Guidance for Individual Educational Programmes: Practice and process for Individualised Educational Programmes

IEPs should be written so as to be easily understood by children and young people and their parents/carers. For example, using plain English. 

There should be an accessible version, age and stage appropriate, of the outcomes (targets) for the child or young person to refer to and evaluate themselves  

A standalone IEP or a Child’s Plan/ASL plan containing IEP outcomes (targets) must contain all the following: 

• Basic information about the child or young person (name, date of birth, class) 

• A Plan/ IEP co-ordinator’s name (key or named person) 

• A list of relevant staff involved in supporting learning, with contact details (plan partners) 

Learner Profile of Need 

• Brief outline of the child or young person’s strengths  

• Brief outline of factors and needs arising for the child/young person  

• Reference to the staged intervention, assessment and analysis processes 

Evidence of parental and child or young person’s voice throughout 

Parents/carers and child and young people should be involved throughout the ASL planning process. The following suggest where this can happen: 

• Assessing and evaluating a full profile of need.  

• Reviewing previous outcomes(targets) and plans 

• Deciding which level of planning is most appropriate for example, when a learning profile clearly identifies individualised needs that cannot be planned for within the class or group planning and are not met within universal level of intervention within a setting, this should be clear. 

• Prioritising which needs are the focus for next steps relating these to identified needs. This may involve outcomes (targets relating to factors outwith the educational setting or at home) 

• The role that parents/carers and children and young people, as well as other plan partners can take in the support/actions/resources or adaptations required. 

• When exploring the next measurable outcomes (targets) where applicable, if wording is discussed, understood and agreed with the learner and their parent/carer, they are more likely to engage and take ownership of the outcomes (targets). 

It is recognised that when writing plans and the measurable outcomes (targets) in the first person, eg I will be able to use my symbolised task lists to organise my resources at the start of known tasks throughout my week, with less support from an adult, over the next term.  

If a discussion takes place with the learner around why this would be a good thing for them (in this case, in preparation for a transition to high school), the supports, roles of other and resources that will be available to help them to achieve this and how and when this will be measured, an outcome (target) can avoid being overwhelming and seemingly unachievable. 

Relevant details of parental and child and young people’s views (discussions, thoughts and any disagreements) can be recorded in accompanying minutes of meetings or within the plan itself dependent on format used as appropriate 

Outcome (target) based Learning Plan 

A measurable outcome (target) should state what is going to be different or better for the child or young person as a result of the tasks and adaptations to achieve that AND state how we are going to know that it has been achieved. 

Measurable outcomes (targets) should be: 

• Related to overarching needs such as Independence, social skills, regulation or communication  

• Relevant to the learner’s development /functional levels – related to identified needs 

• Adding value to what is already in place and building on past outcomes 

• Measurable either qualitative or quantitively eg – measurable increase in attendance or child is communicating that they are happier/more relaxed/less anxious. 

• Realistically attainable in specified timescale with indicated time expected for embedding learning and strategies etc before further assessing 

• Details of who, how and what will be used to support the child or young person to achieve each outcome and allow the child or young person to access their learning/achieve the outcome (target) including: 

• the child or young person and the parents/carers role in this as appropriate 

• approaches/adaptations will be put in place (that are new/different to what is already happening/ in the plan)  

• what will be explicitly taught/tried/evaluated  

• how this will be measured 

• Reviewed within ASL legislation timelines 

• Long-term outcome(s), to be reviewed at least once a year (date noted)  

• Short-term outcome(s), working towards the longer-term outcomes to be reviewed at least termly (dates noted).  

• Review dates, comments and updates to show progression and inform next steps. 

There is not one nationally agreed format or template for an IEP. As highlighted in Part 1, there are variations in planning to support additional needs across the 32 local authorities, and this includes the IEP formats and templates. However, irrespective of what format is used they should contain the above data set/information. 

If the Local Authority ASL planning document for example, an ASL Plan or a Child’s Plan, has the required data set already contained within it, IEP specific outcomes (targets) can be incorporated within the learning plan section. 

These may sit alongside short-term outcomes (targets) that do not require the same level of planning or review timescales, or this may only contain IEP long term and short-term outcomes (targets) and act as a standalone document where the planning to meet needs cannot be incorporated into class or group planning. 

1. Assess learning profile to identify ASN 

2. Can needs be planned for in class of group plans? 

3. Individualised Learning Plan (for remaining needs) 

4. Agree measurable outcomes and accessible version 

5. Review outcomes, adjusting learning plan accordingly

Summary ASL planning points 

An IEP requires:  

• personal data 

• key worker/ named person 

• detailed Learner profile 

• learner and parental voice 

• universal class support in place including differentiated planning etc 

• overarching, measurable individualised outcomes (targets) related to identified need 

An IEP is an outcome-based learning plan that: 

• states measurable outcomes (targets) for the learner to meet outstanding needs that cannot be planned for within class and group planning 

• states what supports/activities and who is responsible 

• has an accessible version of outcomes (targets) for the learner 

Exploration to establish if outcomes can be met through universal, class or group: 

1. Is there an individualised measurable outcome (target)? 

2. Can the outcome (target) be planned for through universal class or group planning? 

If yes to both questions, planning is adequate to reach the outcome (target). 

If no, the IEP outcome (target) is within an ASL planning document or stand-alone document.