School improvement |
|
 |
High praise from Ofsted following full inspection of Medina Primary School
Medina Primary School has been rated Good following a full inspection by Ofsted on 9-10 July 2019.
Senior leaders are determined to provide all pupils with the best possible start to their
education. Along with other staff, senior leaders deliver their ambitious vision effectively. Consequently, pupils benefit from a good-quality learning experience.
Teaching is consistently good across the school. Teachers use questioning skilfully to develop the knowledge and understanding of most pupils well.
Pupils love their school. They attend regularly and enjoy the wide variety of enriching
opportunities provided.
Ofsted school inspection update - September 2019
The latest School Inspection update from Ofsted is now available and includes important information about transitional arrangements for the curriculum, parental views and inspections of exempt outstanding primary schools.
Leadership, recruitment and retention |
|
 |
Portsmouth Teacher Experience Programme - now open for applications |
|
 |
The Portsmouth Teacher Experience Programme is an exciting new pilot programme for suitably qualified applicants who are considering training to teach, or returning to teaching, in September 2020. The programme is free of charge to graduates (or those who are due to graduate in summer 2020) who live, work or study in Portsmouth. This unique experience will allow prospective teachers to spend up to 2-3 days in a Portsmouth primary or secondary school, during which time they will have the chance to:
- Sit in on a variety of lessons, working with pupils under the guidance of the teacher;
- Meet the head or CPD lead to receive advice on routes into teaching and discuss which might be most appropriate;
- Spend time with a newly qualified or recently qualified teacher to hear first- hand experience.
If you know anyone interested in getting into teaching, please do encourage them to visit the Teach Portsmouth website to learn more about this exciting opportunity.
Invitation for headteachers: Education and Employers Event
The attached invitation to attend an Education and Employers Event at Drapers' Hall on Tuesday 15 October 2019 has been extended to headteachers.
Key figures from the UK and abroad will speak briefly about the latest employment trends and educational performance around the world and how the UK compares.
View the invitation to learn more and register attendance.
|
|
 |
School Direct Train to Teach Events
Portsmouth Training School Alliance are holding their next Train to Teach event on 24th September 2019 between 4.30 - 5.30 pm. View the flyer to find out more.
Great success with the Portsmouth Teaching School Teaching School Direct Initial Teacher Training
Once again this September we are delighted to report that 100% of our trainee teachers passed and have gained teaching posts in school. Mike Stoneman, Deputy Director of Children’s Services at PCC, attended our End of Year Celebration in July to congratulate our trainee teachers and welcome them to their posts as newly qualified teachers. |
|
 |
The teaching school has recruited almost 50 primary and secondary trainees who chose to do our Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ School Direct Teacher Training programme.
(Photo: Mike Stoneman and Moudood Hassan who is now a science teacher at The Portsmouth Academy)
Curriculum and CPD |
|
 |
Portsmouth Music Hub Newsletter Autumn 2019
Portsmouth Music Hub's One World Campaign |
|
 |
Portsmouth Music Hub's One World Campaign was launched in September 2018 and the campaign has been shining an 'energy-saving' spotlight on local issues that may have a global impact, and at the same time asking teachers, children, young people and their families to think about the ways we can all protect and sustain our environment. With original songs composed by the Hub's award-winning composition team, children and young people have been singing about beach cleaning, nurdles, rising sea levels, chlorofluorocarbons and many other environmental issues. This film is a brief glimpse of some of the activities that took place across the year and you may be able to spot some of your children! Alongside other new initiatives, the One World campaign continues, saving our world one song at a time!
“Skeletons of The Mary Rose” Science Challenge for Year 5/6 Pupils
Wednesday 2nd October and Tuesday 5th November 2019, 10am – 2pm
Come for a fun and stimulating science-based day directly related to the science curriculum. The workshop to tie in with the new exhibition: The Many Faces of Tudor England.
It is a great opportunity for young people to become an archaeologist for the day! They can learn about what can be discovered from bones. Investigate diet, fitness and work on board through the evidence from the skeletons of the Mary Rose crew.
Explore the cutting-edge science which has provided exciting new scientific evidence about where the Mary Rose crew came from.
There is a charge of £75 per group of 6 pupils. For more information visit the website.
