Teach Portsmouth week aims to boost recruitment

PLANS have been announced by Portsmouth Education Partnership to celebrate education and attract teachers to the city.
Teach Portsmouth Coordinator - Sophie VenablesTeach Portsmouth Coordinator - Sophie Venables
Teach Portsmouth Coordinator - Sophie Venables

Teach Portsmouth Week will run from the 1st to 5th of October and involve teaching-themed activities to celebrate the work of Portsmouth's teachers and raise the public perception of teaching.

Coordinator, Sophie Venables, said: '˜With 25 schools already involved I am really excited. The aim is to celebrate teaching because for too long I think it has become a bandwagon of negativity.'

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Many of the activities will be student-led and focus on the importance of teaching others. At Trafalgar School pupils are taking over tutor time to deliver sessions to their peers. Many local schools have also signed up to the '˜Teach a Teacher' initiative.

'˜This allows children the chance to teach their teachers on something which is of interest to them but their teacher may not know much about such as gaming or skateboarding,' explained Mrs Venables.

Other activities taking place include a teacher-themed art exhibition at Gaiety Bar including drawings, photographs, film and poems from children depicting the value of their teachers.

'˜There will also be work on display from seven teachers who attended St Edmund's as students who now teach at the school,' said Mrs Venables.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Portsmouth University have been heavily involved in providing professional equipment for children to produce their teaching-themed films. Other supporting organisations include The News, National Education Union, Shaping Portsmouth and Pompey in the Community.

The culmination of the week will be an awards ceremony which deputy director for children's services, Mike Stoneman believes is a chance for teachers to receive the recognition they deserve.

'˜We need to raise the profile of teaching in the city and celebrate some of the outstanding teachers we have. They need to be recognised,' said Mr Stoneman. Team awards include promoting the community, inclusion, innovation, health and well being and cultural diversity. Ninety nominations have been submitted for individual honours including unsung hero and life service.     

 

Â