Personal Education Plans

A Personal Education Plan (PEP) is a plan which supports children and young people in public care to do well at school. The PEP is a statutory requirement.

The plan:

  • provides essential information for schools and carers and encourages dialogue between social workers, carers and schools
  • identifies areas of strength and areas where extra support may be necessary
  • is a working document that is reviewed every term

An effective PEP will:

  • include all relevant personal information regarding school history, contact and responsibility details
  • identify areas for educational development and make sure there is access to services and support
  • have recent attendance and exclusion records
  • act as a record of the young person’s progress and achievements, both academic and otherwise
  • establish clear targets for the young person relating to academic achievements - where appropriate personal and behavioural targets will also be identified
  • include a consideration of improving access to out of school hours activities
  • identify who will action the plan, with timescales for action and review
  • consider school transitions and specify any additional support required for a successful transition

Who needs a PEP

A PEP is required for all children looked after from pre-school to 18 years, whether educated within Bracknell Forest or outside the borough. We make sure that PEPs are continued to the end of the academic year 13, irrespective of when the young person turns 18.

Children with disabilities and those who are out of school for any reason also need PEPs.

For pre-school children, the focus is on good quality play opportunities, early learning and access to appropriate nursery or other provision rather than formal educational goals.

What a PEP covers

The PEP should cover the following areas:

  • an achievement record (academic or otherwise)
  • the identification of developmental and educational needs (short and long term) in relation to the development of skills, knowledge or subject areas and experiences - this should cover:
    • ongoing catch-up support for those who have fallen behind with school work
    • transition support needs when children begin a new school
    • proposed action and timescales for the child’s reintegration into the full National Curriculum where it has been considered appropriate to dis-apply aspects of the National Curriculum
    • out of school hours learning or study support and leisure interests
  • short term targets, including progress monitoring
  • long term plans and educational targets and aspirations (for example, in relation to public examinations, further education, work experience and career plans and aspirations)

The process

The social worker is responsible for starting the process. They should book the formal meeting and make sure that all relevant sections of the PEP are completed.

In Bracknell Forest, the Virtual School takes a lead on making relevant arrangements once a notification has been received from the social worker. The Designated Teacher should chair the meeting but the Virtual School can also take this responsibility.

Timescales

The first PEP should be arranged within 20 school days of a young person entering care or joining a new school.

Review

The PEP should be reviewed each term. It should also be reviewed at other times if necessary, such as at a change of school, care placement or long exclusion.

A current PEP should always be available for review as part of the Care Plan.

The PEP is not normally reviewed concurrently with the child’s statutory review (undertaken by the Independent Reviewing Officer). However, for children with disabilities this sometimes might be appropriate.

At Bracknell Forest we aim to hold one PEP alongside the annual review of the Education and Health Care Plan.

Responsibilities of the school

The Designated Teacher must make sure that PEPs are in place for all children looked after in their school. They should liaise with school staff to make sure that all aspects of the plan are in place.

Criteria for quality assurance

The following criteria should be met to make sure the PEP meets standards:

  • the pupil voice clearly portrays the young person’s views
  • there is detailed information about the young person’s engagement with learning, social engagement, strengths and interests
  • there is an analysis of need, including sufficient information of the young person’s barriers to achievement
  • the plan should include details of what is currently in place - there should be a clear link between analysis of need, strengths and actions taken by the school, setting or college
  • the plan should include future planning with actions linked to stated areas of interest
  • outcomes are linked to an analysis of need - they should be aspirational and relevant
  • actions should match the outcomes and it must be clear how the impact is being measured
  • spend details of the Pupil Premium should be linked to targets
  • the plan should be sent within advised timescales

Plans for other children

PEPs are equally important for children with special education needs and disabilities and those young people out of school.

Those children and young people who have an Education, Health and Care Plan will already have targets in their Individual Education Plans which might be appropriate to incorporate into the PEP.

For children and young people out of school, the PEP should focus attention on what is needed and can impose timescales for action.

The PEP is intended as the overarching education plan, which is in turn an integral part of the young person’s Care Plan.

An effective PEP will make connections with but not duplicate other plans which could include:

  • a Care Plan
  • an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
  • an Individual Education Plan (IEP)
  • a Pastoral Support Programme (PSP)
  • any transition plans
  • a Pathway Plan