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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
New inclusion adviser - Peter Dennett |
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We are delighted to welcome an additional inclusion adviser to PCC's Inclusion Service. With over 13 years of experience in secondary education, Peter began his journey in 2012 as a learning support assistant, progressing through roles including pastoral manager and teacher before becoming a SENCO in 2021. Holding both the NASENCO qualification and a Master’s degree in Inclusive Special Education, he brings a strong academic foundation to his work.
As inclusion adviser, he will contribute practical school‑based insight, an expertise in inclusive practice and a collaborative approach. Peter is joining Emma Lamb and will work as part of the Inclusion Hub, alongside leaders to strengthen provision, share effective strategies and continue developing inclusive practice across our city. If you have any questions or would like to book in some time to discuss what we can offer, do not hesitate to get in touch.
Contact Peter.Dennett@portsmouthcc.gov.uk or inclusionhub@portsmouthcc.gov.uk.
Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) training course 2026 |
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The Educational Psychology team are once again hosting an ELSA training course over six separate days, starting in February 2026. The course is primarily for teaching assistants and 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 Tuesdays) on 24 February, 3 March, 24 March, 21 April, 12 May and 9 June 2026.
The cost will be £625 per delegate. Please note there is also an ongoing commitment to attend supervision sessions following training to maintain the ELSA status. See the programme leaflet for details about the ELSA role and upcoming training.
The course can be booked through the Portsmouth Traded Services website (course code PLG2-0226-T003) or by emailing Philippa Wilson (Philippa.Wilson@portsmouthcc.gov.uk).
Signs4Life BSL and deaf awareness opportunities |
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Signs4Life are offering deaf awareness and sign language workshops in the south-east, which might be of interest to teaching and support staff in their work with vulnerable students, families and colleagues.
10-week accredited BSL program
This accredited course is designed to provide a nationally accredited unit of BSL skills for
educators, who work with young people and students, who may be deaf or have hearing loss, in line with the Equality Act 2010.
Fees: £4,500 excl. VAT (for a group of up to 18 people)
6-week non-accredited BSL program
A shorter version of the 10-week accredited BSL program, with less vocabulary covered.
Fees: £2,250 excl. VAT (for a group of up to 18 people)
Deaf awareness and sign language workshop
Fees: £600 excl. VAT (for a group of up to 18 people)
Family Mediation Week (26–30 January 2026) |
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Couples in Portsmouth who have made the decision to separate are invited to find out how they can avoid a courtroom confrontation to settle money, property and parenting issues, as a series of free online events take place during Family Mediation Week, Monday 26 to Friday 30 January 2026.
Organised by the Family Mediation Council (FMC), the week aims to raise awareness of how family mediation can help separating couples make arrangements for children, property and finances in a calmer, more constructive way.
Tools for teachers: supporting children in separating families
Monday 26 January 2026 | 4pm – 5pm
Teachers report that family separation disrupts children’s learning: this webinar provides teachers and school staff with practical tools to help separating families and limit disruption in school.
School improvement
Updates from Teach Portsmouth |
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1. Don't forget to thank a school superhero this January
Teach Portsmouth is asking schools in Portsmouth and their parents/carers to thank everyday superheroes who support children and young people in these settings.
If you are yet to share the initiative in your school e-newsletters, please include the following text with parents/carers to thank those who go above and beyond. We are also encouraging colleagues in schools to put a superhero forward to be recognised too.
Help us thank our school's superheroes!
We need your help to recognise staff in our school who have gone above and beyond for you. Teach Portsmouth are asking primary and secondary schools in the city to thank their school superheroes.
To do this, all you need to do is visit the Teach Portsmouth website and share your thank you message using their online form. Visit www.teachportsmouth.co.uk/thankyou and share your message today!
For schools who have reception areas accessed by families and other professionals, you can download a printable postcard to print off. This postcard can be placed inside these areas. Please ensure there is a secure way to collect these postcards. Alternatively, a QR code on the postcard links to the online form. Please return postcards to Teach Portsmouth by no later than Wednesday 28 January 2026.
2. Be quick! One week to go until deadline for Bright Sparks Book entries
Thank you to everyone who has shared their Bright Sparks entries with us so far. If your school, academy, college or early years setting is planning to share an entry with us, there is only one week to go until the deadline.
Settings can share up to three entries across ten categorised sections, putting forward projects, initiatives and schemes that have improved outcomes for pupils.
