|
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.
Inclusion
Self-harm awareness training with Solent Mind |
|
 |
The experienced Solent Mind training team are offering live online (and some face-to-face) training to equip you with the knowledge, skills and tools to support young people you work with who may self-harm or be at risk of self-harming. The training and resources are designed to upskill staff and build a culture of understanding and proactive support.
Upcoming sessions
Self-harm awareness (1 hour) - basic understanding and improving confidence:
- Tuesday 14 January 2025 - 9am to 10am
- Tuesday 4 February 2025 - 1pm to 2pm
Self-harm awareness (3 hour) - more in depth understanding of self-harm, suicide awareness and intervention skills as well as techniques to build resilience:
- Wednesday 22 January 2025 - 9.30am to 12.30pm
- Wednesday 29 January 2025 - 9am to 12pm
Reflective practice (1 hour) - a chance to share with peers:
- Wednesday 15 January 2025 - 2pm to 3pm
Understanding the impact of race, ability and language in the educational journey of migrant students
|
|
|
The Ethnic Minority Achievement Service (EMAS) are working with Dr. Valentina Migliarini, Assistant Professor in Education Studies from the University of Birmingham on some British Academy-funded research. This will look at how EMAS try to support EAL pupils and their families who have, or may have, SEND.
EMAS staff are being interviewed as part of this research, due to begin in February, but Valentina is also looking at recruiting six pupils and their families (primary or secondary) to find out their perspective too and says 'I would prefer them to be from a migrant background, racialised as non-white, and at different stages of the SEND referral process, to explore the intersections of language support and SEND support'.
Do you have any families who fit the criteria in mind? Their involvement will just entail an interview, alone or in a small group. Importantly, the pupils/families must have had some EMAS involvement - a BLA and/or an SEN/EAL assessment and then possibly, but not necessarily, an EP assessment, EHCP etc.
Please see the participant information sheet for children, students or parents. Please email Marie Allen at Marie.Allen@portsmouthcc.gov.uk for further information or if you can think of anyone who fits the criteria and would be happy to be contacted.
|
Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) training course 2025 |
|
|
The Educational Psychology Team are hosting an ELSA training course over six separate days starting in February 2025. The course is primarily for teaching assistants/ learning mentors who wish to support children and young people in all aspects of emotional literacy.
Topics covered will be building relationships, social and friendship skills, self-esteem, emotional regulation, anxiety, neurodiversity, loss and bereavement and emotional wellbeing. Trainee ELSAs will also learn specific techniques such as active listening and writing social stories.
The training will be held at The Training & Learning Centre, The Portsmouth Academy, St Marys Road, Portsmouth over six days (all Wednesdays) on 5 February, 26 February, 26 March, 30 April, 11 June and 25 June 2025.
The cost will be £575 per delegate. Please note there is also an ongoing commitment to attend supervision sessions following training to maintain the ELSA status. See the course leaflet for details about the ELSA role and upcoming training.
The course can be booked through the Portsmouth Traded Services website (course code PLG2-1124-T001) or by emailing Philippa Wilson (Philippa.wilson@portsmouthcc.gov.uk).
Guidance on psychological, emotional, and social barriers to attendance |
|
 |
The Educational Psychology Team, Mental Health Support Teams and Multi Agency Behaviour Support have produced some guidance on psychological, emotional, and social barriers to attendance. This has been written for school staff and other professionals who work with schools to help them to think about the factors underlying low school attendance and then develop practical strategies to support children and young people.
Do feel free to use this in your schools and settings to help you support children and young people with low attendance.
We'd welcome any feedback to Imogen.Hagarty@portsmouthcc.gov.uk. This could be positive feedback on how you are putting it into practice as well as any suggestions for further development of the guidance.
Spring term update from the Neurodiversity Team |
|
|
Training dates for the spring term
Our training dates for the spring term are now available. Please email the team at Neurodiversity0-19Enquiries@portsmouthcc.gov.uk to book a place.
Training menu
The team can offer a wide range of training and workshops for school staff and parents. Our training menu details what we can offer. Please get in touch with the team to discuss your requirements further or to book a place.
New team leaflet
We have a new team leaflet - please feel free to share with families.
