School Improvement |
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School inspection data summary report (IDSR) guide
The protoype secondary report is now available here.
Praise for St Swithun’s Catholic Primary School following Ofsted inspection
St Swithun’s Catholic Primary School has been rated Good following a school inspection by Ofsted on 24-25 September 2019.
St Swithun’s Catholic Primary School continues to be a good school.
Pupils like their school a lot. They enjoy coming to school and talk with great enthusiasm
about lessons being fun and the support that they get from staff. This helps them to feel
very safe in school.
Leaders, including governors, and staff aspire for pupils to experience a vibrant
curriculum. They know clearly what pupils should learn and by when. Subject leaders plan
learning that requires pupils to think hard and use skills and knowledge from different
subjects at the same time. This ensures that pupils, including those with special
educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well.
Leadership, recruitment and retention |
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Join us for the My Teacher on a Postcard Exhibition |
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29 - 31 October, 10am-6pm
The Teacher on a Postcard Art Exhibition will take place at HIVE on the lower ground floor of Portsmouth Central Library on the Tuesday 29th, Wednesday 30th and Thursday 31st October from 10am - 6pm (during half term).
Every postcard received has been placed in the competition and will be displayed digitally on two TV screens. There will be a special section for the shortlisted and winning postcards which will be displayed physically.
We would be grateful for your support in encouraging children to attend with their families.
Visit the Teach Portsmouth website for more information.
Support for governor recruitment
A reminder that we are able to help with the recruitment of school governors and trustees by advertising opportunities on the Hive Volunteering Website (formerly Portsmouth Together). Since launching a governor recruitment campaign at the beginning of the year we have been contacted by over 40 potential governors from the Council and partners in Portsmouth University and the NHS, as well as Portsmouth residents with a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. The majority of these applicants have gone on to be appointed as governors and trustees.
To advertise your governor vacancies please complete the attached form and send it to schoolgovernor@portsmouthcc.gov.uk.
Curriculum and CPD |
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HISP Research School at Thornden 2019/20 training programme |
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HISP (Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Southampton & Portsmouth) Research School at Thornden have just published a professional learning programme which can be viewed in the attached flyer. This programme includes short EEF Guidance Report taster workshops running in November, as well as more extensive 2-day and 3-day training. The taster workshops are free to attend and will provide the opportunity to share what the Research Schools Network does, as well as to unpick some of the recommendations from the EEF guidance reports.
For more information or to register your interest contact Steve Smith (02380 246547) or Emma Langley (02380 246588).
Primary Languages Hub Meeting - Games with Aims (French and Spanish)
Thursday 21 November 2019 @ 16:00 - Cottage Grove Primary School, Southsea
We are very fortunate to be able to welcome a super primary languages practitioner, Ellie Chettle Cully, who is travelling from the Midlands to our next meeting of the Portsmouth Primary Hub. Come along to our meeting and discover how we can use games to engage, motivate and ensure progression for even the most reluctant primary linguists. In this session, Ellie will help us:
- consider the value of games as a tool for engagement.
- explore a toolkit of games that has been successfully used to engage and motive children in class.
- identify how these games might be adapted to ensure progression from Year 3 to Year 6.
Closing the Phonics Gap |
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 The Portsmouth Teaching School Alliance was delighted to host Charlotte Raby this week at a session aimed at Closing the Phonics Gap. Charlotte is a highly experienced national specialist in early language and reading and we are delighted that she has agreed to ongoing work in the city supporting colleagues in this area. There was a real buzz in the room as 30 local schools attended the day’s training and there was amazing feedback for Charlotte’s passion and expertise. We look forward to seeing more of Charlotte in the future!
Portsmouth Sail Training Trust
Portsmouth Sail Training Trust raises the aspirations of young people from some of Portsmouth's most socially disadvantaged areas. They use regular participation in sailing, boating and learning marine skills to engage, motivate and enable youngsters to develop their potential. They use sail training as a method of raising the aspirations of young people through their teenage years. The training is both on the water and on dry land and results in the growth of confidence, teamwork and leadership skills whilst gaining valuable qualifications to enhance their careers.
For more information on how to get your young people to get involved, please contact Hermione Garner hermione@portsmouthsailtrainingtrust.org or 02392 294493 or look online http://portsmouthsailtrainingtrust.org/
 The Portsmouth Academy’s students take to the seas
Recently, The Portsmouth Academy’s students took to the seas, in partnership with the Cirdan Trust, aboard the sailboat Faramir for an epic sailing adventure. Twelve students, Ms French and the Faramir crew, sailed from Portsmouth to Chatham. Alongside the practical skills of learning to sail and live on board a boat, the students had to put into practice team-building, leadership, and communication skills. On their journey, they were tested by wet weather, high winds, rough seas and seasickness. The students showed fantastic resilience and were all awarded a Royal Yachting Association (RYA) accreditation.
