Guidance for Individual Educational Programmes: Preparing an Individualised Educational Programme
An IEP is coordinated by a key person who is working with the child or young person and prepared in collaboration with the team around the child or young person (all plan partners).
As with all ASL planning, the drafting, writing, implementing and reviewing of an IEP must involve the child or young person and their parent/carer using the preferred method of communication. Views must be sought, recorded and taken into account in the planning process.
The team around a child or young person may include:
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class teachers or early years practitioners
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support for learning staff
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guidance and pastoral staff
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senior managers
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family supporters or advocates
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an interpreter if required
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professionals from other agencies such as NHS, Social Work Educational Psychologists, Third sector agencies and independent advocates
This is not an exhaustive list. Anyone involved in supporting a child or young person to fulfil their potential can be involved in planning to meet their needs.
Processes needed for an IEP
All local authorities must have a set of procedures and processes in place explaining where each level of planning sits, linked to their staged level of intervention, for children and young people who require planning to meet additional support needs.
The following steps should be taken with the child or young person, and their family fully involved throughout and should include the following:
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A relevant and up to date profile of the child or young person with an analysis of identified factors, needs and how these can be met across all levels of ASL planning.
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Initial meeting with professionals, parents/carers and the child or young person to agree the areas which require this level of planning.
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Review of previous outcomes and plans
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Agreement that outcomes cannot be met through universal class and group planning alone and an IEP is appropriate. (The IEP should be used as or be part of a working document to inform learning and teaching and support the wider ASL planning as appropriate).
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Prioritising the next measurable outcomes (targets) and appropriate learning plan to meet identified needs if required.
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An agreed key worker or co-ordinator is identified.
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Circulation of draft and subsequent finalised plan with accessible versions devised as appropriate.
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Review dates
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Review of steps 1 and 2 to inform decision of future planning level required.
Even when the IEP outcome (target) is written as part of a wider planning document, such as the Child’s Plan or ASL Plan, the basic IEP principles outlined above need to be followed.
The difference between an IEP and a CSP
A Co-ordinated Support Plan (CSP) is the only statutory education planning document which must be put in place for those children and young people who meet all the legal criteria for one.
CSP’s are for children and young people who have additional support needs arising from complex or multiple factors which require co-ordination of support from the education authority and other agencies.
The CSP only contains the educational outcomes that require co-ordination, but only where the significant involvement of one or more agency is required. These outcomes are often the same as those in an IEP or wider ASL plan. Further details regarding CSPs can be found in the revised code of practice for supporting children’s learning (gov.scot).
The ASL/Child’s Plan is not a statutory educational plan. An IEP (whether stand alone or incorporated into a Child/ASL Plan is not a statutory educational plan.
Effective use of ASL plans and IEPs
Prompts in this document will help you to review the impact of planning in your establishment. You may also find it helpful to consider the following challenge questions:
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Has the child or young person and their family been given the appropriate support and opportunities to participate in the development and monitoring of their outcomes?
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Has a staged intervention or equivalent process been used effectively to identify the need for the appropriate level of planning, either initially or to continue?
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Does the document specify up to date strengths and additional support needs clearly in a way that everyone involved can understand?
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Is attainment and achievement of children and young people with ASL plans, tracked and monitored effectively to show impact? How do you know?
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Are outcomes written well? Are they individual to the child or young person? Are they measurable? Relevant to the identified needs of the child? Overarching?
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Is the child or young person aware of the measurable outcomes and what others are planning for and with them? Do they know what their planned outcomes are?
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Are short-term outcomes reviewed, evaluated and updated at least once per term and long-term targets reviewed, evaluated and updated at least annually?
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Is progression in learning planned over time from one IEP to the next, and is it clear and unambiguous?
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Do all staff know which children and young people have IEPs. How do you know?
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Are IEP outcomes evident in staff planning for learning and teaching?
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If the needs of the child or young person change or outcomes are not being met within the timescales, are there mechanisms in place to review and change the plan or the outcomes?
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How do IEPs contribute to planning across key transitions, including from pre-school to primary, from primary to secondary, and from secondary to post-school destinations?
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When IEP specific outcomes (targets) are no longer required, what information for staff, parents/carers and children and young people is available?
Where to find out more
The following links will help further understanding and communication around IEPs:
