Portsmouth’s ‘call to the classroom’ answered with new webinar

A city leader has thanked Portsmouth's community for answering a call to the classroom to teach children and young people in schools.

Teach Portsmouth, a Portsmouth City Council service, is organising a 'Love to Teach' webinar on Wednesday 23 October from 5pm - 5:45pm.

The webinar aims to support individuals who are interested in becoming teachers but are unsure about their options. This includes students who are graduating this summer as well as those who are already qualified to start training.

Nationally, challenges remain in recruiting teachers, with a new 5% pay award helping to attract more applicants. However, primary and secondary teacher training applications are still below target across the UK for the academic year 2023/24.

Councillor Suzy Horton, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education at Portsmouth City Council, said:

"I would like to thank everyone for their interest in attending Teach Portsmouth's webinar. It is perfectly timed to give those at the start of their teaching career an opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the profession - just as applications open.

"While there are challenges nationally, Portsmouth is leading the way in demystifying training routes into teaching and providing practical advice for those ready to take the next step."

The webinar will feature local teacher training providers and early career teachers, offering a range of perspectives and experiences to help aspiring educators understand the variety of pathways available.

Topics will include university-led postgraduate courses, school-centred initial teacher training (SCITT) programmes, and financial support options including bursaries and scholarships. Attendees will have the chance to ask questions during a live Q&A session.

While the UK faces ongoing pressures in teacher recruitment, Portsmouth is working proactively to attract and retain talent. Local initiatives to recruit teaching assistants and school staff, have helped the city stay ahead in tackling these challenges.

Over the last academic year, 12 people have been recruited into support vacancies and volunteering roles in schools. Alongside this, a further 34 people have started training with The Learning Place. These sessions are designed to boost skills and confidence, preparing people before applying for a vacancy.

Teach Portsmouth's Love to Teach webinar is free to attend and held on Zoom video conferencing. Those interested will need to register in advance of the session.

For more information about the webinar, please visit www.teachportsmouth.co.uk/webinar.

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