Please read the daily blog here: https://www.theportsmouthacademy.org.uk/category/news/
Preparing for NQT assessment
Directly after half term is when NQT Mentors will start thinking about preparing to complete the NQT assessment forms for this term.....so what better time to ensure they have all the resources and information they need?! A half day workshop "Assessing your NQTs" is taking place on Thursday 7th November to support any new mentors and those who would like refresher training. Details are on the attached flyer and bookings can be made via the PTSA website: www.portsmouthtsa.org
Emotional health and wellbeing |
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Visiting farms or outdoor activity centres
If you're planning on taking children on any farm or outdoor activity centre visits please be aware of the useful advice from Public Health England on avoiding infections from these type of venues. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/farm-visits-avoiding-infection. There is also advice and resources available for educators through the Access to Farms website.
How can School Leaders support Staff Wellbeing?
Taking place on Day 2 at the free-to-attend Schools & Academies Show at the NEC, Birmingham on 13th - 14th November 2019, this seminar will provide you with practical tips and advice on how to effectively support the mental wellbeing of your teachers and staff. Led by Sir Andrew Carter, CEO of South Farnham Educational Trust.
Limited free tickets are available, learn more and register here.
Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) |
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Portage Small Steps to Learning for Children with SEND
Have you heard of Portage, based within the Inclusion Service? Could the internationally recognised Portage model help you in your work supporting children with SEND? Portage are delivering the National Portage Association (NPA) accredited training - Portage Small Steps to Learning for Children with SEND
This training complements other SEND training and includes:
- The Portage principles
- The Portage Small Steps approach to teaching new skills and generalising skills
- Planning for success and skill acquisition
- Portage partnership model of working in partnership with parents
- Addressing and supporting behaviour
- Plus more
- Following attendance it is possible to work towards the NPA Stamp of Approval Inclusion Award for your setting
This is suitable for Early Years staff especially SENCOs, Reception class teachers, HLTAs, teaching assistants etc. Open to Parents, Childminders and Foster Carers.
Dates: 09/12/2019 and 10/12/2019 plus a follow up day:13/01/2020.
Attendance is required on all three days to receive certification.
Cost: £195
Venue: Civic Offices (Conference Room A), Guildhall Square, Portsmouth
To book use the Portage page on the Traded Services website.
Portsmouth Local Offer website
Since January 2019 Portsmouth City Council, in partnership with Solent NHS Trust, Portsmouth Parent Voice and Dynamite young people's forum, have been co-producing and commissioning the redesign of the Portsmouth Local Offer website.
The Local Offer sets out in one place services, information and support available for parent carers, children and young people, aged 0-25 years, with special educational needs and/or disability (SEND) across education, health and social care. It is also a key tool for SEND professionals to use.
The new look Local Offer website will be live from the 1st November 2019 and can be found by visiting www.portsmouthlocaloffer.org or www.portsmouthlocaloffer.co.uk.
New features include: a central place for all those key important SEND documents, an easier to use search facility and greater use of videos and visual media making it much more accessible to children and young people with SEND. We have also introduced a new feedback tool and we would really welcome your thoughts and feedback on the new site.
For more information please contact the Local Offer Officer, Amanda Tickle, via email at amanda.tickle@portsmouthcc.gov.
LA updates
Safeguarding in schools
Message from Alison Jeffery
Dear Colleagues,
Following a number of recent Ofsted inspections, both under the old and new framework, I am writing to you to highlight some important updates in terms of Ofsted guidance but also to update you on what is available locally to support safeguarding in schools. We will also provide an update at the next LA Heads Breakfast Briefing on 20th November 2019.
Details on Designated Safeguarding Lead Training can be found here.
Brexit: preparations for schools in England
The government's guidance to schools in England on how to prepare for Brexit has been updated with added food allergy advice for schools to follow when making changes to their menus or substituting food products. There is also updated information on medicines and medical products.
Read it here.
Applying online for school places
If your child is moving up to junior school or secondary school next year, then the window for applying for school places is open now. The deadline for transfers to secondary school is 31 October 2019, and the deadline for transfers to junior school is 15 January 2020. (Applications for starting school open on 4 November 2019.) Apply online now here.
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