PEP Bulletin w/c 27 April 2020

View in your web browser | Sign up for more alerts

portsmouth city council
Portsmouth Education Partnership

PEP Bulletin

30 April 2020

If you have information to be included in the next issue of the PEP bulletin, please send your text, image and link by Tuesday at 12pm to pep@portsmouthcc.gov.uk.


COVID-19 recent government updates

Using clusters and hubs to maintain educational provision

Guidance on what educational settings need to know when making decisions on cluster or hub models during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak can be found here.


Actions for schools during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

Updated guidance on bank holidays, Early Years Foundation Stage, recruitment and workforce can be found here.


COVID-19 stories from Portsmouth

Exciting activities at Manor Infant School

At Manor, we have been keeping the children engaged in school with rainbow making, crafts, gardening and lots of exciting activities.

We have also been working hard to keep in touch with all of our families through weekly calls home, a very active school Facebook page, bedtime stories and virtual lessons on our new YouTube channel, Purple Mash, class email accounts and a video message from the staff!

Manor Infant School

Our families have really engaged with the Facebook page and have taken part in rainbow challenges, sending in daily photos and lots more! Next week, we will be hosting our first live, virtual quiz on Facebook for all children, families and staff so we can all stay connected.


Preparing for study, work and life

New website for year 11 students launched

Year 11s can now access a new website that supports their move into further education. Flying Start Portsmouth looks to help those into college, apprenticeships and future employment.

In partnership with Southern Universities Network, Portsmouth College, Highbury College and Havant and South Downs College, Flying Start Portsmouth provides subject-specific activities, frequently asked questions, mental health guidance and a CV and profile builder that prepares students for life after school.

Flying Start

Find out more


Leadership, recruitment and retention

PE Graduates

For further information please email info@portsmouthtsa.org or visit www.portsmouthtsa.org


Curriculum and CPD

Update on NQT induction

I want to remind you that the Department for Education has issued guidance regarding the impact of COVID-19 on NQT induction. If you have not already had a chance to read it through, it contains helpful advice and a really useful FAQs section.

It is recommended to refer to this page often as the department plans to provide updates and guidance regularly. Feel free to share this information with colleagues who would benefit from it.

For more information, please contact june.hutchinson@portsmouthtsa.org with any questions. The Portsmouth Teaching School Alliance will publish updates on planned training sessions for the NQT induction programme this term - so keep an eye out for this information soon.


Useful French and Spanish primary resources

Liz Lord has shared a selection of useful resources in French and Spanish for young learners. View them here.


Secondary heads: grading community language GCSEs

An update from Karen Thomas, EMAS, regarding the grading of community languages GCSEs this year is available here.


Letter and sounds phonics

The Wandle English Hub in SW London has been commissioned by the DfE to write and produce lessons for Letters and Sounds Phonics via YouTube daily lessons for Reception and Year 1 children. Click the links below to find out more:


New EEF resources

The EEF has produced a new set of practical and evidence-based tools to support schools and parents through the COVID-19 crisis. This includes tools that will support:

  • The widening of the attainment gap: how do we respond - focusing on mitigation to limit the negative impact on disadvantaged pupils while schools are closed; and compensation to support disadvantaged pupils to bounce back when schools re-open
  • Supporting schools and parents make the most of home learning
  • Best evidence on supporting students to learn remotely

For more information click here.


75th Anniversary of VE Day: resources for schools

The government has announced revised plans to mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day on 8th May in a manner consistent with the current measures to contain the spread of coronavirus. The new programme will allow members of the public to remember and give thanks to the Second World War generation from the safety of their own homes.

Details of the programme can be found here.

Members of the public can visit this website to find out how they can take part. The Get Involved page contains VE Day related educational resources, aimed at Key Stages 2, 3 & 4, exploring the significance of VE Day, including:


Seesaw resources

Many primary schools are reporting on how useful they are finding the Seesaw resources to support remote education.

For more information visit the Seesaw website where you will find resources for administrators, teachers and families.


Top 10 tips for digisafe teaching in primary

A helpful guide produced by TSAT on top 10 tips for digisafe teaching in primary is available to download here.


Emotional health and wellbeing

Children and young people’s mental health – service update

A helpful update gives details of the local support in Portsmouth that is currently available to children and young people.

For more information, please read this document which covers key changes to the offer and how support can be accessed.


Safeguarding children during coronavirus – resources and links

Portsmouth Safeguarding Children Partnership

New pages have been added to the Portsmouth Safeguarding Children Partnership website where you can find useful links and documents to support ‘safeguarding children during coronavirus’.

Visit website


Update from the Portsmouth Safeguarding Children Partnership (PSCP)

A message from the Portsmouth Safeguarding Children Partnership (PSCP) is available to read here. This contains an update on the work to safeguard children and ensure our key processes remain in place despite the challenges of working whilst social distancing.


Special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)

Portsmouth Inclusion Education Quality Mark (PIE QM)

A message from Sarah Christopher

I know that before lockdown many of you were already making good progress on completing the PIE QM for your own school and working in triads. We would very much like this to continue as the findings from this will really help in identifying school and city priorities for the return to school / recovery phase. As we had already planned this will enable us to share identified good practice.

Read more


LA updates

Fire safety advice for schools during COVID-19 restrictions

A letter to head teachers from Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service is available here. This provides specific fire safety advice to all head teachers at schools across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight whilst the COVID-19 restrictions are in force.


Ordering of devices to support remote education and access to children's social care services

Thank you to all schools who have responded to the request about your preference for either Microsoft or Google laptops in order to support the order the council will make for children with a social worker. Please can you confirm and email kelly.rooker@portsmouthcc.gov.uk as soon as possible and no later than the end of this week.

More details about this order and how we will work to identify individual pupils will follow for schools shortly.


COVID-19 testing for teachers and school staff

The government has extended priority testing for coronavirus to all essential workers, including teachers and school staff. If you show symptoms, you can book a test online.

The test centre is co-ordinated by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Local Resilience Forum, and eligible keyworkers and any members of their household can take advantage of the service.

Eligibility criteria and further information can be found in the guidance here.

Did you receive this email from a colleague? Sign up here