If your child has been offered extra support at school, you have likely come across the term individual education plan. This guide explains what an IEP actually is, how it differs from an EHCP, and what parents can expect from the process in a UK school. Not sure who to speak to about it? See our guide to what a SENCO does. For autistic pupils specifically, schools often also use the Autism Education Trust Progression Framework alongside an IEP.
Quick Answer: What Is an Individual Education Plan?
An individual education plan, or IEP, is a document used by UK schools to record a pupil’s specific learning needs, the support being provided, and the targets being worked towards. It is set and reviewed by the school and is not a legally binding document, unlike an Education, Health and Care Plan.
What Does an IEP Usually Include?
- The child’s specific needs: a clear description of the areas where the child needs additional support.
- Short-term targets: specific, measurable goals reviewed regularly, usually termly.
- Support strategies: the teaching approaches and resources the school will use.
- Who is involved: which staff, such as a teaching assistant or SENCO, are responsible for delivering support.
- Review dates: when progress will next be assessed with parents and, where appropriate, the pupil.
Individual Education Plan vs EHCP: What Is the Difference?
An IEP is an internal school document with no legal force, set and managed entirely by the school. An Education, Health and Care Plan, or EHCP, is a legal document issued by the local authority for children with more significant or complex needs, and it legally requires specific support to be provided.
How Are Individual Education Plans Set Up?
A class teacher or the school’s Special Educational Needs Coordinator, known as the SENCO, usually identifies the need for an IEP after noticing a pupil is not making expected progress. Parents are normally consulted before targets are finalised, and most schools review the plan at least once a term.
What Can Parents Do to Support an IEP at Home?
Ask the school for a copy of the current IEP and its specific targets, so support at home can reinforce the same goals. Attending review meetings and asking direct questions about progress against each target helps keep the plan effective rather than a document that is set once and forgotten. If your child’s IEP relates to focus or organisation, our guide to study skills for ADHD covers practical strategies that work alongside school support.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an individual education plan the same as an EHCP?
No. An IEP is an internal school document with no legal force, while an EHCP is a legal document issued by the local authority that legally requires specific support to be provided.
Do all children with special educational needs have an IEP?
Not necessarily. Schools use IEPs for pupils who need structured, targeted support, but not every child on the special educational needs register will have a formal written IEP, since support needs and school policies vary.
How often is an individual education plan reviewed?
Most UK schools review IEPs at least once a term, though this can vary depending on the school’s own special educational needs policy and the individual child’s needs.
Who writes an individual education plan?
An IEP is usually written by the class teacher in collaboration with the school’s Special Educational Needs Coordinator, with input from parents before the targets are finalised.
