Welcome back to another academic year with the Portsmouth Education Partnership weekly bulletin. We hope you have had a restful summer and are ready for the year ahead. Throughout the year, we'll share information, events, opportunities and key updates for you to action or share with your school communities.
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
Supporting vaccination for SEND children and young people
Two new leaflets have been published to provide guidance for schools and parents to support the delivery of the school aged vaccination programmes to children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
The Information for parents and carers leaflet provides practical information for parents and carers and supports vaccination for school age children and young people with SEND. This leaflet is designed to help parents and carers understand the importance and benefits of vaccinations for children and young people with SEND. It seeks to address many of the queries and concerns raised by parents and carers of children with SEND and provides practical advice and information on how to prepare for an immunisation appointment, what to expect, and where to find accurate and reliable trusted sources of information on vaccinations.
The Information for specialist providers and SEND co-ordinators in mainstream schools leaflet is designed for specialist providers and SEND co-ordinators (SENCOs) in mainstream schools and covers practical steps to help children and young people with SEN and disabilities and their families understand why vaccination matters, the benefits of delivering these within school settings, and approaches to make vaccination accessible and inclusive, ensuring they receive the protection they need in a safe and supportive environment.
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Primary school parent hub
Portsmouth Parent Voice (PPV) are hosting the next Primary Parent Hub on 10 September from 9.30am to 11.00am at the Havelock community centre.
The Parent Hub is designed to provide a safe and supportive space for parent/carers, offering access to relevant information, support, resources, and training tailored to the needs of parent/carers at the schools. Parent hub sessions are held once every half term for primary aged children with SEND.
In this session there will be the opportunity to create a visual board for communicating "Now and Next" for children which can be taken home to use.
Both the neurodiversity and MHST teams will be there to help answer any questions.
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My Grief – My Way Conference
This is a an interactive one-day conference from Simon Says, taking place on Wednesday 25 November 2026 from 8.30am to 3.30pm at Solent Hotel & Spa,Whiteley.
This is an inspiring and practical one-day interactive conference, bringing together leading voices in childhood bereavement, creativity and inclusion. This event is designed for professionals who support bereaved children and young people, including those with additional needs, across education, health, social care, voluntary and community settings.
Whether you work in education, healthcare, counselling or family support, this conference will leave you feeling informed, inspired and better equipped to support grieving children and young people.
Find out more and book your place:– Simon Says My Grief My Way Conference 2026
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Toolkit for bereavement and loss
We are pleased to launch our new Loss and Bereavement Guide and Toolkit bringing together practical resources, guidance and tools to support learning and best practice. The toolkit is easy to access and designed to be used by anyone who works with children and families.
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Free National SEND Training Opportunities
The RISE Partnership is offering a programme of free national online training between September 2026 and March 2027. Designed to support workforce development across the SEND system, the programme brings together expert speakers and practical insights on key topics including SEND reforms, inclusion bases, health and SEND, co-production, social care, and early years practice.
Training is aimed at practitioners, managers and strategic leaders across education, health and care.
For further information and to book, visit the CDC Events and Training Calendar.
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NASA LIVE, 11 September at 2PM
Get behind the scenes of the Artemis mission with NASA's Orion spacecraft engineers Howard Hu and Branelle Rodriguez.
Broadcast live from Imperial Space School in London, don't miss this very special opportunity to meet the engineers behind the Artemis. Discover their story, ask your questions and find out what is next as they work towards moon landing.
This one-hour session is open to schools across the UK and is suitable for ages 8-18. Secure a place for your class now by registering here: https://www.big-ideas.org/nasa-live/
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Primary school language learners - careers with languages event
The Solent Language Network invites schools and pupils in Years 5 and 6 to their Careers with Languages event, taking place on Monday 5 October, 12.30pm to 2.30pm, at Admiral Lord Nelson School, Portsmouth.
This interactive session is designed to inspire younger learners by introducing them to the exciting world of languages and the diverse careers that language skills can lead to.
