Personal Education Plan

All children living in foster care will have a Personal Education Plan (PEP). The PEP will ensure that the child whom you are responsible for will be receiving the best possible education available to them.

When a child comes to live with you, if the child is of compulsory school age and they are already in care - you should ask for a copy of the current PEP or PEP Review for the child – or ask for an expected date when the PEP is to take place.

For younger children at the Foundation Stage - there is the Early Years Personal Education Plan - for pre-school children attending a registered childcare provision, continuing to the end of the Reception Year in school, the process is the same.

If the child or young person has not been in care before they will require a PEP within 10 days (14 school days) of becoming cared for (to inform the 28 day statutory review) and the PEP should be reviewed regularly as outlined below;

 - First PEP within 10 days (14 school days) to inform 28 day statutory review.

            - PEP review in time to inform 4 month statutory review.

            - PEP review – thereafter – 6 monthly minimum to inform statutory reviews.

Where there are significant changes to a child’s schooling e.g. change of school, change of placement or change of key stage the full PEP rather than the PEP review should be undertaken. The child or young person’s Social Worker should initiate the PEP process and inform the Designated Teacher for Children in Care in the child's school that the child or young person is in care. The Social Worker should arrange the PEP meeting and set a date with the Designated Teacher. As the child’s foster carer, you should be invited to the PEP. It is important that you attend.

As Foster Carers you have a huge opportunity to make the difference with regard to PEPs. You need to be driving them in the sense that you ask to see PEPs and ask the Social Worker for the date of the next PEP for the child or young person in your care.

Are you linked to your child’s ePEP account?

Please email virtualschool@staffordshire.gov.uk to be linked.

You can complete your child’s views with them in advance of the PEP in Section 1 and your carer’s views on the meeting agenda in Section 2.

Guidance for pp+ use

Personal education plans (PEPs) - Staffordshire County Council

Pupil-Premium-Plus-Use.pdf (staffordshire.gov.uk)