About the Personal Education Plan

Personal Education Plans (PEPs) are a statutory requirement for every child in care between the ages of 4 and 18 years old.

They are part of the care plan. They must be reviewed at least once every term. This is to ensure:

  • there is provision in place to support the child
  • progress is being made
  • that there is an effective plan in place to address any underachievement

A PEP should be initiated by the social worker (SW) by contacting the school’s designated teacher (DT). The PEP meeting will be hosted by the designated teacher (DT) in school unless the Virtual School adviser is present and will be available to chair.

Who is involved in a PEP

PEPs must include the:

  • foster carer (FC)
  • social worker (SW)
  • school staff

PEPs are an opportunity for all involved to share their views.

The child or young person can attend. Or they can be given another way to express their views which must be formally recorded in the PEP document.

Any other person or professional that the SW and DT consider valuable to the meeting should also be invited to contribute.

In Brighton & Hove, the PEP is recorded on the Welfare Call online platform and must be completed within 10 days of the PEP taking place. It will then be authorised by a Virtual School (VS) adviser and saved to CareFirst.

Please note, if the child in care (CiC) is an unaccompanied asylum-seeking child (UASC) the Ethnic Minority Achievement Service (EMAS) Team will link directly with the Asylum Team to give additional support in PEPs (for CiC in years Reception to Year 11).

When the Virtual School will attend

We will attend PEPs by invitation or when we feel we need to be present. We will prioritise attendance at PEPs by need such as:

  • a young person being new to care
  • risk of exclusion
  • attendance issues
  • not making expected progress
  • need for transition planning

PEPs and Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP)

If a child has a, EHCP (formally a statement of special educational needs), any changes to their education should be planned through an annual review and recorded in the PEP. If the child has an Individual Education Plan (IEP), the targets in this should be incorporated into the PEP.

Where possible, the annual review of the EHCP must coincide with a PEP meeting, to ensure a coherent plan.

How to complete a PEP

We use an electronic Personal Education Plan (ePEP). This is for children in care in Reception through to Year 13. The ePEP is viewed and typed electronically into an online template within a secure web-based platform called run by Welfare Call.

The PEP is also the tool used for Pupil Premium Plus requests (PPP). PPP requests should be recorded as ‘Outcomes’ from the PEP and properly costed there.

Every PEP should review the actions from the last PEP before setting new ones.

We authorise the PEP on the ePEP system to ensure they are:

  • high quality
  • completed in a timely manner
  • effectively address what is needed to ensure the child is making good progress
  • accurately reflect the voice of the child

Help to complete the ePEP and get log in details

ePEP help.

ePEP help – full guide.

Personal Education Plans for Children Previously in Care

Download a PEP for Children Previously in Care

Early Years and Children Previously in Care PEPs will stay as paper versions.

Download the Early Years and Previously in Care PEPs.

How to complete a PEP for Children Previously in Care

PEPs for children previously in care are not statutory but are considered ‘best practice’. They are initiated by education staff.

CPiC PEPs should be co-produced with parents/carers and involve children directly or indirectly.

We do not have the same statutory responsibilities or rights to access information for children previously in care. Therefore Virtual School staff do not oversee, attend or authorise CPiC PEPs.

More information

Contact our Education Support Worker for information or advice about PiC PEPs.