The book will act as a resource for senior leaders who want to implement similar schemes. To submit your entry, please visit the Bright Sparks Book page on the Teach Portsmouth website by Wednesday 21 January 2026.
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Springhill English Hub training offer |
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Springhill English Hub is offering primary and secondary training opportunities, funded by the DfE, including:
- DfE National Year of Reading
- TSRC: Transforming Your School’s Reading Culture: The Next Chapter
- DfE Writing Framework
- Supporting Early Language Development (SELD)
Booking links and QR codes are available in the flyers:
Creative ways to support young people with SEMH needs |
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Are you a teacher looking for practical ideas to support young people with social, emotional and mental health needs? Would you like to use creativity to help support your pupils’ wellbeing?
The next Portsmouth Cultural Education Partnership (PCEP) Schools’ Expo will be held on Wednesday 21 January 2026. Please join us for an hour of coffee and chat with local cultural providers and then an hour of CPD that will explore simple, but powerful creative approaches.
Workshop practitioner and artist Trudie Wilson will share three adaptable interventions that work across different age groups and settings: making small worry stones, writing haikus and creating ink paintings to music. Together, these activities will offer a practical toolkit to support young people’s wellbeing, helping them regulate their emotions and feel more grounded. You’ll hear real examples of how these creative strategies have made a difference and you’ll learn manageable ways to bring them into your classroom.
Date: Wednesday 21 January 2026
Location: Aspex, Portsmouth
Timings: 4pm - 4.50pm: Coffee and chat with local cultural organisations | 4.55pm - 6pm: Creative CPD for teachers
This event is free to attend and refreshments will be provided.
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Languages meeting |
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The next meeting of the ALL Portsmouth Primary Hub, the Solent Language Network and the Portsmouth Network Language Leads will take place on Wednesday 4 February 2026, 4pm - 5pm.
As part of our ongoing commitment to communicating, collaborating and celebrating as a languages community, we are delighted to present “A smorgasbord of languages delights."
If you have any questions, please contact Liz Lord at lizlord0502@gmail.com.
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"Portsmouth: The Digital City" annual Computing Week, 9–13 February 2026 |
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Based on this year’s Safer Internet Day theme, “Smart tech, safe choices – Exploring the safe and responsible use of AI” we’re delighted to once again bring you a wide range of activities for children, young people, and adults as part of our annual Computing Week offer.
This year’s focus on AI gives us the perfect opportunity to explore how smart technologies are shaping our lives and how we can make informed, responsible choices when using them.
From hands-on classroom activities to thought-provoking discussions, our Computing Week resources, events and opportunities will help schools and communities engage with this important topic in fun and meaningful ways.
View the overview and sign up using the online form. Registration closes on Monday 19 January 2026.
This year includes:
- City-wide competition
- KS3 event at CoPC exploring VR and building your own comic universe
- Year 5 boys’ challenge: Create, Code and Stay Safe with AI
- Teacher CPD: Transform your classroom with Canva, coding and AI ethics
- AI Quality Mark launch for school leaders and digital leads
- Half and full-day workshop on AI, cybersecurity and data protection strategies with Holly and Jay Jay
- Safer Internet Day assemblies for primary and secondary schools
- Cumberland Infant Digital Showcase for SLT and EYFS teams
- KS2 girls’ Smart Tech Challenge at UTC – innovate with safety in mind
- KS3 girls’ Smart Tech Challenge at UTC – innovate with safety in mind
Consultation on revised travel assistance policies |
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We are currently consulting on changes to the travel assistance policy for children of statutory school age (5-16) and the travel assistance statement for post-16 learners.
We are not proposing any changes to the eligibility criteria, so children and young people who are currently eligible will be eligible under the revised policy. We are, however, proposing a change in how transport is currently provided for eligible young people aged 16+. We are consulting on making changes to clarify that, for post-16 students travelling to college, travel assistance will be offered as a bus pass or personal budget rather than through a council mini-bus or taxi, with a continuing offer of independent travel training.
The consultation on the travel assistance policy for children of statutory school age (5-16) is available here, and the consultation on the travel assistance policy is published here.
Any comments should be sent to SharedMailbox.HTSTransport@portsmouthcc.gov.uk by Friday 27 February 2026. We are also writing directly to all families currently receiving travel assistance.
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