High quality Personal Education Plans (PEPs)
Quality of electronic Personal Education Plans [ePEPs] - funding to schools, academies and early years settings 2024 to 2025
The pupil premium plus grant (above the initial allocations – see below) will only be provided to meet the needs of children in care as identified in a high quality ePEP. The ePEP must have clear quantitative (and exceptionally qualitative) targets for academic improvement, underpinned by well-targeted support. The virtual school regularly quality assures plans. We provide challenge and support to education settings, social workers and IROs as required.
Interventions must be time limited and scrutinised for effectiveness at each review. Interventions must support the principle of "best value" and cost effectiveness.
The pupil premium plus grant must be used by education settings to improve academic outcomes for children in the key areas outlined in the Lincolnshire ePEP to:
- commission, develop, target effective interventions to accelerate progress and meet the individual academic needs of children in care particularly in reading, writing and mathematics
- extend wider opportunities for achievement for example in an area in which the child is gifted and talented
- improve engagement and attendance
- encourage greater participation and inclusion (by reducing internal , external and social exclusion)
- support the development of key social skills, resilience, self- reliance, and independence
- better support transitions into the next key stage and, or a new learning provider to ensure stability of placements
The ePEP will show the baseline data, target for improvement, expected outcomes and cost of support. For example: Sam is below national age-related expectations in reading. To enable Sam to accelerate progress in reading, he will have:
- 12 hours of one-to-one support at £50 per hour
- membership of Letterbox Club (organised via virtual school)
- 15 minutes a night of reading with foster carers recorded in his reading log
Time period for achievement of this target: April 2024 to July 2024 to make at least "above expected progress" as measured against national measures of expected progress.
National and international studies have shown that one to one tuition can have a disproportionately positive impact for children in care. The pupil premium plus grant will fund one to one tuition at a maximum rate of £50 per hour up to a maximum of 12 hours per term (autumn, spring and summer). The use of pupil premium plus grant for additional school commissioned support utilising therapeutic programmes for example should be agreed in advance with the allocated virtual school co-ordinator. This ensures the consistent application of "best value" principles in relation to the use of grant.
Pupil premium plus grant and early years pupil premium (EYPP) 2024 to 2025
For the financial year 2024 to 2025 the Lincolnshire VSH will provide children in care in years reception to year 5 and year 7 to year 10 an initial allocation of £750 per child followed by a further payment of £750 at the start of the following term. Pupils in years 6 and 11 will receive a proportionate amount of the initial grant to effectively support the young person's transition into the next phase of their education. This will be allocated to the current school. Schools can also apply for funding up to an additional £1030 for all students through the completion of a quality ePEP unless there is evidence that the needs of the child or young person are such that an enhanced package of intervention is required. Early years pupil premium for children in care resident to Lincolnshire will be allocated as per conditions of grant 2024 to 2025 on completion of a quality ePEP. ePEPs must take place termly (three times per year).
EYPP for looked after children resident to Lincolnshire will be allocated as per conditions of grant in liaison between the virtual school and the Lincolnshire Early Years and Childcare Support Team (see Appendix 2).
Proposals to pool pupil premium plus funding to enhance services (for example where a school or group of schools has, and is likely to have, consistently high numbers of children in care on roll over a period of years) will be considered by the VSH. This must be agreed between the child's school head or principal and the virtual school head in advance. It must be based upon a cohesive support package captured within the ePEP for all Lincolnshire children in care attending the school. These will also have clearly outlined costings and success criteria relating to the individual educational outcomes of each child in care within the context of the 'pooled funding'. The allocations of £1080 per child will be sent to the school in one tranche and be regularly reviewed through the ePEP process.