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What is a Personal Education Plan (PEP)?
A PEP is the part of a looked-after child’s care plan that covers their education. Every child in care must have one. It sits alongside school reports — not instead of them — and is reviewed regularly so that nothing about a child’s learning gets lost when their home life changes.
Who it's for
Every child or young person who is “looked after” by a local authority in England — from early years right through to age 18 — must have a PEP. That includes children in foster care, residential care, kinship arrangements made through the LA, and children placed under a section 20 voluntary arrangement.
Children who have left care but are still in education (care leavers up to 25) can have a continuing education plan agreed with their Personal Adviser.
When it must be created (10 working days)
The first PEP must be put together within 10 working days of a child becoming looked after, or within 10 working days of them starting a new school. The Virtual School Head is responsible for making sure this happens.
If 10 working days have passed and no one has organised a PEP meeting, that is a missed statutory deadline. You can email the Virtual School Head and the child’s social worker to ask when the meeting will be held.
Who's involved
- Virtual School Head — the LA officer responsible for the education of all children in that authority’s care, including those placed out of borough.
- Designated Teacher — a named teacher in the school whose job is to champion looked-after children.
- Social worker — coordinates the wider care plan and attends the PEP.
- Carer — foster carer, kinship carer or residential keyworker who knows the child day-to-day.
- The young person — their voice must be heard, in writing or in person, in a way that suits them.
- Birth parent — invited where appropriate and where they hold parental responsibility.
How often it's reviewed (every 6 months)
A PEP must be reviewed at least every 6 months, and more often if the child’s placement or school changes. In practice many Virtual Schools review termly (every term in the school year).
You can ask for an earlier review at any time if something significant changes — for example a new diagnosis, a school move, a period of being out of school, or an exclusion.
What Pupil Premium Plus is (~£2,570 per year per LAC)
Pupil Premium Plus (PP+) is extra government funding — currently around £2,570 per year for each child in care of compulsory school age. It is paid to the Virtual School, not directly to the school, and it is meant to be spent on things that close the attainment gap for that specific child.
The PEP is the document that decides how PP+ is spent. Examples of good use: one-to-one tutoring, speech and language therapy, a laptop, a counsellor, exam access arrangements, a music or sports activity that builds confidence.
You are entitled to ask, at every PEP meeting, exactly what PP+ has been spent on for your child this year and what is planned next.
What a good PEP looks like
- It is written with the child, not just about them.
- It names specific targets — not just “making progress”.
- It lists what PP+ is being spent on and the impact so far.
- It records any SEND, EHCP status, or pending assessments.
- It includes attendance, behaviour incidents and exclusions honestly.
- Each action has a named person responsible and a date.
- It is signed off by the Virtual School Head.