 This video and top tips poster show some of the key skills we are encouraging children to acquire ahead of starting school.
Please share with your parents of children who are due to start school in September.
 The Neurodiversity team are pleased to be able to offer the following training in the Autumn term 2024. The training offer will be a rolling programme of training throughout the 2024/25 academic year.
Training on how to complete the neurodiversity profiling tool and the neurodiversity pathway in Portsmouth.
Profile Tool Training - face to face
Portsmouth Academy Training and Learning Centre, 9.30am - 1.00pm
- 19 September 2024
- 24 October 2024
- 21 November 2024
- 19 December 2024
Profile Tool Training - online
Microsoft Teams, 7.00pm - 9.00pm
- 23 September 2024
- 25 November 2024
To book a place please email Neurodiversity0-19Enquiries@portsmouthcc.gov.uk confirming which session you would like to book onto.
 Whilst the warm summer weather brings lots of opportunities for fun in the sun there are also additional hazards for our little people. Child Accident Prevention Trust's new summer safety page has top tips to keep children safe this summer.
How safe is your child in the garden?
If you’re lucky enough to have outdoor space to play it can be great fun for the children in the summer. But not all gardens are child-friendly and it’s important to be aware of the dangers.
Watch out for open windows
With the arrival of warmer weather, many of us will have the windows open to let some cool air in. But, if you’ve got young children at home, it’s important to remember that small children are curious and want to see what’s happening outside but have no real understanding of danger. Plus, a small child’s head is heavy compared to their body. That means they can easily topple.
 In early years it is common practice to use flour in play, whether that be in homemade play dough or other craft activities. Did you know flour is a raw ingredient and should be cooked or baked to make it safe? Further information can be found on this blog from PACEY.
 The Asthma Friendly Schools award is a free initiative open to any school, college or nursery in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. It is being delivered by the local Integrated Care Board on behalf of NHS England. Bidbury Junior School and The Wind in the Willows Nursery in Portsmouth have achieved the award.
Bidbury Junior School
"We are very impressed with Bidbury Junior School who upskilled themselves and put new procedures in place. There are asthma champions in every classroom who are responsible for making sure the rescue inhalers are available to use when the classroom goes to PE or a school trip for example. This demonstrates their commitment to high standards of care for children with asthma".
Emma Ray, Asthma Nurse Educator
Wind in the Willows Nursery
“We are passionate about the health and wellbeing of the children and felt we as a setting meet the criteria to become an Asthma Friendly Nursery due to plans and procedures already in place. The course was very informative. All staff have completed it and received a certificate. I would highly recommend this course to other nurseries and schools".
Kelly Brimmer, Nursery Leader
What does gaining the award mean?
- Staff will feel more confident to support children with asthma
- Parents/carers can be reassured that staff have training and processes in place to support their child who has asthma
- Children and young people with asthma will feel empowered to reach their potential in a supportive environment
What do settings have to do?
- Have an Asthma Champion(s)
- Have a policy (template available)
- Maintain an asthma register (template available)
- Communicate to parents/carers effectively (templates available)
- Keep and maintain emergency asthma medication (available to purchase at local pharmacies)
- 85% of staff to undertake asthma training (100% PE team) via free eLearning or school nurse team
Where can I find the resources?
You can find the resources here.
Who can I contact to find out more?
You can email asthmafriendlyschools@uhs.nhs.uk.
What happens when you get the award?
- You get a certificate of achievement, logo and letter to share to parents
- You will get a reminder every September to check the setting still meets the criteria and to direct new staff to asthma training
- You will need to reapply for the award every 3 years.
 If you have a child or young person with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), we understand how challenging it is to find low-cost and accessible activities during the summer holidays.
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 ideas to keep everyone busy. Check back regularly as the page will continue to be updated during the summer holidays as more activities are announced.
For more information, please visit the Portsmouth SEND Local Offer website today!
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 We are inviting expressions of interest from early years settings who want to nominate a member of their team to be trained as a PEEP practitioner.
The PEEP Learning Together programme is about practitioners running sessions for parents to learn how to play and support their child in a range of areas supporting the EYFS. We have a number of trained PEEP practitioners in Portsmouth who will be running PEEP or PEEP informed groups in Family Hubs and through 1:1 work in family homes e.g. Home-Start. As an early years setting, why not join our Portsmouth PEEP community and access free two day training and then have the license to run your own family sessions within your setting?
If you are interested in training to be a PEEP practitioner, we have a course coming up on 19 and 20 September. But we will also be running the two day course in December and then again in the spring of 2025. Once trained as a PEEP practitioner, you will be able to access ongoing support through a Portsmouth PEEP forum and members of the early years team who have also been trained will be able to answer questions about how you can deliver PEEP to your families. So if one of your setting priorities is to support families to understand how to play and learn together with their children, this is the training and opportunity for you!
To register your interest please email ella.harbut@portsmouthcc.gov.uk stating your name, your setting and when you would prefer to take up the free training opportunity (September 2024, December 2024 or Spring 2025).
Agreement to commit to deliver at least one PEEP course for families in your setting in the academic year 2024-25 (one course for families lasts approx. six weeks and you will need a PEEP practitioner, a support member of staff who doesn’t need to be trained and a space to run the sessions).
Please reply by 16 August so that we can allocate places on the training. We will select participants on a first come, first served basis.
 Did you know if you have a child at your setting who receives Portage, they can visit your setting during their involvement?
 HIVE Portsmouth’s Uniform Share Store helps families across the city by getting children and young people kitted out in their school uniform.
 The Portsmouth City Council website has a dedicated webpage detailing the help and support available to eligible families including the exceptional hardship scheme, supermarket vouchers, living costs payment, money advice, help with food, household essentials, energy bills and other community support.
 Thanks so much for all your support to families and children in Portsmouth over this last academic year. We hope you all get to have some sort of break over the summer and the sun will re-appear in time for the school holidays.
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