Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• National Numeracy Day 2026

  Fri 22 May 2026

  On Thursday we marked National Numeracy Day, and the school hall was buzzing with excitement. Children enjoyed a fantastic Happy Puzzle maths workshop, tackling puzzles, challenges, and activities as teams. The best part was watching children and staff come together, sharing ideas and solving problems with real joy!

  

• Bhaktivedanta Manor Visit

  Wed 20 May 2026

  On Monday, Woodpeckers had an amazing RE education offsite visit to Hare Krishna Temple Watford at Bhaktivedanta Manor. Woodpeckers experienced a cow and cart ride, feeding the cows carrots, visiting the miniature cows, walking the path through the gardens,  played in the amazing playground, explored stories and dressing in traditional hindu clothing and participating in music in the shrine at the temple. We also ate amazing food including paneer curry, rice and naan breads, where we had to ate on the floor and take our shoes off to show respect. Woodpecker had a busy, fun filled day. 

   

  

• Official Opening of Our Forest School

  Tue 19 May 2026

  On Friday 15 May 2026, we were delighted to celebrate the official opening of our new Forest School area — an exciting development that will provide our children with valuable outdoor learning experiences for many years to come.

  We were honoured to welcome Lynn Chesterman and Andrew Lewin, who officially opened the Forest School and joined pupils, staff, governors, and members of the wider school community for this special occasion.

  The development of this area has been made possible thanks to the generosity and support of Philip Trim and his charity. We are extremely grateful for their donation, which helped us raise the necessary funds to transform this piece of land into a wonderful outdoor learning environment for our children.

  Our sincere thanks also go to the many special dignitaries and guests who gave up their time to make the opening such a memorable event. We were pleased to welcome Governors Peter Hebden, Gareth Brisbin and Paul Horsely, together with Carole Bennett, CEO of HFL, Catherine Loake, Director of Business Services, and Hilary Clifford, as well as members of Friends of Southfield.

  The Forest School will provide opportunities for pupils to develop confidence, resilience, teamwork, creativity, and a deeper appreciation of the natural world through hands-on outdoor learning.

  Thank you to everyone who has supported this exciting project and helped make this vision a reality for our school community.

  

• Lazy Salsa Sunday!

  Tue 19 May 2026

  We are delighted to share that Lazy Salsa Sunday have been fundraising in support of Southfield FOSS and recently presented Jackie and Cheryl with a fantastic cheque for £3,200 to contribute towards our minibus fundraiser.

  Lazy Salsa Sunday is a non-profit group dedicated to supporting local charities, hosting fun-filled afternoons of salsa dancing to fundraiser. 

  We are incredibly grateful that Lazy Salsa Sunday chose us as one of their beneficiaries. Cheryl and Jackie thoroughly enjoyed taking part and even picked up a few salsa moves along the way!

  Our sincere thanks go to everyone involved for their generosity and support.

  

• Sharing afternoons at Southfield

  Thu 14 May 2026

  We were delighted to hold our final Sharing Afternoons of the year, this week and welcome parents and carers into school to celebrate the children’s learning. It was a wonderful opportunity for families to spend time in the classrooms, see the progress the children have made, and explore the work they have been so proud of. Parents and Carers even got to spend time in our new onsite forest school.

  Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make these sessions so special.

  

• A Truly Special Honour at Buckingham Palace

  Mon 11 May 2026

  We are delighted to share that Angela O’Rourke, Headteacher, was nominated by the Department for Education to attend a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in recognition of her outstanding contribution to education.

  The event took place on Friday 8 May 2026 and brought together guests from across the country who have made a significant impact within their communities and professions.

  The occasion was made even more memorable by the attendance of members of the Royal Family, including Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, along with Zara Tindall.

  Angela was accompanied by her perfect companion, Sarah Lettis, Director of Operations, making the day an especially memorable and joyful occasion to share together.

  This prestigious invitation was a wonderful recognition of dedication, commitment and service to education, and we were incredibly proud to celebrate this remarkable achievement.

   

  

• The Importance of Singing and Choir at Southfield

  Mon 11 May 2026

  The Importance of Singing and Choir at Southfield School

  Singing and choir participation can play a transformative role in Special Educational Needs schools, offering far more than musical development alone. For many pupils with additional needs, singing provides an inclusive, accessible, and joyful way to communicate, connect, and grow.

  One of the greatest strengths of singing is its accessibility. Every child has a voice, and singing allows pupils of all abilities to take part at their own level, whether through vocalising, signing, using communication aids, or simply listening and responding. At Southfield, this shared experience removes barriers to participation and helps pupils feel valued and included, regardless of their academic or physical challenges.

