Preparing for study, work and life |
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Careers and Apprenticeship Show
15 May 2019 : Portsmouth Football Club
Portsmouth City Council is working with the support of partner organisations (Southern Universities Network, Solent LEP, Apprenticeship Hub, University of Portsmouth and The Careers Enterprise Company), to deliver a Careers and Apprenticeship Show. This exciting event will bring together a range of employers who will be showcasing career and apprenticeship opportunities for young people. The event will have a focus on opportunities with pathways through level three to higher and degree apprenticeships.
The Careers and Apprenticeship Show will be a 3 part event:
- The first part of the day will be school focused with the aim of introducing year 10s to aspirational apprenticeship opportunities, helping them to make the right choice for post-16 and think about how they prepare for competitive applications.
- Part two of the Careers and Apprenticeship show is designed to show case real opportunities that young people can prepare for following the completion of their post-16 education. It has a strong focus on Apprenticeships - in particular higher and degree opportunities. The aim is to have parity of esteem with UCAS events that are open to year 12s. The post -16 part of the event will be specifically focused on options at the end of year 13/14.
- Part three of the event is open to a wider audience that will include parents/carers, young people in year 13, adults and professionals who advise and guide on apprenticeship applications.
To register your interest in attending please email hazera.begum@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
Early years |
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Gov.uk update
Government response to the Education Select Committee report on tackling disadvantage in the early years.
Leadership, recruitment and retention |
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New headteacher for Stamshaw Junior School
The University of Chichester Academy Trust is delighted to announce that Rob Jones has been appointed as the new Headteacher for Stamshaw Junior School. Rob is currently the Deputy Head at Arundel Court Primary School and will start his new post in September. Rob will be recruiting some new staff to join his team during the summer term. We are looking for dynamic and committed staff who will join Rob on his mission to create Stamshaw Juniors as the excellent school that the children in the Stamshaw community deserve. If you know of anyone who might be interested in joining Rob on this exciting journey please ask them to contact the Trust HR team on 01243793421 or unicathr@chi.ac.uk for more information on the opportunities that are available.
Headship changes at Highbury Primary and Manor Infant Schools
Sarah Sadler is retiring from Highbury Primary school this summer having spent 8 years as Headteacher at the school. Sarah has made a real difference to the education provided at Highbury taking the school from Special Measures to an Ofsted Good rating with Challenge Partners currently identifying the school as outstanding in facets of its work. Sarah is much loved by parents and pupils alike and is well respected in the Portsmouth education community where she has supported many other schools and initiatives. The Academy Trust and the wider Portsmouth education community will all miss Sarah and wish her well for the next exciting phase of her life. The University of Chichester Academy Trust is delighted to welcome Ashley Howard as the new Headteacher of Highbury Primary. Ashley is the current Headteacher of Manor Infant School and will transfer to Highbury Primary for the new academic year. We are delighted that he is remaining in Portsmouth and will be able to continue to support the Portsmouth Education Partnership in his capacity as Chair of the PEP Behaviour and Attendance Group. Emma Cornish has been appointed as the Interim Head of Manor Infant School.
Recruitment of school governors
We have had a good response to our recent campaign to recruit new school governors from amongst Portsmouth City Council and partner organisations. This means we now have a small number of colleagues from a wide variety of backgrounds who have expressed an interest in becoming a governor who have not yet been placed. Our suggested process is for prospective governors to have an informal conversation with the chair of governors or head teacher, and then attend an initial governing body meeting before an appointment is made. To find out more about our prospective governors and advise of current or anticipated vacancies please contact schoolgovernor@portsmouthcc.gov.uk.
Teach Portsmouth website |
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We are developing the new Teach Portsmouth website and would like to include video clips from existing Portsmouth teachers explaining why they enjoy teaching in Portsmouth and what Portsmouth has to offer teachers. Therefore, we are seeking willing teachers to be videoed. We will arrange the date and time to suit you, and we will not take up more than half an hour of any teacher's time. Ideally, we would like to capture the videos before the May half term holidays. If this is something that your school could offer to support, please email educationSPAR@portsmouthcc.gov.uk. Let's make our new teacher recruitment website and campaigns great by sharing what we already know about the positives - not just of teaching, but doing it in Portsmouth!
