The Blackbirds had a fantastic day at the Hertfordshire County Show Schools Day. The day was a wonderful opportunity for the children to learn about the important roles of all the people involved in producing our food. For Southfield School pupils, this real-life, hands-on experience is particularly valuable in helping them make meaningful connections between classroom learning and the wider world. The children learnt about the different types of farming machinery and enjoyed a tractor ride, supporting their understanding of how large-scale processes work in a safe and engaging way. From there they got to explore how different grains are grown and turned into the everyday products we see on supermarket shelves, helping to build independence and life skills around food awareness and choices.

The children had an opportunity to grind wheat and see it turn into flour, giving them a concrete, sensory experience of a process they might otherwise only see in pictures. In the butchery tent, the children saw a demonstration showing how sausages are made, which helped develop their understanding of where food comes from and encouraged curiosity about different jobs and skills. They were fascinated when looking at the different eggs made by various birds, from the tiny quail eggs to a giant goose egg, which supported their observational skills and vocabulary development.

There were lots of tasty treats for the children to try, including crispy duck, giving them opportunities to explore new foods and develop confidence in trying different tastes and textures, an important aspect of personal development for many Southfield pupils. The sensory-rich environment of the show, with its sights, sounds and smells, also supported communication, engagement and social interaction skills.

Their firm favourite was watching the sheep show and finishing the day with a refreshing ice cream cone. Experiences like this not only bring learning to life but also support pupils’ social development, confidence in new environments, and understanding of the community around them, aligning closely with Southfield School’s focus on independence, life skills and preparing pupils for the wider world.