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Thank you for sharing information with us for the PEP Bulletin this year. Next week (W/C 15 July) will be the final newsletter of the academic year. Please send text, an image (if relevant) and link to pep@portsmouthcc.gov.uk before 12pm next Tuesday to be featured.
Inclusion
Naval Children's Charity Art from Waste Competition now open! |
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Cleaning Up Space |
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The amount of manmade rubbish in Earth-orbit has reached astronomical levels. Join ‘Space Junk’ experts Professor Craig Underwood and Dr Lucinda King to hear about the cutting-edge technology being developed to clean up space, take part in interactive activities and ask your burning questions.
- Primary school events - Tuesday 8 October @ 10am and 2pm
- Secondary school events - Thursday 10 October @ 10am and 2pm
Find out more about the initiative and reserve your place today!
Updates from the neurodiversity team for the 24/25 academic year |
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Graduated approach
The neurodiversity team have been working to address concerns raised about the number of requests that schools are receiving for neurodiversity profiling tools to be completed.
The feedback we have received is that sometimes these requests are inappropriate, and needs are already identified and being met through an alternative plan (e.g. IEP/PSP).
Concerns have also been raised that other services are recommending that profile tools are completed when it is not necessarily needed, or it would be appropriate for the service recommending the tool to complete the profiling tool with the family.
We are therefore proposing from September 2024 that a graduated approach is followed when there is a request for a neurodiversity profile to be completed. Please see attached graduated approach document for further information on the process.
It is important to note that schools can still complete neurodiversity profiles for those pupils where they do feel it is appropriate without consulting with the neurodiversity team.
The aim of the process attached is to support schools with requests where a neurodiversity profile may not be the most appropriate way forward and managing these to ensure that families receive appropriate support from the team.
Your allocated family support worker will be in touch shortly to book in a consultation meeting with you.
Get involved with a university research project
We are still looking for volunteers to take part in a research project with the University of Portsmouth.
This is a positive opportunity to support the research into what is working well with the profiling tool and what could be improved.
The university are doing this research as an independent team. Participation is voluntary and it will not affect your relationship with the neurodiversity team of the Portsmouth City Council.
Please get in touch via email - iris.nomikou@port.ac.uk if you would like to take part. The research team will be available to provide further information and answers to any questions at a convenient time point.
Insight Hub
The neurodiversity team are launching a digital solution to complete the ND profiling tool on the Insight Hub.
To gain access to the module you will need to email: Neurodiversity0-19Enquiries@portsmouthcc.gov.uk who will arrange access for you.
Benefits of completing the tool on the hub are:
- Record of all the profiling tools active in your school
- An electronic copy of the profiling tool can be shared with parents.
- Reviews of the profiling tool can be completed on the hub.
- Electronic copies of the ND profile tool can be shared with the ND team.
Have a SEND-sational summer with free and low-cost activities in Portsmouth |
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Families who have children and young people with special educational needs and or disabilities (SEND) can look forward to a summer full of fun with free and low-cost activities.
Portsmouth SEND Local Offer has launched their summer fun initiative, working with partners and community groups to locate accessible events for little ones and big adventurers.
From special SEND swim sessions at BH Live to enjoying a picnic on Southsea Common, there are plenty of things to do this summer.
Please share this information in your next newsletter and on social media. Please visit the Portsmouth SEND Local Offer website today!
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HIVE opens nominations for Portsmouth's Inspiring Volunteers Awards 2024 |
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HIVE Portsmouth are excited to open nominations for this year's Portsmouth Inspiring Volunteers Awards 2024. This event is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the amazing contribution volunteers make in the community.
These awards have been running since 2015 and are a wonderful, uplifting chance to celebrate the vital contribution made by volunteers.
The award categories include:
- Individual Volunteer
- Group - Team of Volunteers
- Young Volunteer (under 25 years old)
- Organisation / Volunteer Manager
- Business - Community Giving
To nominate, please use the online form here: https://forms.gle/i56qdPcnQZgb8CJz7. If you have any questions please email volunteering@hiveportsmouth.org.uk.
Nominations close at midday on Wednesday 31 July 2024.
School improvement
Thank you for helping us understand teaching assistant retention |
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We would like to thank everyone who participated in Teach Portsmouth's teaching assistant retention activity over the last few weeks.
Teach Portsmouth asked school staff to take part in a virtual focus group and online survey. Over 196 respondents took part in the survey, providing useful feedback which will be used to create an initiative to support retention. Thank you!
What's next?
The feedback we received from the discovery phase has been categorised into four priorities: CPD/training, feeling valued, wellbeing and pay.
The team will begin the process of planning a response, engaging with different stakeholder groups to identify workstreams that are already underway in Portsmouth that fall into these four priorities, before creating something new. We are really keen to engage with teaching assistants and learning support assistants as part of this work - if you or an appropriate colleague would like to be involved please email TeachPortsmouth@portsmouthcc.gov.uk.
More information on Teach Portsmouth's plans will be made available in October 2024.
Language trends webinar incoming! |
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The City of Languages initiative continues to grow apace in Portsmouth. Liz Lord has provided information on a webinar for modern foreign language specialists.
For those interested in learning about language trends in education, NCLE have posted a CPD webinar series with industry experts and how these trends will affect modern foreign language teachers.
The webinar will take place on Wednesday 17 July from 4pm. Book your place today!
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