New teacher recruitment service
Schools across the country are being urged to sign up to a free service to advertise teaching vacancies and save on recruiting teachers into the classroom. 'Teaching Vacancies' is a website to advertise full, part-time and job-share roles and was launched on 8 April.
Opportunities for undergraduates to volunteer in Portsmouth schools
As part of our Teach Portsmouth campaign we are working closely with the University of Portsmouth to encourage their students to consider a career in teaching. One way to do this is to open up more opportunities for undergraduates to volunteer in schools, which could be anything from listening to the youngest children read to helping with GCSE revision activities. We're aware, that some schools are already using student volunteers, and also that any volunteering programme brings risks and logistical challenges. Before we take things further with the University it would therefore be useful to get some schools' views on where and how undergraduate volunteers might be able to be most usefully engaged and pitfalls to watch out with. We would be grateful if any colleagues willing to have a quick (10-15 minute) conversation about these issues could contact Alison Critchley (023 9284 1973) to arrange a time to talk.
School Improvement |
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Bramble Infant School and Nursery |
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Congratulations to Bramble Infant and Nursery School who maintained their 'Good' Ofsted rating at their recent inspection.
The inspector commented : 'The headteacher’s strong leadership has led to improved outcomes for pupils. He knows the strengths of the school and has taken effective action to address the decline in pupils’ achievement since the last inspection'
10 new research schools wanted to boost EEF's regional work
The Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) has launched a new round of "research schools" and have specifically said that they would like to see one in either Portsmouth or Southampton. Research school status is similar to teaching school status in that it brings additional funding to the school (£60k in year 1, £40k in year 2 and £40k in year 3) which means that the school can organise and commission training free for other local schools - so the advantages wouldn't just be to the successful school, but to all schools in Portsmouth. Time is very tight: the scheme was launched just before the Easter break with a deadline for applications on 3 May 2019, although the application process is relatively straightforward, with five criteria: credibility; understanding and use of evidence; capacity; changing practice; and building a network.
We are keen to work with schools to put in one or more quality bids and try to ensure that the new research school comes to Portsmouth rather than Southampton! If you are interested in the possibility of your school being the host school, either alone or working closely with one or two other Portsmouth host schools, please let Mike Stoneman or Jo Peach know as soon as possible.
Curriculum and CPD |
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New funding available to support international partner schools visits
Thousands of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds now have the chance to take part in school partnership visits, thanks to a new £2.5 million DFE programme running in partnership with the British Council.
Schools in England can apply for grants to take pupils aged 11 to 19 to visit a school in another country – an opportunity to experience a different culture; in Europe or further afield, improve their language skills and build independence, character and resilience.
The programme will fund over 100 visits for an estimated 2,900 pupils. It is aimed at young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, and we encourage participation from schools with above-average numbers of pupil premium students.
Young people are encouraged to stay with host families where possible, giving them the best opportunity to practise their language skills and be fully immersed in another culture.
The programme has a simple application process, grants to cover administrative costs, as well as seminars to help schools without much experience of international visits to find partner institutions abroad.
75th Anniversary of D-Day
You will no doubt be aware that 2019 marks the 75th Anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy. This will be an important opportunity for the city to mark its vital role in helping to launch the D-Day landings, particularly at such a pivotal point in time where the events of 1944 are passing from living memory into history. You can find a short summary about why D-Day is so important to Portsmouth's history by clicking here.
The council's work to mark the anniversary has already started. The D-Day Story re-opened last year after a £5m redevelopment and has already received excellent reviews from visitors, as well as being shortlisted for the European Museum of the Year Award. The new museum attracted over 80,000 visitors during its first year in operation and has become a valuable addition to our visitor economy.
Portsmouth will be the focus of national and international attention on Wednesday 5 June when Southsea Common will host the UK's national commemorative event for D-Day 75. This event will be attended by hundreds of Second World War veterans and VIPs. Later on 5 June the MV Boudicca will leave Portsmouth Harbour carrying 300 veterans. On 6 June the international focus will then switch to the commemorations in Normandy.