Activities will include team-building exercises, inspirational talks, and videos about real-life careers that use languages and experiences from students who have studied abroad.
Pupils can also take part in a lively quiz exploring global cultures, and try a Japanese taster session. A high-energy Futbol Lingo workshop will link the worlds of football and languages, showing how language learning can lead to exciting careers in sports, media, international travel, and beyond.
This event is free of charge, but places are limited, so schools are encouraged to book early to avoid disappointment.
To confirm your school’s attendance, please contact Elle Smith by Friday 18 September.
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Portsmouth City of Languages steering group
The Portsmouth City of Languages steering group will be an online meeting at 10am on the following dates:
- 18 September 2026
- 27 November 2026
- 26 February 2027
- 23 April 2027
- 18 June 2027
Complete the Summer Reading Challenge and celebrate at Southsea Castle
Children aged 4 to 11 still have time to complete the Summer Reading Challenge: Read to the Beat! by 13 September.
Everyone who completes the challenge will receive a certificate and medal and be invited to a celebration event at Southsea Castle on Sunday 27 September, featuring trails, craft activities and character appearances inspired by Spider-Man, Minecraft and K-Pop Demon Hunters.
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Annual Careers & Apprenticeship Show is back for September 2026.
The Careers & Apprenticeship Show takes place on Wednesday 23 September at the Mountbatten Centre from 3pm to 6pm. It invites young people aged 15-25 and their parents/carers to find information about education, apprenticeships, and careers opportunities beyond secondary education.
This free event is an opportunity for parents/carers and their your young person to explore the range of progression routes available in and around the city. Over 50 employers, FE colleges and training providers will be exhibiting at this event, to answer questions and showcase the range of opportunities in their business and industry.
Book free tickets
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Moderation courses for academic year 2026/27
The following courses take place at the training and learning centre, The Portsmouth Academy in person unless otherwise stated. All dates have also been added to the PEP calendar.
2 October 2026 at 1pm to 3pm: New to Year 6 Training (writing)
22 October 2026 at 3pm to 5pm: Year 2 Cluster Moderation (session 1)
23 October 2026 at 3pm to 5pm: Year 1 Cluster Moderation (session 1)
12 November 2026 at 3pm to 5pm: Year 3 and Year 4 Cluster Moderation (session 1)
19 November 2026 at 3pm to 5pm: Year 5 Cluster Moderation (session 1)
26 November 2026 at 4pm to 5pm: Headteachers Briefing for Moderation (no booking required)
27 November 2026 at 1pm to 3pm: Year 6 Teachers Writing
4 February 2027 at 3pm to 5pm: Year 6 Moderation Surgery (session 2)
11 February 2027 at 3pm to 5pm: KS2 Standardisation resits
25 February 2027 at 3pm to 5pm: Year 6 Cluster Moderation (no booking required)
12 March 2027 at 1pm to 3pm: Year 6 Teacher Assessment Framework Training (writing)
18 March 2027 at 3pm to 5pm: Year 1 Cluster Moderation (session 2)
19 March 2027 at 3pm to 5pm: Year 2 Cluster Moderation (session 2)
25 March 2027 at 3pm to 5pm: Year 6 Moderation Surgery (session 2)
14 April 2027 at 4pm to 5pm: School Governors for supporting SATs and phonics administration
15 April 2027 at 4pm to 5pm: Headteachers Briefing for Phonics and KS2 SATs
16 April 2027 at 3pm to 5pm: Year 3 and Year 4 Cluster Moderation (session 2)
22 April 2027 at 1pm to 3pm: Year 6 Moderation Event
29 April 2027 at 3pm to 5pm: Year 5 Cluster Moderation (session 2)
7 May 2027 at 3pm to 5pm: Year 6 Cluster Moderation (no booking required)
27 May 2027 at 3pm to 4pm: Year 1 Phonics Training
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