Family Hub - Advice Clinics
Our advice clinics continue to be popular and well attended. We have also produced a new poster to advertise these clinics - please share with families and ask them to contact the team to book an appointment.
Pompey's Military Kids newsletter |
|
|
The winter 2024 edition of the Pompey's Military Kids newsletter is available to read here.
This issue features updates on:
- Fort Nelson
- Naval Families Federation
- Youth Crew
- Schools
- and more...
|
Portsmouth SEND Local Offer On Tour: Supporting families with SEMH needs |
|
 |
Families in Portsmouth with children and young people up to 25 years old who have social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) needs are invited to attend a special Local Offer On Tour event. This session will be held at St Michael & All Angels' Church in Paulsgrove on Wednesday 12 February 2025 from 10am to 12.30pm.
The event provides an opportunity for families to connect with professionals and local community groups, offering essential support and advice in an informal setting. This event signposts parents/carers to services in their community, connecting individuals and offering tailored guidance.
Attendees will have the chance to engage in group discussions, ask questions, and enjoy light refreshments. Children are welcome to join. Please share this information with SENCOs and families in your school to increase awareness. To monitor capacity at the event, parents/carers are required to register for a ticket in advance of attending. For more information, please visit www.portsmouthlocaloffer.org/ontour today.
|
An introduction to supporting service children in schools |
|
|
Tuesday 13 May 2025, 3.15pm - 4.45pm | Virtual
This introductory session is brought to you by the Southern Universities Network, following some collaborative work with the Service Children's Progression (SCiP) Alliance. This online accredited CPD training aims to support education professionals and their schools to enhance support for service children.
This session will be suitable for all staff working in secondary schools, including those in SLT roles, pastoral roles, teaching and non-teaching staff. It will also be suitable for staff who work across the education sector, for example, those in higher education, local authority or charity roles.
School improvement
Exhibit at the Teach Portsmouth Jobs and Opportunities Fair 2025 |
|
|
 The city's largest recruitment fair for education jobs returns to Portsmouth Guildhall on Wednesday 26 February 2025 from 10am - 2pm. Over 24 exhibitors will promote jobs, training and volunteering opportunities in schools and colleges across the city.
With 12 exhibitors already confirmed, spaces are filling up quickly so don't miss your opportunity to promote teaching, learning assistant and wider support vacancies. Over 300 people came through the bronze doors of Guildhall last year.
For more information about exhibiting, please visit the Portsmouth Education Partnership website and submit your booking form by Friday 31 January 2025.
If you have any questions, please email teachportsmouth@portsmouthcc.gov.uk.
Transition arrangements year 6/7 |
|
|
Following feedback on the transition arrangements last year we will be amending the data collection spreadsheet to collect additional information. We will also be sending this request for information to primary and junior schools earlier in the spring term to give them more time to complete this.
To further improve the process, we have scheduled two virtual briefing sessions to talk through the transition information sharing arrangements, the information being collected and to answer any questions about the process.
The briefing sessions will take place online on:
- Wednesday 15 January 2025, 3.30pm - 4.15pm
- Tuesday 21 January 2025, 3.30pm - 4.15pm
Please sign up here so that the meeting invite can be sent to you. The link for these meetings has also been published for both events on the PEP calendar.
We would strongly encourage all primary, junior and secondary schools to send at least one member of staff to one of the briefing sessions. You are welcome to send as many of the staff involved in transition to these briefings. The content will be the same at both events.
We will also be scheduling transition networking events on Thursday 5 June 2025 and Tuesday 10 June 2025, 3.45pm - 5.45pm at the Civic Offices. Please save these dates in your diaries. Further details about the purpose and logistics of these events will be shared during the virtual briefings in January.
If you have any questions regarding year 6/7 transition, please contact Sarah.Christopher@portsmouthcc.gov.uk.
Further information about plans and arrangements for year 2/3 and starting school transition arrangements will be shared this term.
Upcoming opportunities with STEMunity |
|
|
Speed network at Meon Infant School | Thursday 23 January 2023, 4pm - 5.30pm
We have several brilliant STEM ambassadors signed up to network with local primary teachers to explore how they can support future activities and events in Portsmouth. The STEM Ambassador network is a free resource; we'll show you how to access the booking system. Sign up via Eventbrite.
