High quality Personal Education Plans (PEPs)
Quality of Personal Education Plans [PEPs] - funding to schools, academies and early years settings 2026 to 2027
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 PEP. The PEP 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 PEP 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, emotional wellbeing, 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 PEP 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 2026 to July 2026 to make at least "above expected progress" as measured against national measures of expected progress.
The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) consistently highlights one-to-one tuition as one of the most well evidenced and impactful targeted interventions, when implemented effectively. The pupil premium plus grant will fund one-to-one tuition up to a maximum rate of £50 per hour. 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) 2026 to 2027
For the financial year 2026 to 2027 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 £1,190 for all statutory school aged pupils through the completion of a quality PEP 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 2026 to 2027 on completion of a quality PEP. PEPs must take place termly (three times per year).
EYPP for children in the care of Lincolnshire aged 3 and over will be allocated as per conditions of grant in liaison between the virtual school and the Lincolnshire Early Years and Childcare Team (see Appendix 2).
From April 2026, early years pupil premium for children in the care of Lincolnshire will be paid in three instalments:
- spring term - £189.75
- summer term - £224.25
- autumn term - £241.50
In line with the Early years entitlements: local authority funding operational guide 2026 to 2027 - GOV.UK , where a child in the care of Lincolnshire attends an early years setting located in another local authority, the setting will be required to confirm whether Early Years Pupil Premium is being claimed from their home local authority. This information will determine whether any Early Years Pupil Premium funding is allocated by Lincolnshire Virtual School.
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 PEP 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 £1,190 per child will be sent to the school in one tranche and be regularly reviewed through the PEP process.