Personal education plans (PEPs) for looked after children

Last reviewed on 9 June 2021
School types: All · School phases: All
Ref: 11507

All looked after children (LAC) should have a personal education plan (PEP). Find information about who is responsible for creating and managing PEPs, and what a plan should contain.

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Contents

  1. What is a PEP?
  2. PEPs are initiated by the child’s social worker
  3. There’s no standard format for PEPs
  4. What needs to be in a PEP?
  5. PEPs should be reviewed termly
  6. Maintaining PEPs for pupils post-16

What is a PEP?

A personal education plan (PEP) is an ‘evolving record of what needs to happen for looked after children to enable them to make at least expected progress and fulfil their potential’. 

This definition comes from paragraph 20 of the DfE’s guidance on promoting the education of looked after and previously looked after children.

Looked after children (LAC) should have a PEP from pre-school to age 18, and this should make up part of the larger care plan that all LAC must have.

PEPs are initiated by the child’s social worker

The virtual school head (VSH) and the local authority (LA) should provide support.

Your school's designated teacher for LAC then takes the lead on the development and use of the PEP, and on monitoring the child's progress towards their education targets.

The

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