP to support their education.
A local authority service, led by a Virtual School Head, that promotes and oversees the education of all the children in its care, even though they attend different real schools.