Have your say: PEP communications survey

The Portsmouth Education Partnership is committed to making sure our communications are clear, useful and supportive for everyone working with children and young people across the city. To help us strengthen how we share updates, resources and opportunities, we’re inviting you to complete a short survey.

This will ask you about your role, how you currently engage with the PEP bulletin, and what types of information and formats you find most helpful. Your feedback will directly shape how we design and deliver future communications, ensuring they work better for schools, partners and families.

The survey takes only a few minutes, and all responses are anonymous. Your input is incredibly valuable and will help us continue improving how we support the education community in Portsmouth. Thank you for taking the time to share your views and helping us improve how we communicate across the partnership.

Deadline to complete the survey Wednesday 22 April.  

Save the date: 8 July 2026 - PEP Long Service Awards

Portsmouth Education Partnership (PEP) is inviting schools and colleges to come together to celebrate colleagues who have dedicated 20 years or more to educating children and young people in our city. 

We will be hosting a special afternoon tea and trophy presentation to honour long serving staff. It will take place on Wednesday 8 July at the Mayor's Suite, Portsmouth Guildhall.

Please save the date and start to collate a list of staff to help us recognise the incredible contribution of Portsmouth’s long service education staff.

Further information, including how to submit names, will be shared shortly.

Supporting understanding and practice – Annual Review paperwork (online training)

The SEN Team will be delivering a series of short workshops to support understanding and practice across different areas of the Annual Review paperwork. These sessions will provide an opportunity to understand the purpose of specific sections of the AR paperwork, refresh your knowledge, discuss your current practice with colleagues from different schools and ask questions.

The aim of these sessions is to:

• create consistency of practice across settings;
• ensure that Annual Review paperwork results in quality EHCP amendments;
• ensure requests submitted to the SEN Team via Annual Review paperwork can be considered and actioned efficiently.

Measuring progress towards outcomes and setting new outcomes: 
Wednesday 13 May, 10:30am - 11:30am 
Thursday 14 May, 1:00pm - 2:00pm

Completing the preparing for adulthood section:
Wednesday 3 June, 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Thursday 4 June, 11:00am - 12.00pm

Register
Forward your contact details and date you wish to attend to lauren.roe@portsmouthcc.gov.uk.

You will receive a joining link and relevant information. To help manage attendance, please do not share the link. If you are unable to attend the training, please liaise with Lauren directly.

Pompey in the Community: new schools brochure for 2026/27 

Pompey in the Community has launched its new schools brochure for the 2026/27 academic year, showcasing a wide range of programmes and opportunities for primary and secondary schools.

The brochure outlines curriculum‑linked activities designed to support learning, wellbeing and personal development, delivered by experienced staff using the power of sport and physical activity to engage young people.

Schools can explore opportunities covering:

• Physical education and healthy lifestyles
• Personal development and wellbeing
• Inclusion, aspiration and engagement
• Targeted interventions and enrichment activity

Public Health Portsmouth: trusted adults vaping training

This free interactive training session is designed for those who work directly with young people aged 11–15, including youth workers, school staff and community providers.

This session aims to help you feel more confident, informed and equipped to offer meaningful support to young people who vape and smoke.

Participants will explore a wide range of topics, including:

• Local context – understanding what vaping looks like in our area and how it affects young people
• Health risks of vaping – clear, age-appropriate information to support informed conversations
• Recognising signs of vaping – subtle indicators that a young person may be vaping
• Vape laws and reporting – guidance on legislation, illicit products, and how to report concerns
• Neurodiversity and vaping – understanding why some neurodivergent young people may be more vulnerable

Course details
Thursday 14 May, 1:00pm - 4:00pm, Conference room A, Floor 1, Civic offices
Friday 22 May, 10:00am - 1:00pm, Conference room B, Floor 1, Civic offices

Places are limited. Book a free space here.  

Teacher and adviser conference - University of Portsmouth, 19 May 2026

Don't miss this free event at the University of Portsmouth for teachers and advisors to connect, learn and take away practical tips and tools to support their role working with students. There is the opportunity for attending CPD certified sessions to support professional development.

Key elements to the conference are: 

• Keynote by John Yarham, CEO of the Careers and Enterprise Company
• CPD accredited sessions from Boys' Impact and the Centre for Academic Development and Innovation
• A new Exhibitor Expo featuring a range of university services and external organisations and partners
• Subject insight sessions 

Conference details:
Tuesday 19 May, 9.15am to 4pm, Portsmouth campus (registration Eldon building)

Free to attend, register here to attend. 

Help us tell the story: Portsmouth City of Languages 

During March’s Week of Celebrating Languages, colleagues across Portsmouth highlighted how powerful it is for children to hear and use their home languages. As one colleague reflected, “children who may normally remain quiet come alive and feel that sense of importance - it’s quite magical.” Celebrating languages empowers learners, strengthens identity and reflects the rich cultures within our communities.

Send a short summary of how your setting celebrated languages (and photos if you have them) to lizlord0502@gmail.com, and be part of our city‑wide celebration.

Home‑Start Portsmouth have launched new stay and play sessions to help support parents and children to learn together. These Big Steps for Little People Stay and Play sessions are running in family hubs across Portsmouth.

New training for SEND in action in the primary setting

A new full‑day course, SEND in action in the primary setting and is aimed at teachers, HLTAs, 1:1 TAs, SEN(D)COs, assistant SEN(D)COs and all staff supporting children with SEND in primary schools.

Participants will have the opportunity to:

• Develop confidence in identifying and making changes in their own setting to meet their pupil’s needs.
• Explore how visual symbols are used to support pupils in all aspects of their learning.
• Explore ways of engaging their pupils while also building positive relationships.
• Understand personalised learning approaches and adapting teaching to meet all needs.
• Explore assessment options and how to capture all steps of progress.
• Spend time within the specialist setting, seeing transferrable strategies and activities 'in action'.
• Reflection and questions about what they have seen and discuss how to adapt this for their setting.

Course details
Wednesday 20 May 2026, 8:30am to 2:45pm, Cliffdale Primary Academy.

Forward the name and email of the attendee to EandSC@portsmouthcc.gov.uk to book onto the training. Places are limited to 12 attendees. 

PSCP: reducing parental conflict training

Practitioners are invited to attend this one-day training to understand, identify, assess and be upskilled to support, challenge and change in families with parental conflict. All resources and tools will be included.

There will be 3 modules delivered over one full day:
• Understanding and Recognising Parental Conflict - Pre-birth to 19
• Assessment of Parental Conflict - Impact and Need
• Skills to Support, Challenge and Change in Families with Parental Conflict

Course details:
Tuesday 23 June 2026, 9:30am - 16:30
Conference Room B, Civic Offices

Book onto training here. 

Solent Mind: new Self harm awareness training (online)

Free self‑harm awareness training is now open to book. These sessions are for education providers of secondary school age children and young people (11 years and over), 6th form and further education.

The experienced Solent Mind training team will deliver live online 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. 

Training options include:

• Self-Harm Awareness (1 hour) - basic understanding and improving confidence.
• Self-Harm Awareness (3 hour) - more in depth understanding
• Reflective practice (1 hour) - a chance to share with your peers.

Course details:
Dates available between 15 April to 30 September. Please note there are some 1-hour as well as after school and twilight sessions available.

Book onto training here.