Events in Portsmouth will start on the weekend of 1/2 June, when the Historic Dockyard and the National Museum of the Royal Navy will host a D-Day weekend including the Historic Small Ships Memorial Flotilla and 1940s re-enactors. Events hosted or facilitated by Portsmouth City Council after 5 June will move towards a community focus encapsulating the themes of remembrance, reflection and reconciliation. This will include the traditional service at the D-Day Stone on 6 June, musical performances from the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Marines Association Concert Band, the D-Day Darlings and the Portsmouth Military Wives Choir. We will also be screening a children's film on Southsea Common, to be chosen by the public. The weekend will see The Portsmouth Revival, a vintage festival including military and classic vehicles and vintage stands and traders, along with community performances. Portsmouth Museum will also host a special exhibition of portraits of D-Day veterans loaned by the Royal Collection Trust.
Portsmouth's contribution to the ongoing legacy of D-Day will not end in June. In 2020 the last surviving Landing Craft Tank in Europe - LCT 7074 - will open on Southsea seafront, in partnership with the National Museum of the Royal Navy. The Portsmouth D-Day Museum Trust will also continue to support the work of the D-Day Story through the Normandy Memorial Wall.
Author Tom Palmer at The D Day Story
To mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings and the launch of his new book D-Day Dog there are places available in the morning and afternoon sessions to Meet the Author Tom Palmer at the D-Day Story on Monday 20th May. Places cost £10 per pupil and each £10 ticket entitles the child attending to one copy of the new book plus a tour of The D-Day Story. In addition, ticket holders will hear Tom talk and meet Tom, who will sign and personally dedicate each book on the day.
You might wish to consider this visit for PP children or as a reward for a group of pupils for example pupil librarians. Please contact the school library service to book places.
The event will be suitable for year 5 and 6 pupils.
Event times are:
Morning event 9.20 to 11.40 am
Afternoon event 12.45 to 3.00 pm
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EdTech strategy
The DfE has this week published a new EdTech Strategy Realising the potential of technology in education. The strategy has been developed to support all stages of the education sector and aims to support reducing teacher workload; increasing efficiency; improving accessibility and inclusion; supporting excellent teaching; and improving student outcomes.
Solent Maths Hub
Primary Maths Teaching for Mastery Work Groups 2019/20
In 2019/20, all Maths Hubs will be running primary mathematics Teaching for Mastery Work Groups led by Mastery Specialists. This programme is for schools who have a commitment to developing a teaching for mastery approach. Although the participation involves two teachers attending events outside of the school, it is expected that these two teachers lead development across the whole school. Each Maths Hub is now seeking to recruit schools for Work Groups, each involving six or seven schools. The document below gives information about the Work Groups and how schools can apply to be involved. The second round closing date is Monday 10 June 2019 when all applications received will be considered and places allocated. A third round with a later closing date may then be run for any unfilled places.
Dice Portsmouth - board game lounge
Dice Portsmouth is a board game venue in Albert Road (run by a former teacher from UTC). They were founded in the summer of 2015 after 2 board-gaming groups came together with a shared vision.
They are looking to collaborate with schools to host game design and development sessions at your school and are happy to plan a bespoke event.
Take a look at the website for more details of what they can offer or contact lee@diceportsmouth.com or Tel 07931 622275.
Emotional health & wellbeing |
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Portsmouth Restorative Practice Conference
Portsmouth’s first Restorative Practice Conference was held in March 2019. Staff and pupils from Highbury College, Mayfield School and Fernhurst Junior School shared some of the great work that they are carrying out.
Details of the presentation / workshops held can be found on the PEP website.
Relationships education, relationships & sex education (RSE) and health education : FAQs
Information from the Department for Education about the introduction of compulsory relationships education and RSE from September 2020.
Whole school approach RSE audit tool
The Sex Education Forum have designed an audit tool to give a snapshot of RSE provision in your school and uses a ‘RAG’ rating system to enable to quickly identify areas of weakness and strength in RSE provision, based on a set of best practice criteria mapped against a whole school approach. It covers areas such as leadership, policy, pupil voice and parent communication.
