When a student is needing additional support sometimes either an Individualised Education Program (IEP), a Personal Learning Plan (PLP) or a Individual Learning Plan (ILP) is developed. These educational plans are put together by a team of individuals who are involved in the students everyday learning. These individuals include the student’s parents, student’s teacher and teacher aide, the schools wellbeing support officer and sometimes the principal as well. It is important everyone who is involved in the child’s educational journey knows and understands the child’s short-term and long-term learning goals. 

So first off, what is the difference between an IEP, PLP and ILP?

The purpose of an IEP is to outline the supports and educational services a student with a disability needs to succeed in school. The document is legally binding and is required when a student is diagnosed with a learning disability. An IEP is developed by a team of professionals, including the students’ parents, classroom teacher, teacher aide, and other relevant staff such as the schools wellbeing officer and principal. 

A PLP is a similar document, but it is designed for students who do not have a disability but are requiring some extra support in the classroom. This document is also developed by a team of professionals who are involved in the students educational journey. 

On the other hand, an ILP is a less formal document than an IEP or PLP. It is typically used for students who are struggling in one or two specific areas of their schoolwork such as Reading, Writing, Spelling, Mathematics or managing behaviour. Again, this document is also developed by a team of professionals so everyone knows and agrees on the supports that need to be put into place to target the students’ learning goals. 

The purpose of all three educational plans is to help students succeed in school. They do this by identifying the student’s strengths and weaknesses, setting goals for the student, and outlining the strategies that will be used to help the student achieve those goals.

The plans should be reviewed and updated regularly (such as every school term) to monitor the students’ progress and make adjustments to the educational plan where appropriate to ensure the student’s needs are being met. And that’s it! Hope this helps you understand the purpose of these educational plans and the differences between an IEP, a PLP and a ILP!

If you have any further questions, we recommend checking in with your child’s school so they can answer any questions you may have. Alternatively, if you are located on the Gold Coast and are looking for a tutoring business to support your child outside of school, our teachers would love to help. We have a team of qualified and experienced classroom teachers who have experience in developing and implementing IEPs, PLPs and ILPs in the classroom. Our teacher team can help support your child in tutoring sessions by working along side the goals and supports the school has outlined in their IEP, PLP or ILP. Contact us to see how our tutoring team can best support.