When a child enters care, education can become the anchor that steadies everything else. Three pillars help that happen in England: Virtual School support, Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) where needs are significant, and Pupil Premium Plus (PP+) funding to close gaps. This guide explains how each works, what carers and schools should expect, and practical steps to secure the right support quickly.
The Virtual School: your child’s ‘second school’ team
Every local authority has a Virtual School Head (VSH) who champions the education of looked-after children (and, increasingly, children with a social worker and some kinship arrangements). They don’t replace your child’s school; they oversee progress, attendance and support across all schools, advise designated teachers, and scrutinise how PP+ is used. Their role has been extended in recent guidance to include children with a social worker and kinship care arrangements, with a strong focus on attendance and tackling barriers (trauma, instability, exclusions risk).
What you should see in practice
- Fast school moves: where a placement changes, the Virtual School works with admissions to minimise gaps and get a school place in line with statutory guidance for looked-after children.
- Termly challenge: the VSH asks schools for evidence that PP+ and SEN support are improving progress/attendance, not just buying “extras.”
- PEP quality control: the Virtual School should attend or quality-assure Personal Education Plans (PEPs), ensuring targets are specific and properly resourced.
Top tip for carers: ask your supervising social worker for the Virtual School inbox and named officer. If attendance dips or behaviour escalates, loop them in early—they can unlock tuition, educational psychology advice, or broker restorative approaches before issues snowball.
The Personal Education Plan (PEP): the engine room
Every looked-after child must have a PEP—a living document within the care plan that records attainment, attendance, SEN needs, targets and interventions. PEPs should be updated each term and reviewed before the statutory care review so education and care planning stay aligned.
What a strong PEP includes
- Clear starting points (reading age, teacher assessments, attendance).
- Three to five measurable targets linked to barriers (e.g., working memory, anxiety, gaps in phonics).
- Named interventions with frequency, staffing, and review dates—ideally evidence-based strategies rather than vague “extra support.”
- Funding line: who pays for what—PP+, SEN notional budget, or other sources—so there’s no confusion later.
If the PEP drifts into generalities (“build confidence”), ask for the target to be rewritten with a measure (“complete 2× 20-minute reading sessions weekly; reading age improves by 6 months by next PEP”). The designated teacher leads this work; the Virtual School quality-assures it.
Pupil Premium Plus (PP+): funding that must change outcomes
PP+ is part of the Pupil Premium grant paid to improve outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. For looked-after and previously looked-after children, PP+ is ring-fenced to address individual needs identified in the PEP and must be evidence-led. Schools and Virtual Schools are expected to link spending to approaches with proven impact and to evaluate results each term. Conditions of grant for 2025–26 reiterate these accountability expectations.
Good uses of PP+ might include:
- Targeted literacy/numeracy tutoring (with entry/exit data).
- Speech and language sessions where communication needs impact learning.
- Trauma-informed support: e.g., emotion-coaching programmes or structured mentoring.
- Attendance packages (travel support, breakfast club, after-school participation) when agreed within the PEP.
Less effective spending: general classroom resources or whole-school items with no direct link to the child’s barriers. If a school proposes this, ask: “How will this improve this child’s attendance, progress or wellbeing, and how will we measure it by next PEP?”
EHCPs: when needs require statutory provision
Many children in care do well with high-quality teaching, pastoral support and PP+-funded interventions. But where needs are complex or long-term, an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) may be necessary to secure legally enforceable provision (e.g., specific therapies, specialist teaching, 1:1 support). The SEND Code of Practice (0–25) sets the process: request assessment, 20-week statutory timescales, co-production of the plan, annual reviews, and the right to appeal. The Code was updated in 2024; its core duties remain the reference point for carers and schools.
Who can request an EHC needs assessment? A parent/carer, the young person (16–25), or the school. Social workers and Virtual Schools frequently help coordinate evidence. Key evidence includes PEPs, assessments, and proof that SEN support at “SEN Support” level has not been enough.
Be aware of policy debate: national reform of SEND is being discussed in 2025, including proposals that could reshape how EHCPs operate. No change has legal effect until new legislation/guidance is in force, so the current Code and tribunal rights apply—but keep an eye on national updates.
Making the three pillars work together
1) Start with attendance and belonging
Children in care can carry high levels of stress that show up as lateness, refusals, or behaviour. Virtual Schools are explicitly asked to help schools understand and improve attendance for children with a social worker—this is a culture and systems job, not just a register issue. Agree an attendance plan in the PEP with named strategies (trusted adult check-ins, flexible starts, safe space).
2) Diagnose barriers, then match interventions
Use assessment to pinpoint barriers (language processing, phonics gaps, anxiety around writing). Then choose interventions with a track record, fund them via PP+ or SEN budgets, and set measurable review points in the PEP.
3) Escalate to EHCP if provision can’t be delivered without it
If a child needs specified therapies, higher staffing ratios, or placement in specialist provision, the only way to guarantee that is an EHCP. Don’t wait for crisis: agree at a PEP that an EHC needs assessment will be requested, allocate responsibilities for gathering evidence, and keep to the statutory timeline.
4) Keep the designated teacher central
Every maintained school and academy must have a designated teacher for looked-after children. They are your go-to for PEP quality, PP+ planning, staff training, and coordination with the Virtual School. If progress stalls, ask for a meeting with the designated teacher and the Virtual School together.
Practical checklists
At every PEP
- Latest attainment and attendance data included.
- 3–5 SMART targets addressing named barriers.
- Funding lines (PP+, SEN, other) attached to each action.
- Named adult responsible and review date.
- Virtual School sign-off or attendance.
When PP+ is agreed
- Evidence base noted (why this intervention).
- Entry and exit measures defined.
- Cost and duration set; review each term.
- Plan for sustainability (what happens when PP+ ends).
If considering an EHCP
- Collate assessments, PEP history, SEN Support plan, and professional reports.
- Confirm the request route and expected timescale under the Code (20 weeks).
- Schedule interim support so the child isn’t waiting without help.
Common pitfalls—and how to avoid them
- Vague PEPs: “extra support” without targets leads to drift. Insist on SMART wording and termly evaluation.
- PP+ as a general top-up: funding should follow need, not be absorbed into whole-school costs. Tie every pound to a barrier and a measure.
- Late escalation: if SEN Support isn’t closing gaps, log this in PEPs and move to an EHCP request promptly—especially where therapies or specialist settings are likely.
- Attendance treated as behaviour only: trauma-informed approaches, predictable routines and trusted relationships come first; the VSH can advise schools on what works.
Final word
The best outcomes arrive when Virtual School oversight, a high-quality PEP, sharply targeted PP+, and EHCPs where needed all pull in the same direction. As a carer or practitioner, you don’t need to know every acronym—but you should feel confident asking three questions at every review:
- What’s the barrier we’re solving?
- What intervention are we funding—and how will we measure impact by next term?
- Do we need an EHCP to secure this provision long-term?
Keep those questions front and centre, involve the designated teacher and the Virtual School early, and you’ll turn the system’s moving parts into a coherent plan that sticks.