Child exploitation disruption toolkit for schools
The Home Office has published a child exploitation disruption toolkit. The toolkit is primarily aimed at frontline staff working to safeguard children and young people under the age of 18 from sexual and criminal exploitation. This includes law enforcement, social care, housing, education, the voluntary sector and related partner organisations.
Free bespoke Stonewall training for primary schools
Stonewall have received funding from the Government Equalities Office to offer a free bespoke training day to eligible primary schools in your local authority.
The training will help schools celebrate difference and tackle homophobic, biphobic and transphobic (HBT) bullying.
Schools in your local authority where more than 14% of pupils are eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) can apply for a free training day.
A trained Stonewall consultant will visit the school and spend the day there, delivering four training sessions to staff at times that suit the school. The sessions are:
- Session one: threading LGBT inclusion and celebrating difference throughout the curriculum
- Session two: creating inclusive policies
- Session three: chose between preventing and tackling HBT bullying for support staff, or a best practice briefing for SLT
- Session four: a whole school Twilight INSET based on Stonewall’s acclaimed training on tackling HBT bullying and language
Each training session lasts 1-2 hours and we’ll fit them all in on the same day. Schools can choose the date of the training day and the timings of sessions so that training fits in with the school calendar.
Each participating school will get a year’s free membership of the Stonewall School Champion programme, which includes exclusive education resources like lesson plans, curriculum planning toolkits and best practice guides; year-round support from the Stonewall Education Team; peer mentoring from another School Champion; and the chance to apply for a School Champion bronze award, with two phone consultations to help write and submit a successful application.
Schools can find out more and apply for a place, by visiting our website.
Rock Clothing's Anti Bullying Ambassador Training Scheme for schools |
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Rock Clothing is a local non-profit streetwear brand, headlining with urban garments which use their proceeds to run vital anti-bullying workshops across the UK in many primary and secondary schools. Our mission is to bring young people to the forefront of tackling bullying & driving change is educational institutions. Is making fun of someone's t-shirt choice really worth their life? We are Tackling Bullying Together!
Our headlining programme for schools is our official Anti-Bullying Ambassador Training programme, that gets young people directly involved with tackling bullying in their schools. Students learn how to become advocates for change and catalysts for welfare development within the education system. If you would like to know more about the programme and how your school can get involved the please email Keiran O'Toole or call 07462717019.
FREE Family Support Project Workshops
The Society of St James's Family Support Project works with families where children have been affected by parental alcohol use. We will be delivering free workshops to families and to professionals.
The workshop for families aims to increase understanding of alcohol parental alcohol use impacts children; to improve relationships; where to seek additional advice and support. The workshop is for anyone interested in understanding more about how alcohol can impact families; this could be someone who is drinking or a partner, friend or other family member. Workshops are also open to families working with tier 3 and 4 services.
The workshop for professionals aims to improve identification of families affected by alcohol; how to begin to have explorative conversations with families; brief interventions and where to access further advice and support.
Details of how to book are included in the posters. Please feel free to circulate to colleagues, partners and to your clients. If you would like some hard copies of the posters to display in your service please let us know and we will happily deliver some.
Spaces on each workshop are limited to 15, so please book early in order to secure a place.
School Attendance |
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 HOLD THE DATE : Aspirations Week 20 - 24 January 2020
On behalf of the Portsmouth Education Partnership, the council is proposing to run 'Aspirations Week' in schools across the city from 20th to 24th January 2020, and would like to ask you to hold the dates in your school calendars.
As part of the council's 'Miss School, Miss Out' school attendance campaign, Aspirations Week aims to help pupils think about the jobs they would like to have in the future, the skills needed in order to succeed in those jobs and how important attending school is in helping them to achieve their goals.
The week will consist of a variety of activities including assemblies, speakers, in class focus groups and - for primary schools - a 'dress up as your future self' day on Friday 24th January.
During the successful pilot held at Wimborne Junior School earlier this year, pupils thought about their future selves and discussed goal setting, resilience, potential barriers and the support available to help them. The response was very positive. Resources from the pilot will be made available shortly to primary schools and Chantelle Knight, PSHE lead at the council, is looking to work with PSHE leads from secondary schools to develop material suitable for older pupils.