Science Week Fair 2025 | Friday 7 March 2025
Students will access only one session, morning or afternoon. KS1 schools are invited to bring 15 children to explore the interactive activities delivered by Mini Professors, The Mary Rose, NOC, Wildlife Trust, UTC, and UoP. They will visit the activities at St Mary's church in Fratton as a carousel of activities to inspire them in the launch of Science Week. We can welcome up to 600 KS1 children to the event during the day.
Sign up by Friday 31 January 2025 via the online form.
STEMunity ENTHUSE programme
Visit the STEMunity Enthuse webpage for all the information about the programme since the start. There is also a YouTube channel to showcase our activities.
We have a Spring Enthuse Network, which has all the information links and codes needed by teachers to access any of the events or CPD.
Participation and progression
National Apprenticeship Week 2025 |
|
|
National Apprenticeship Week 2025 (Monday 10 - Friday 14 February) provides an opportunity to celebrate how apprenticeship training can help individuals pursue rewarding careers and be used to develop a workforce with future-ready skills.
Apprenticeships provide excellent options for:
- Helping support schools with their recruitment, development, and retention strategies
- Young people wishing to enter the workforce and start a career
- Pre-existing employees looking to progress in their current role or retrain for a new job
Find out how your school can get involved in National Apprenticeship Week below.
Informal session
There will be an informal session on Thursday 13 February 2025, 3.30pm - 4.30pm for any Portsmouth City Council (PCC) schools wishing to know more about apprenticeships and the new providers for 2025:
- Teaching assistant - L3 (with SEND)
- Teacher L6 route (hold a degree)
- Undergraduate teacher L6 route (without a degree)
- Early years L2/L3/L5
Escape room opportunity
PCC school apprentices have an opportunity to attend an escape room activity on Friday 14 February 2025. This is a chance to meet other apprentices, focus on teamwork/problem solving etc. and this activity can go towards the skills knowledge and behaviour elements of their apprenticeship.
Please contact Sandra Parker at Sandra.Parker@portsmouthcc.gov.uk to register your interest in attending any of the above.
The ASK Programme
The ASK Programme is a service that supports schools with understanding apprenticeships and T Levels. The programme offers a variety of engaging activities and workshops that can be delivered by local experts.
Free training and support to empower your students to take a stand against violence and abuse |
|
|
As part of the city's Safer Streets agenda, linked to our Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy we are pleased to share that Portsmouth City Council working with other local councils has launched the Safer Together Hub. This online resource includes information about the Mentors in Violence Prevention programme, including 12 free to download lesson plans, covering a range of topics.
The Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) programme is an evidence based, effective, peer educator, active bystander intervention programme. MVP builds upon Restorative Practice giving children and young people the opportunity to take a leadership role and providing them with the language and framework to explore and challenge the attitudes, beliefs and cultural norms that underpin gender-based violence, bullying and other forms of abuse. This short video shares the benefits of MVP.
MVP resources can be tailored to be suitable for delivery with children from 9 years old. To date it has been deployed in a range of settings including schools, youth centres and youth organisations across Hampshire.
Free online training to implement MVP within your school starts with an introductory session on Thursday 23 January 2025. To book your place or discuss MVP further, contact Julie Ponton at Julie.Ponton@portsmouthcc.gov.uk. Local providers Stop Domestic Abuse and Portsmouth Abuse and Rape Counselling Service (PARCS) have also been trained in MVP.
Extended Family Voucher scheme |
|
|
Following the school-led distribution of Family Vouchers for families of children eligible for free school meals, the extended Family Voucher scheme is now open.
The scheme is open to low-income families with children who do not qualify for benefits-related free school meals and therefore did not receive a voucher from their school this winter. Their total household earned income, in the month before applying, needs to be £1,800 or less. Eligible families will receive a £50 voucher for each eligible child.
The scheme will remain open until Friday 28 February 2025. Due to limited funding, the Household Support Fund Family Vouchers may close earlier than this, if all the funds have been given out.
To find out more about who is eligible to apply, and how to make your application for a payment, visit www.portsmouth.gov.uk/householdsupportfund and follow the link to the application form.
|
