Education for Children in Care: Admissions, EHCPs and Pupil Premium Plus

Children in care (looked-after children) have specific rights in education—and there are systems designed to make sure they aren’t left behind during moves, court processes, or changes in placement. This guide walks foster carers and social workers through three pillars that matter most in practice: school admissions, Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), and Pupil Premium Plus (PP+)—with clear steps you can use straight away.

School admissions for children in care

Children in care and previously looked-after children (PLAC) are entitled to top priority in school admissions. That priority is written into the School Admissions Code 2021, which admission authorities must follow. In oversubscription situations, looked-after and previously looked-after children come before other criteria (distance, faith, catchment, etc.).

Priority rules and who they cover

Looked-after children (in local authority care) and children who left care through adoption, special guardianship, or child arrangements orders must be given highest priority in oversubscription criteria. The Code also clarifies priority for children adopted from state care outside England. This is crucial for avoiding delays when a child moves area mid-year.

In-year admissions and Fair Access Protocols

If a placement changes during term time, submit an in-year application immediately and flag the child’s status. Where a suitable place can’t be found quickly, Fair Access Protocols allow local authorities to direct a place to minimise time out of school. Keep your supervising social worker (SSW) and the Virtual School Head (VSH) in the loop early; they can help escalate if there are unnecessary delays.

EHCP vs general admissions

If a child has an EHCP naming a specific school, the admissions route is different: the local authority consults the school during the EHCP process and, if that school is named, it must admit the child (subject to lawful exceptions). If the EHCP is still being considered, apply via general admissions and pursue the EHCP in parallel so one process doesn’t hold up the other.

Designated Teacher and Virtual School support

Every school must have a Designated Teacher for looked-after and previously looked-after children, and each local authority appoints a Virtual School Head responsible for promoting their educational achievement. These roles coordinate admissions, support interventions, and ensure termly PEPs happen. Since 2021, VSHs also have a strategic role for children with a social worker (not in care), which strengthens cross-agency problem-solving when attendance or safeguarding issues arise.

EHCPs: when and how to seek extra support

An Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) can be requested when a child’s needs cannot be met through the school’s ordinarily available provision and SEN Support. The plan legally binds education, health and social care to deliver the help set out in Section F of the EHCP.

The assessment decision and the 20-week clock

Anyone can request an EHC needs assessment—the carer, social worker, school, or young person. After a request, the local authority must:

• Decide within 6 weeks whether to assess;
• Decide by week 16 whether it will issue a plan;
• Issue the final EHCP by week 20, unless an exception applies (e.g., summer holidays).

Keep all dates diarised and ask your SSW/VSH to escalate if deadlines slip.

What to include in your request

Set out specific needs and impact (learning, communication, SEMH, sensory), what the school has already tried at SEN Support (the “graduated approach”), and evidence of persistent gaps or risks (attendance, exclusions, part-time timetables). Attach reports—Educational Psychology, SALT, CAMHS letters, behaviour logs, attainment data—and the latest PEP targets to show what’s already in place.

Writing a strong Section F

Section F must list provision that is detailed, specific and quantified (not “access to,” but how much, how often, delivered by whom). For looked-after children, cross-reference with PEP targets so the EHCP and PEP work together: for example, “3×30 minutes weekly SALT direct therapy plus 15 minutes daily SALT-led practice in class”.

Reviews, moves and stability

EHCPs are reviewed at least annually (more often for under-5s or if things break down). If the child moves placement or school, ask the new school to convene an early review so support restarts quickly. Always send the named social worker and VSH the updated plan, and keep proof of any gap in provision—this helps the local authority address shortfalls promptly.

Pupil Premium Plus (PP+): what it is and how to use it well

Pupil Premium Plus is part of the pupil premium grant for looked-after and previously looked-after children. It is not a personal allowance; it must fund evidence-informed educational support that improves attainment and progress.

How much funding is available in 2025/26?

For the 2025–2026 financial year, many local authorities confirm PP+ at £2,630 per eligible child. For looked-after children, the money is managed by the Virtual School Head and released (often termly) against a quality PEP with clear, measurable targets. For previously looked-after children (PLAC), the £2,630 is allocated directly to schools, which must show impact in their pupil premium strategy. Expect local variations in how much is devolved to a school each term and how much the Virtual School holds back for central services.

