Shropshire Virtual School Early Years
PEPs for children in the Early Years
All children who are looked after must have a care plan, of which the PEP is an integral part. The PEP should be initiated from pre-school to age 18 as an evolving record for the child and reflects a personalised approach of support to help them fulfil their potential. Shropshire Virtual School ask settings to hold a PEP meeting using the e-PEP (an electronic education record) so that each child can be supported on their learning journey and transition into school can be carefully planned for.
If you would like to contact Shropshire Virtual School for any advice or support on early years please email us at virtualschool@shropshire.gov.uk.
Please see our education promotion guidance for further information.
It's a social worker's responsibility to work with the early years setting and parents/carers to ensure that this is completed as it forms the education component of the child’s care plan. It will identify need and interventions that support learning through play and the acquisition of language and skills.
We hope the information and guidance on our website helps every supporting person to achieve a good quality PEP for our young people. Below are the documents that have been co-produced with our social care managers, our schools and our parent representative. Thank you to everyone who took part and supported in the development of Our Shropshire PEP.
PP+ for children in the early years
Early Years Pupil Premium Plus (PP+) is an entitlement for children who are accessing quality provision and meet the required eligibility. Detailed information can be found on GOV.UK.
In summary, a child will be eligible for EYPP if the child receives either:
- The universal 15 hours entitlement for 3 and 4-year-olds or
- The 15 hours entitlement for 2-year-olds receiving additional support or
- 15 hours entitlement for children aged 2 years of eligible working parents or
- the 15 hours entitlement for children aged 9 months to 2-year-olds of eligible working parents
AND
they meet any of the other criteria, which include currently being looked after by a LA in England or Wales or they have left care in England or Wales through an adoption order, a special guardianship order or a child arrangement order.
EYPP becomes payable from the beginning of the term following an eligible child turning 9 months old or the beginning of the term following their second or third birthday.
All Early Years providers who provide early years entitlements provision to children eligible for EYPP are eligible to receive the EYPP.
Where a 3-4 year old child, a 2 year old child or a child aged 9 months to 2 years is also eligible for the additional 15 hours entitlement for eligible working parents, EYPP is paid on the first 15 hours only, up to a total of 570 hours in the year. Where children are looked-after by a LA, the LA must fund the EY provider a flat rate of at least £1 multiplied by 570 hours (at least £570 per year).
Funding the EYPP for the child is the responsibility of the LA in which the setting is based. Find out more from the Department for Education guidance.
Learn about Shropshire’s application process for EYPP and complete the application form.
It's essential that this form is completed in order that the child’s EYPP funding can be released to their EY setting. Without this form, the EY Funding Team are unable to process this payment.
If a child is attending an Early Years setting in Shropshire, the setting will receive payments directly from the Shropshire Council Early Years team.
On receipt of PP+, Shropshire Virtual School would expect as a result to be able to see in the child’s PEP how settings are effectively using the grant to benefit the child’s educational development and needs.