We look forward to as many schools as possible participating, so please add Aspirations Week, 20th - 24th January 2020 to your calendar. Further details will follow.
Elective Home Education updates
Government response to call for evidence : This invited views on three specific aspects of elective home education: registration, monitoring by local authorities, and support for home educating families. This document outlines government’s intention to move towards a position whereby local authorities will be in a better position to take effective action to ensure that a child is receiving a suitable education – when such action is necessary. The first step in this is to help ensure local authorities are aware of the existence of children who are not in mainstream schooling. The Government’s consultation, launched today, sets out the legislative proposals to deliver this.
Consultation on children not in school
Following the DfE publication of its response to the 2018 call for evidence on elective home education (see above) they are now consulting on proposals for a register, maintained by local authorities, of children who are home educated. The DfE is specifically consulting on the following:
- The introduction of a duty on local authorities to maintain a register of children of compulsory school age who are not registered at schools of a specified type
- The introduction of a duty on parents to provide information to their home local authority if their children are within the scope of such a register
- The introduction of a duty on education settings attended by the children on the register to respond to enquiries from local authorities about the education provided to individual children. The settings in scope would not include those providing supplementary education outside school hours
- The introduction of a duty on local authorities to provide support to home educating families - if it is requested by such families.
The Association’s Educational Achievement Policy Committee will be formally responding to the consultation. If you have any comments you wish to feed into this process, please contact matt.cunningham@adcs.org.uk. The final deadline for responses is 24 June 2019.
Publication of revised guidance on elective home education, for local authorities and parents : these documents were consulted on at the same time as the call for evidence and have now been finalised.
Special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) |
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SENCo Newsletter Spring 2019
School organisation and buildings |
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School organisation workshop - FREE - final reminder
The School Organisation Workshop is on Friday 10th May 2019 (9:30-11:45am) at the Training and Learning Centre, If you haven’t already booked, we would encourage you to consider sending a representative. We hope that an SLT representative from each school/academy in Portsmouth will attend to participate in a discussion about how we can collectively shape school organisation to support improved outcomes for our young people and ensure a viable school system going forward. Representatives from MATs are also welcome. There will be a short overview of the current education landscape in Portsmouth, and an introduction to the recently updated suite of school organisation documents. The rationale behind the Council's approach to academisation will be explained before discussion takes place, in smaller groups, about the Council's school organisation policy and future school organisation opportunities.
The workshop is live on the Portsmouth Learning Gateway. The course code is: SCH/19/22. Please book a place(s) in the usual way.
If you have any queries, please contact Catherine.Hornby@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
Newly appointed Portsmouth Local Authority Designated Officer
Portsmouth City Council would like to welcome Hayley Cowmeadow as the new Portsmouth LADO.
Hayley Cowmeadow has over 25 years’ experience in social work, predominantly in local authority safeguarding, assessing children with complex needs.
Hayley's previous role within Portsmouth City Council was as an Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) where she worked to scrutinise the Local Authority’s Care Plan for children who are Looked After by the Local Authority and listen to the views of the child to ensure their plans are legally compliant and in the child’s best interest.
Hayley confidentially provides advice and guidance to HR, Education, Health and other professional colleagues regarding concerns for children relating to persons of concern in a position of trust.
If you require further information or you have a concern regarding a person in a position of trust, then please do not hesitate to contact the LADO on 02392 882500 or send an email to LADO@secure.portsmouthcc.gov.uk.
Traded Services 2019/20
The traded services for the 2019/20 school year are now available to buy. The majority of services are on two year SLAs covering the period 2019/20, and schools buying into these services need take no further action to secure these services for 2019/20. There are, however, a small number of new and changed services and schools wishing to buy these services, or to purchase a service they have not bought in 2018/19, should do so by Friday 24 May via the traded services website (7 May for the new catering SLA) - see attached letter for more details.
New city wide school meals contract
Information about the new school meals contract for Portsmouth schools will be circulated later today. As we move into the mobilisation period we will need to finalise which schools will be part of the city wide contract without delay. Schools will be asked to do this by purchasing the catering service through the traded services website by Tuesday 7 May 2019. For any queries please contact Christine Matchett
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