School improvement |
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Assessment recommendations for 2020/21
In light of the cancellation of statutory primary assessments for the second time, the South East Inter-LA assessment group has developed a guidance document to support schools with making accurate and meaningful assessments in the current context.
These recommendations have been written in collaboration with the moderation managers and representatives from the following local authorities: Brighton & Hove, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Portsmouth, Southampton and West Sussex.
Moderation surgeries for year 2 and 6 teachers |
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Portsmouth Teaching School Alliance are running a series of moderation surgeries, supporting teachers to make end of year assessment judgments during these difficult times. A trained moderator can help you make judgements in writing and reading (and maths in KS1). They will also be checking that pupils have secured what has been covered in the national curriculum and offering advice about gaps in the evidence base.
Year 2:
Year 6:
Leadership, recruitment and retention |
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Leadership: evidence-based organisational care online sessions
Portsmouth City Council have commissioned three online sessions for headteachers and senior leaders on evidence-based organisational care. Delivered by Sigma Teaching School Alliance, the series will focus on key messages from psychology and neuroscience regarding providing effective organisational care. The sessions aim to:
- Provide an overview of the key messages from research regarding providing effective organisational care
- Provide an opportunity to reflect on your own practice with regard to these key messages (reassurance and ideally identifying actions to further develop your practice)
- Signpost to other information.
Recordings of the sessions will be shared when they are available.
Webinar: The graduated approach at the heart of distributed leadership for SEND
nasen's Whole School SEND programme are hosting a webinar on Wednesday 10 March 2021 from 11am-12.30pm. The webinar will look at how the graduated approach can be used as a key tool to support distributed leadership of SEND across whole school systems as well as within our classrooms, empowering every leader to be a leader of SEND and how we support every teacher to be a teacher of SEND.
This webinar will feature speakers Margaret Mulholland and Clare Belli.
Teach Portsmouth Awards Live - Tell us about your superstar colleagues |
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A reminder to colleagues that nominations for the Teach Portsmouth Awards remain open until Friday 7 May 2021.
This year, we will be celebrating the achievements of Portsmouth's teaching community online through a digital awards ceremony on Thursday 8 July 2021. The awards will be an opportunity to recognise the dedication and commitment of all leaders, teachers and support teams across the city.
For each award you can nominate either individuals or teams.
Curriculum and CPD |
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 As part of the Demonstrator Schools programme, the Portsmouth Teaching School Alliance have worked with a local educational technologist from United Learning, Miss Gemma Gwilliam, to offer a series of webinars for trainee, newly qualified and recently qualified teachers.
The webinars have been designed to provide trainees with the necessary skills to use technology to further enhance teaching and learning, both remotely and inside the classroom (post-COVID).
- Getting to know the 365 platform: 23 February, 4.30pm–5.30pm
- Using Microsoft Teams effectively: 2 March, 4.30pm–5.30pm
- Microsoft Forms to review learning and check understanding: 9 March, 4.30pm–5.30pm
- Using tech to embed Rosenshine principles: 16 March, 4.30pm–5.30pm
- Using Sway in lockdown and beyond: 23 March, 4.30pm–5.30pm
- Q&A session with Gemma: 30 March, 4.30pm–5.30pm
Census 2021 education resources
The census is unique, only happening once every 10 years, and the Office for National Statistics (ONS) want to inspire the next generation to take part. To support this event, they are running free primary and secondary education programmes with a range of resources to use ahead of Census Day on Sunday 21 March 2021.
These programmes help educate children and young people on the importance of the census and about how the information it collects helps shape the society we live in.
There is also a primary and a secondary competition to take part in.
Free primary RE termly network meeting
Following the very successful meeting last term, a follow-up session for RE subject leader colleagues across Portsmouth led by Justine Ball (Primary RE HIAS Adviser) has been planned.
The meeting will take place on Monday 15 March 2021 (3.45pm–5.00pm) and there will be a focus on assessment in RE and discussion on pieces of work.
Please book your place on the Portsmouth Learning Gateway and a joining link will be sent to you.
New parent-led course in financial literacy
City Pay it Forward have created a parent-led course that is engaging for primary school children. Created in partnership with leading educators, this six-module course will enable parents to teach children the basics of financial literacy.
Each of the six modules are simple to use, based on their award-winning curriculum and include worksheets, handouts and videos. The materials are easy for children to do on their own and do not require much input from parents.
NQT induction CPD sessions |
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The next NQT induction CPD sessions will take place in the morning or afternoon of Thursday 11 March 2021 via Zoom. Assessment for learning and differentiation are two aspects of good and outstanding teaching and learning which NQTs and mentors are themselves discussing in school and through the induction forms. Portsmouth Teaching School Alliance are therefore pleased to be able to offer this training again this year and look forward to meeting your NQTs then!
Joining instructions and access to the folder of resources will be made available upon registration.
To book a place, please use the drop-down menu on the Portsmouth Teaching School Alliance website.
If you have any questions please contact June.Hutchinson@portsmouthtsa.org.
