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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
Get involved in a SEND‑inclusive event celebrating Portsmouth |
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The Sentury Festival is a free, inclusive community festival celebrating 100 years of Portsmouth. It takes place on Saturday 27 June 2026 from 2:00pm to 5:00pm at Southsea Bandstand.
Hosted by City of Portsmouth College in partnership with Portsmouth City Council, this free, in-person event is a fantastic opportunity to relax by the sea, enjoy live entertainment, and connect with the vibrant SEND community across Portsmouth. Bring your family and friends and make the most of a sunny Saturday filled with great music, local talent and community spirit.
The festival will showcase creativity, music and food, and create opportunities for young people and adults with SEND to perform, dance, sing and sell products made with local organisations. It aims to bring people together in a welcoming, inclusive environment for everyone, including families.
Get involved
Local artists, organisations and young people and adults with SEND are invited to perform or host a stall. A sound engineer and music equipment will be provided for the main stage. Stallholders will need to bring their own table or gazebo if required.
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School improvement
An inspiring opportunity for language practitioners
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The Solent Languages Network Conference is a free event open to language teachers and colleagues from across the region. It will take place on Tuesday 8 July 2026, from a 9:00am to 3:30pm, at Admiral Lord Nelson School.
The conference will feature inspiring keynote speakers and a range of practical sessions for both primary and secondary practitioners. Attendees will have the chance to share best practice, exchange ideas, and take away fresh approaches for the classroom.
Participants can choose sessions to suit their interests, and lunch will be provided. The day begins with a 9:00am arrival for a 9:30am start and will finish at 3:30pm.
If more than one colleague from your school or organisation would like to attend, please email esmith@salterns.org to let the organisers know. Dietary requirements should also be sent to this address.
Places are limited. Book a free space here.
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Calling young writers: multilingual entries extended |
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Children and young people across the city are invited to take part in HSDC’s multilingual writing competition, with entries now open until Friday 22 May. The competition celebrates writing in any language, reflecting the rich linguistic diversity of our city and the many languages spoken by learners at home, in school and in their communities.
“You can’t underestimate how incredible it is for children to hear things in their own language. Children who might usually stay quiet come alive and feel that sense of importance -it’s quite magical.”
A Portsmouth colleague, following Celebrating Languages Week
Creating opportunities for learners to write in different languages helps them express who they are, builds confidence, and shows that all languages are valued and respected.
Seeing their work published in the final collection will be a proud moment for learners. Please encourage them to start writing and share this opportunity with colleagues, including English departments, who may be able to support entries.
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Early years
Support reception assessment: EYFS profile training
The early years advisory teachers will be delivering half‑day EYFS profile training for all Reception teachers.
The training supports the department for education’s focus on giving children the best start in life and will help schools complete the EYFS profile accurately and consistently at the end of Reception year. A range of assessment support materials have been developed to aid the completion of the profile and these will be explored during the sessions.
Sessions will:
- explore the new EYFS Profile assessment support materials
- unpick aspects of the Early Learning Goals
- provide opportunities to moderate judgements with colleagues from other schools
Course details
Half-day training on Tuesday 12, Thursday 14 and Monday 18 May.
Book your place via Portsmouth Traded Services.
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Before children can write, they need to move!
The early years team has been working with the thames valley and south central early years stronger practice hub to offer nursery and reception year practitioners the opportunity to attend a free moving to write workshop.
The new department for education writing framework (July 2025) highlights that handwriting begins with the body.
Join this lively, hands-on workshop to learn how to:
- understand the physical skills needed for writing.
- explore how movement and play support early writing development.
- create environments and activities that strengthen bodies and fingers.
- plan effective interventions, including support for tripod grip.
- take away practical ideas to use immediately in their setting.
Course details
Thursday 11 June 2026 at Queen’s Hotel, Southsea, Portsmouth, PO5 3LJ
Book your free place on one of two sessions:
Morning: 9:00am to 12:00pm
Afternoon: 1:15pm to 4:15pm
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Support pupils with SEND: understanding sensory processing in KS2 and secondary
This full‑day course is designed for staff supporting children and young people with SEND in Key Stage 2 or secondary settings. It will build understanding of sensory processing and provide practical strategies that can be used in school to support pupils more effectively.
Participants will have the opportunity to:
- Learn the foundations of sensory processing, including how sensory integration differences can explain a range of behaviours.
- Explore practical strategies to improve the daily experiences of pupils in school.
- Gain ideas for activities and adaptations to increase confidence in meeting sensory processing needs.
- Spend time in specialist classrooms, seeing transferable strategies and activities in action.
- Take part in discussion and ask questions alongside colleagues from across the Solent Academies Trust.
- Reflect on practice and consider how approaches can be adapted for their own setting.
Course details
Tuesday 5 May, 9:00am to 3:00pm, Redwood Park Academy
To book a place, email Steph Andrews at EandSC@portsmouthcc.gov.uk. Places are limited to 10 attendees.
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Dates for your diary
27 April 2026
Tier 4 Performance monitoring oversight group -summer 1
Join here
6 May 2026
LA - All headteacher briefing - summer 1
Join here
11 May 2026
Post-16 forum - summer 1
Join here
13 May 2026
SENCO AR training
Join here
14 May 2026
SENCO AR training
Join here
The PEP calendar contains dates of events, network meetings, conferences, training and workshops taking place in Portsmouth.
To help make the calendar as useful as possible for everyone, colleagues and partners are encouraged to regularly add relevant dates that you'd like to share. If you're scheduling your own event or training, you can check availability on the PEP calendar to avoid potential clashes with other events.
To add a date to the PEP calendar, simply forward your meeting invite to pepportsmouth@gmail.com and it will be added automatically.
Please note that the email address pepportsmouth@gmail.com should only be used to add items to the PEP calendar. All queries regarding the Portsmouth Education Partnership should continue to be sent to pep@portsmouthcc.gov.uk.
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