Southfield School

Outreach Service

Southfield Outreach Service provides support to mainstream colleagues in local authority Primary and Secondary Schools across DSPL 5

(Welwyn and Hatfield and surrounding villages)

Our aim is to improve outcomes for pupils with SEN by upskilling staff and providing support and resources to improve inclusive teaching and learning within mainstream settings.

Who we are

Southfield School is a primary school for children with learning difficulties. Our pupils have a wide range of abilities and strengths. They also have a range of special needs and our school caters for pupils with Moderate Learning Difficulties, Autistic Spectrum Disorders and Speech Language and Communication difficulties.

We are well placed to give advice, guidance and training opportunities to mainstream schools who are supporting pupils with a range of difficulties and needs.

Our Outreach teachers are serving qualified and experienced teachers who have worked in mainstream and special schools and have a wide range of experience and training in Special Educational Needs and approaches.

Mel Green is our Lead Outreach Teacher.

Our Services

This service is suitable for children working below age related expectations or who have a range of difficulties in accessing the curriculum.

It is a free to access service for local authority maintained schools.

The Outreach support we provide is tailored to the pupils' and schools' individual needs but there are 4 main types of support that we offer to schools:

Pupil Focused Support

Support and advice directed at a specific pupil within a mainstream setting, which may include:

• Developing resources to support learning
• Demonstrating use of equipment and resources
• Discussing strategies to support inclusive practice
• Offering advice on differentiation/curriculum development
• Supporting with assessment including using P-Levels and appropriate target setting
• Facilitating discussions with parents/other professionals
• Acting as a ‘soundboard’ to generate and share ideas
• Supporting the development of behaviour management strategies
• Supporting with transition
• Observations of pupils (in setting wherever possible)

School Focused Support

Tailor-made/bespoke support and training for groups of staff within a mainstream school setting which may include:

• Whole school staff meetings
• Small group training sessions (for teaching or support staff)
• INSET training

In-reach

As part of a pupil or school focused referral you may be invited to Southfield school for one of the following opportunities:

• Look at a range of resources
• Sharing good practise
• Observation of specific strategies/programmes
• General observation in class

Specialist Training

We run free training courses each half term for staff from mainstream schools.

These courses offer professional development for teachers, SENCOs/INCOs and teaching assistants in a range of different areas. Examples of previously offered courses include:

- Creating Sensory Friendly Classrooms

- Emergent Writing and Inclusive Literacy

- Encouraging Independence and Transition

- ASD and ADHD

- Attachment

Flyers for upcoming courses are circulated to schools by email and can be also be found here on our website page.

All of our training is now delivered via virtual platforms.

Recordings of previously delivered sessions are available on request.

How to make a referral

To make a referral please complete a Southfield Outreach Service referral form (link below).

School focused or pupil focused referrals can be submitted on the same form.

Email to us at outreach@southfield.herts.sch.uk

To meet data protections requirements, all referrals sent electronically must be password protected.

Or post to us at: Outreach Department, Southfield School, Woods Avenue, Hatfield, AL10 8NN.

For a pupil focused referral, you must have parental permission to refer and the forms must be signed by parents.

You will receive a confirmation email when your referral has been received and a member of the team will be in touch when support is available.

Contact us on: outreach@southfield.herts.sch.uk
or by calling the school on 01707 276504
and selecting the Outreach Team extension

Specialist Training

Developing Social Understanding using Social Stories

Summer 2021

Please access the pre-recorded video training via the Our Learning - School Videos section

of the Southfield School website.

Resources to accompany the training can be found below. 

Encouraging and supporting writing for pupils with additional needs

Summer 2021

Please access the pre-recorded video training via the Our Learning - School Videos section

of the Southfield School website.

Resources to accompany the training can be found below. 

New for 2021 

SEND Advice Drop-in Sessions

Monday afternoons between 3.30 and 5.00pm

Offering advice and support via TEAMs for any pupil with whom you are currently working in your setting.

Please note these pupils do not need a referral to accompany them.

NB – this is an appointment only service

If you would like to access this, please contact us via our email outreach@southfield.herts.sch.uk 

to make an appointment.

Feedback on our services

“Outreach support has helped the class team to support the pupil a lot and has deepened understanding of the pupils needs.”

 “I liked discussion of what was working well and new practical strategies to try.”

“The support from the Outreach service has really benefitted the child.”

“Good ideas to support that are different to what I have already used.”

“I have found the Outreach support really helpful.”

“Meetings are useful and information/advice is clear.”

“A number of strategies were given that have been useful and implemented.”

“I have been looking for training that would be suitable for both families and schools, and this was really useful. I am hoping that as well as sharing with the school, I would like to share information with parents.”

 “The delivery and content of the training was good.”

“Training was relevant and has increased knowledge, skills and confidence.”

“I will be able to apply the training to my setting.”

Resources