Supporting service children to thrive - virtual training conference
Registration is now open for the SCiP Alliance Virtual Training Conference for schools. Taking place on Wednesday 21 April 2021, the conference is hosted by the SCiP Alliance, the University of Portsmouth and the University of Winchester.
The free conference introduces the evidence-based Thriving Lives toolkit, explaining seven key principles of effective support for service children in school. Explore the key principles, reflect on your practice and plan action back in school through case studies, resources and opportunities for self-reflection.
The conference will cover the following themes:
- Understanding service children’s lives and how the Alliance helps.
- How schools can use the Thriving Lives toolkit to help service children thrive.
- Who can help schools help service children thrive, and how?
Emotional health and wellbeing |
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 Free training courses for out of school settings
Portsmouth Safeguarding Children Partnership (PSCP) is providing free online training which gives an overview of the new guidance issued by the Department for Education entitled: Keeping children safe during community activities, after-school clubs and tuition. Places are also available for school staff who are interested and would like to join a training session.
The training will take place on the following dates:
- Monday 8 March 2021, 12pm–1.30pm
- Friday 26 March 2021, 9.30am–11am
- Tuesday 30 March 2021, 1pm–2.30pm
- Wednesday 21 April 2021, 5pm–6.30pm
To book, email pscptraining@portsmouthcc.gov.uk and provide the following information: name, organisation/setting and email address.
Triple P discussion group dates
Click the links below to view the dates and topics for upcoming Triple P primary and teen discussion groups:
Portsmouth Young Carers Service team around the worker support for schools and colleges |
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The Portsmouth Young Carers Service offers a range of support to help increase awareness and understanding of young carers.
All of our services are free to all Portsmouth schools and colleges.
Support includes:
- On-site or virtual young carers training for staff (for between 2 and 100+ participants and lasting for 30 minutes up to 2.5 hours). These are planned to meet the individual needs of schools/colleges. Sessions include:
- Exploration of who young carers are, what their responsibilities might be, and the impact their role can have on their emotional wellbeing; school attendance and achievement;
- Consideration of why so many young carers remain 'hidden' and unsupported and how schools/colleges can identify and support them;
- Updates on the impact that COVID-19 is having on young carers and practical ideas to support at this challenging time;
- Information about Portsmouth Young Carers Service, our referral process and current offer for young carers.
- A bi-monthly young carers education email for the secondary/college and primary sectors, with topical information and practical activity ideas.
- A termly young carers lead network meeting for the secondary/college and primary sectors.
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One-to-one support for individual young carers and those working with them in school.
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Signposting information to other local and national services for young carers.
To find out more or to book a training session/request some young carers support for a student, please email: youngcarers@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
Portsmouth against racism: one city, many cultures
The PEP working group on BLM and anti-racism will be sharing resources for all key stages that could be used to promote UN Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (21 March 2021) and as part of your ongoing anti-racism work.
Show Racism the Red Card (SRtRC) have a number of excellent resources. We are working with PiTC and hope to have some additional materials with particular relevance to Portsmouth, including input from some PFC players. We will share these as soon as possible after half term.
In the meantime we would encourage you to enter your school for the SRtRC school competition. The closing date to register for the competition is 19 February 2021 and entries submitted by 5 March 2021. The competition encourages participants to think about racism and produce their own work about this serious issue. Young people are welcome to produce work in any medium – artwork, creative writing, song and film. If it’s about racism, we want to see it!
Whether or not you choose to submit entries to the competition, we would like to see pupils' work showing a commitment to equality and tackling racism displayed across the city under the banner Portsmouth against racism: one city, many cultures.
Show Racism the Red Card have teaching resources that can be used as a stimulus. A contribution has been made to SRtRC, allowing the resources to be shared across all our schools at no additional cost. The teaching pack includes activities for primary and secondary schools. There is also a film available to download here.
The education pack and film both require the following password: EdFilm&Pack2019
Please contact Sarah.Christopher@portsmouthcc.gov.uk for further information or if you have developed any resources that would you like to share across the PEP.
Staying safe over February half term
Public Health England have recently published a blog post on staying safe during the February half term. It includes information on: staying local, continuing to follow the rules after vaccination, testing and self-isolating, mental health, and staying vigilant.
Kooth webinars
Further webinars to introduce the Kooth digital counselling and emotional wellbeing service are being held in February and March. These sessions allow school staff to become familiar with Kooth so they are able to appropriately signpost young people to the service.
For more information and to register for a webinar, please click below.
LA updates
World Book Day - Thursday 4 March 2021
The School Library Service is preparing to celebrate World Book Day on 4 March with suggested activities for families which could be done as part of remote learning. If you are happy to share these suggestions with parents and/or incorporate them in to your lessons, please do.
In the week beginning 1 March, parents and children are invited to share their favourite books and characters by:
- Drawing their favourite book cover and sticking it in their window for others to spot on their daily walks
- Standing their favourite book in their window
- Making a window display using their favourite book or books
- Dressing up as their favourite character using things they can find at home
- Reading a story with their family.
Posters to email to families will be available before the start of next half term, with details of how to share photos of your school's activities.
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