Examples of current local policies show LA-managed PP+ for LAC, with per-term school allocations and top-sliced central projects; PLAC funding is paid directly to schools via census. Always check the Virtual School’s annual policy.

What PP+ can fund (and what it shouldn’t)

PP+ should follow the DfE’s “menu of approaches” and the school’s rationale for improving outcomes. Good uses include:

• High-quality tutoring (1:1 or small-group), especially around transitions;
• Speech and language programmes and specialist literacy interventions;
• Attendance mentoring, breakfast clubs, revision classes;
• SEMH support (e.g., ELSA), therapeutic mentoring, or trauma-informed strategies linked to the PEP targets.

PP+ should not replace SEN funding, pay for core staffing, or be treated as a general pot unrelated to the child’s plan. Spend must be traceable to need → intervention → expected impact.

Who decides and how to request support

For looked-after children, PP+ decisions sit with the Virtual School Head in consultation with the school’s Designated Teacher and the child’s PEP. For PLAC, decisions sit with the school, but the Designated Teacher should involve parents/guardians and use the school’s pupil premium strategy to explain how the funding will help. Either way, the plan should name the intervention, frequency, start date, and how impact will be measured (attendance, progress scores, reading age, exclusions, etc.).

Personal Education Plans (PEPs): make them work for you

Every looked-after child must have a PEP as part of their care plan, usually reviewed termly and chaired with the Designated Teacher and social worker present. A good PEP is practical and short on jargon: it lists current attainment, gaps, attendance, behaviour, SMART academic and wellbeing targets, the interventions funding them (including PP+), and dates for review.

What to bring to PEP meetings

• Latest school reports, attendance and behaviour data;
• Notes on home learning (what’s working, what’s hard);
• Evidence from specialists (EP, SALT, CAMHS, Virtual School projects);
• Updates on placement changes, contact arrangements, or health that could affect learning;
• A brief pupil voice (what the child wants more help with, what helps them feel safe in class).

Reducing disruption during moves

Placement or school moves are a major risk to progress. Use this checklist to keep education stable:

Before the move

• Get copies of key documents (PEP, IEP/SEN Support plan, EHCP, behaviour plan) and confirm the receiving school has them;
• Ask the Virtual School to broker a place quickly and, where needed, provide short-term tutoring to bridge the gap;
• Confirm transport and start date so attendance is continuous.

First four weeks in the new school

• Book an initial PEP or early review;
• Check the child is placed in the right groups and has baseline assessments;
• Ensure PP+-funded catch-up support starts immediately;
• Share the safe-caring and contact arrangements that may affect timetables (e.g., leaving early for supervised family time).

Common questions

What if a school resists an in-year admission?

Remind them of the priority status and, if needed, ask the local authority to use its direction powers or Fair Access Protocols. Escalate to the VSH early rather than letting weeks pass.

Our EHCP request was refused—what now?

You can appeal to the SEND Tribunal. In parallel, ask for a robust SEN Support plan and consider an Educational Psychology assessment via school or the Virtual School. Keep the PEP ambitious so the child doesn’t lose time.

Can PP+ pay for things outside school?

Yes—if it improves educational outcomes and is agreed in the PEP/strategy. Examples: specialist tutoring at home, therapy that removes a barrier to learning, or equipment that enables access to the curriculum. It shouldn’t duplicate health/SEN budgets or cover normal school costs.

Key takeaways for carers

• Admissions: Children in care and PLAC have top priority—push for swift in-year places and use Fair Access if needed.
• EHCPs: Use the 20-week timeline as your tracker; make Section F specific and tie it to PEP targets.
• PP+: In 2025/26, plan around £2,630 per child; for LAC it’s managed by the Virtual School, for PLAC it’s paid to schools—and spending must be evidence-based with clear impact.
• PEPs: Keep them termly, focused and measurable—they are the engine room connecting admissions, EHCPs and PP+.

With these levers working together—priority admissions, a watertight EHCP where needed, and smart use of PP+ via a strong PEP—children in care can make sustained academic progress even through the turbulence of care.