FIRST® LEGO®League Expo 2019/2020 Season
Registration for the FIRST® LEGO®League Expo 2019/2020 season is open. Details about the FIRST® LEGO® League Expo 2019/2020 Season and how schools can get involved can be found here. The programme is delivered by Essential Teaching UK and will be launched at the Spinnaker Tower on Tuesday 17th September between 8.00 and 10.00 a.m. For eligible schools (based on % of pupils on free school meals) the costs will be met in full.
For more information please email: info@essentialteaching.uk
Primary Languages in Portsmouth - Autumn Update
Read the latest newsletter from Primary Languages in Portsmouth here.
Explore Culture in Southampton
A wide range of Workshops and Discovery Sessions are taking place in Southampton at the Tudor House & Garden, Southampton City Art Gallery, and SeaCity Museum. View the flyer for more information.
September training with the Portsmouth Teaching School Alliance
|
Training courses are underway at the Portsmouth Teaching School Alliance. Last year 94% of our courses were rated ‘Good’ or ‘Excellent’ by those who attended training.
We are ready to go with a packed programme of free and low-cost CPD and Networks running throughout the year. To book your place, please see the links below for our September courses or visit www.portsmouthtsa.org
|
|
 |
Emotional health and wellbeing |
|
 |
Simon Says Autumn Newsletter
The Autumn newsletter from Simon Says - the child bereavement support organisation - is now available to read here.
|
|
 |
Anxiety Management Group work Training (places still available)
This course will equip delegates with the skills and resources to be able to deliver group work and support pupils experiencing anxiety. It includes a session to be delivered to parents. It is expected that the delegates will be able to attend all 4 sessions of the course and will be the ones delivering the group work.
- Wednesday 25th September 2019 3pm – 4.30 pm
- Wednesday 2nd October 2019 3pm – 4.30 pm
- Wednesday 9th October 2019 3pm – 4.30 pm
- Wednesday 16th October 2019 3pm – 4.30 pm
All sessions will take place at the Learning Centre at Portsmouth Academy. The cost of the complete course will be £80. There will be a free follow up session the date and venue of which will be decided at the final session.
Please contact melanie.wells@solent.nhs.uk with the below information to book a place.
- Name and e-mail contact address of delegate.
- Name of person and POSTAL address to which the invoice should be sent.
Special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) |
|
 |
New review launches to improve support for children with additional needs
The government has announced the launch of a cross-cutting review of SEND. Five years on from reforms introduced to better support children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), the review aims to improve the services available to families who need support, equip staff in schools and colleges to respond effectively to their needs as well as ending the ‘postcode lottery’ they often face.
Inclusion Outreach Service
Message from Julia Katherine, Head of Inclusion
Dear Colleague
I am delighted to let you know that this term we are launching our new Inclusion Outreach
Service.
The service is free at the point of delivery and will provide training and interventions to
mainstream schools, with the aim of building skills and capacity to support children with
additional needs.
LA updates
Discover the rewards of foster care
 On Saturday 21 September you can find out more about fostering with the Foster Portsmouth team, who will be at Fratton Park between 10am - 1pm to chat about what it really means to foster a child. Portsmouth City Council are looking for foster carers for children of all ages, but especially teenagers and children with profound needs. Foster carers with the council get top quality support, training and allowances, as well as fantastic job satisfaction.
There's no need to book, simply drop-in on the day. Free parking and refreshments available. For more information visit www.foster.portsmouth.gov.uk
2020-21 School Funding arrangements
All Head-teacher and Finance Officers have been sent a copy of the Autumn Consultation regarding the school funding arrangements for 2020-21. The consultation concentrates on the pressures being seen by the High Needs Block and some potential solutions. At the time of writing the consultation the detail regarding the additional funding for both mainstream and high needs had not been published by the Education Skills and Funding Agency and the consultation asks schools to submit their priorities on how we should direct our resources to manage the pressures on the High Needs Block.
Please ensure that your responses are returned by 30 September 2019 to the schoolsfinancialsupport@portsmouthcc.gov.uk email. Feedback from the consultation will be taken to Schools Forum on 16 October 2019.
The consultation document is also available on the following 2 sites:
Contact: Alison Egerton, Tel: 023 9263 4236
Email: Schoolsfinancialsupport@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
|