  Choir and group singing supports communication and language development. Repetition of lyrics, rhythm, and rhyme can help reinforce vocabulary, speech patterns, and memory. For pupils with speech and language difficulties, singing can reduce anxiety around verbal communication, as melody often makes words easier to access and express. For some non-verbal pupils, singing may encourage vocal sounds or responses that might not otherwise occur.

  Emotionally, singing has a powerful impact on wellbeing. Music can regulate mood, reduce stress, and provide a safe outlet for emotions. It is quite common for our pupils to experience heightened anxiety or sensory overload, so structured singing sessions can create a sense of calm, routine, and predictability.

  Our choir builds connection and teamwork. Pupils learn to listen to one another, take turns, and work towards a shared goal. These skills are particularly valuable as some can find social interaction challenging. Being part of a choir encourages a sense of belonging and collective identity, helping pupils feel part of something bigger. It also fosters joy and a sense of achievement, boosting confidence and self-esteem when pupils succeed together.

  Finally, singing offers opportunities for celebration and visibility. Performances, whether informal assemblies or community events such as the Hatfield House Picnic, allow our pupils to showcase their abilities and strengths. This not only empowers the pupils themselves but also helps challenge misconceptions about our children, showing their creativity, talent and individuality.

  For us, singing and choir are not just musical activities; they are powerful tools for communication, inclusion, emotional wellbeing, and community. Through song, pupils can find their voices in every sense of the word.

  

• School Council and Behaviour leaders meeting

  Fri 01 May 2026

  Within our School Council and Behaviour Leader meetings, we have placed a strong focus on pupil voice. Pupils have been actively involved in discussions around our new Forest School provision, including collaboratively creating the rules that everyone should follow when using the Forest School area. In addition, pupils have continued to contribute their views to curriculum subjects such as computing and art. Our Behaviour Leaders consistently act as positive role models for the school’s behaviour charter and regularly engage in discussions about how we can ensure all pupils understand and follow these shared expectations.

  

• Sound Sensations at Southfield

  Wed 22 Apr 2026

  Sound Sensations at Southfield

   

  Sensational people, making sensational sounds!

   

  Sounds of Intent is an inclusive framework of musical engagement. It is a model of musical development that sets out how we all engage with music, from children in the early years to older people with dementia, from those with profound learning difficulties who are still learning to process sound, to others who are regarded as advanced musicians in their culture. Sounds of Intent is not specific to a particular style or genre of music; it is meant for music teachers, therapists, community musicians, carers, relatives and friends wherever they are, to help them:

  • understand how children, young people and adults engage with music in different ways
  • differentiate what they do according to people’s varying musical abilities, interests, preferences and needs
  • gauge the impact of their work.

  Sound Sensations follows the Sounds of Intent framework – using the levels to adapt the pupils’ participation in music making. At Southfield we have two classes that are participating in the programme, Swans and Woodpeckers. Each class uses a different approach to the music, but with an emphasis on making sure the music making is fun and engaging throughout the session.

  During the sessions the children are encouraged to move, sing, play and interact with a variety of different music style – from reggae to rap. Herts Music Service have provided us with three iPads with accessible music software for the duration of the programme, as well as a drum pad, speakers and a theramini (a mini theremin!). Each of these provides a tactile and easy method for the children to join in with the music making session and feel a part of the sound experience.

  Tim Emler, from Hertfordshire Music Service, visits Southfield twice every half term and leads engaging and fun sessions with the classes, building confidence and creative exploration through the set pieces of music from ‘Count Me In’ – a Sounds of Intent music resource. We have had such success with these sessions, with some amazing communication breakthroughs happening through the music and new experiences stirring a newfound creativity and musical enthusiasm.

  Staff have observed pupils using visuals to join in with the song, using the Clarion music application on the iPad to work out the notes and rhythm of the music, children moving and using signs to enjoy and participate with the music and an improved, active curiosity towards music genres and instruments. Sound Sensations has increased social and emotional skills in both classes from turn taking, to fostering a sense of whole class community.

  At Southfield, music is an intrinsic part of teaching and learning – supporting the children emotionally, physically and across the entire curriculum. Sound Sensations has added another level of engagement and development for the pupils and staff and boosts our aim of using music to not only explore sound but communication as well.

   

  

• Gosling Athletics Event

  Thu 16 Apr 2026

  Robins visited Gosling Stadium to take part in an exciting athletics event. The children competed in a range of activities, including tug of war, sprinting, hurdles, throwing and catching, and football rounders. Everyone had a fantastic time demonstrating teamwork and perseverance, and although they were very tired on the journey back to school, they returned full of smiles and great memories.