Latest News
Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.
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School Games Sports Mark
Mon 30 Jun 2025We are delighted to announce that Southfield School for the second consecutive year, achieved and have been awarded the School Games highest award of the Gold Sports Mark Award for the 2024/2025 academic year.
The School Games Sports Mark is a Government-led award scheme launched in 2012, facilitated by the Youth Sport Trust to reward and recognise school engagement (provision and uptake) in the School Games against a national benchmark and to celebrate keeping young people active, and we are delighted to have been recognised for our success.
Our feedback stated: 'Your evidence clearly reflects the excellent sport provision at Southfield - a great example of your commitment to physical activity across the school'.
'Well done for achieving the Gold School Games Mark Award'.
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Hatfield House Picnic
Thu 26 Jun 2025The Southfield community were honoured to attend the private gardens at Hatfield House on Thursday 27 June 2025, for our first whole school event.
Lady Salisbury was incredibly generous in hosting our summer picnic in her private gardens and not only this, had baked delicious scones with jam and cream for Team Southfield.
Children and parents hugely enjoyed the coming together of our community, the children danced, sang and enjoyed the freedom of being in such a beautiful environment.
We are so grateful to Lady Salisbury for her generosity and kindness.
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Art continues to go from Strength to Strength at Southfield
Wed 25 Jun 2025Following on from our news last week with the Junior Leadership Team supporting the Mayor in the opening of the Hatfield Art Project (we hope you also saw this in the Welwyn and Hatfield news) more fantastic art news this week.
We have just received news that our art project for 'This Girl Can' week is now 'live' and displayed at the Galleria in the unit downstairs near TK Max.
Please do go along and have a look at the creativity and hard work from our pupils.
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Sports days at Southfield school
Tue 24 Jun 2025It's sports day season at Southfield and this tear we had 2 afternoons full or running, hurdling, carrying and balancing. The weather held out for us and when all was done, children celebrated by receiving a medal, rosette, sticker, certificate and a well deserved ice lolly!
Magpies class were very proud of their medals and certificates.
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Southfield school Art unveiling
Mon 23 Jun 2025 -
Southfield School Awarded the highest rating of 'Advanced' practice for the Emotional and Mental Well Being in Schools Mark.
Mon 23 Jun 2025Following submission and on site assessment we have been awarded the highest rating of 'Advanced' practice.
Overall Assessor comments:
The EMWiE Team is pleased to award Southfield School ‘Advanced’ practice for the Emotional and Mental Wellbeing in Schools Mark. Southfield demonstrated a commitment and dedication to a wide range of activities to support mental health, emotional wellbeing, resilience, with an ethos which encompasses a comprehensive ‘whole school approach’.
Driven by the leadership and management of the Head Teacher, Angela O’Rourke and the Mental Health Lead and Operations Director, Sarah Lettis it is evident that “each pupil is treated as an individual” to allow them to flourish and achieve the best outcomes possible during their time at Southfield school. This ethos was also reflected by the many the staff who the EMWiE Team met on the visit to the school. Angela spoke about the journey that Southfield school has been on over the last 4 years, including prioritising supporting the emotional wellbeing and mental health of pupils and their families as well as staff.
Everything around Southfield school was held to very high standards including displays in corridors and classrooms, reception and breakout rooms. The school felt cared for, and spaciousness and pupils’ achievements were celebrated. The ethos and environment created through a combination of high standards, nurture, thought and care was reflected throughout. There is a range of beliefs and religions taught and celebrated through the curriculum and additional activities. Throughout our visit, we learnt about the number of external charities, faith leaders and local organisations who are invited into Southfield School to enhance their pupil experiences. For example, it was decided that the best way for pupils to enjoy a Christmas panto, was to invite the panto into school to perform!
The leadership team and PTA work hard to raise funds and apply for grants to supplement their pupils’ experiences – recently securing a deal with Brocket Hall to provide a mini crazy golf course behind the main playground over the summer break.
The importance of Staff development health and wellbeing was emphasised in our conversations. This started from the onboarding process, with regular reviews and external supervision given so staff have the opportunity to give constructive feedback and allow them to build self-esteem and confidence in their roles. It is understood by SLT that working with children with a variety of additional needs both SEND and SEMH can be challenging so staff must be supported to do so. There is a range of CPD taught to staff twice a week, other staff support available included benefits such as 24/7 access to a “wellbeing pack” and policies in place such as career break policies. Staff absence is very low at Southfield School.
It was great to see that pupil voice was so strongly nurtured and recognised at Southfield in a number of ways such as the student leadership team and pupil behaviour leads. During our visit, we were introduced to the student leadership team, Angela made a note of saying to one of the pupils that his complaint about and then suggestion of new books for the library had been actioned and the order had been placed that morning. He looked suitable happy that his request had been carried through. Pupil achievements and birthdays are celebrated each week in their “WOW” assemblies and any notices put in the pupil suggestions or complaints boxes are also addressed as a whole school.
The importance of positive and regular relationships with Parents and carers is clearly another priority of Southfield School. Care and time are taken to build levels of trust and relationships with the families of the pupils with many examples of how this was achieved was shared during our visit. Pupil attendance is rated highly, and expectations such as this forms part of the home-school agreement signed by each parent/carer. It was noted that this agreement was also co-produced with parents and carers, giving the ownership of the task. Families are regularly invited into school to talk about, and see their children’s progress and achievements, as well as to enjoy extra-curricular activities such as music productions.
Each pupil at Southfield has an individualised timetable and schedule to address their personal and educational needs. Pupil needs are regularly assessed, both with parents/carers and the pupils themselves. Fortnightly internal “professionals” meeting also triangulates any concerns on progress, attendance, behaviour and safeguarding. Additional therapeutic support is available on site including sensory rooms and spaces for “time out”. Due to the needs of pupils, they were accompanied in these spaces to help them learn to self-regulate and keep safe. Relationships with external support such as Educational Psychologists, Mental Health Support Team, speech and language therapists are fostered so that this support is delivered in school, avoiding unnecessary travel and disruption to the pupil’s day. It was good to hear that workshops were being provided for parents and carers on subjects like school transitions.
Good to see Southfield have a comprehensive action plan in place to continue the great work on their WSCA and ensure that they evolve to the ever-developing needs of their staff, pupils and community.
Theme
Criteria and assessed level
Leadership and management
1.1
Advanced
1.2
Advanced
1.3
Advanced
Environment and ethos
2.1
Advanced
2.2
Advanced
2.3
Advanced
2.4
Advanced
Curriculum, teaching and learning
3.1
Advanced
3.2
Advanced
Pupil voice
4.1
Advanced
4.2
Advanced
4.3
Advanced
Staff development, health and wellbeing
5.1
Advanced
5.2
Effective
5.3
Advanced
Identifying need, impact and monitoring
6.1
Advanced
6.2
Advanced
Working with parents, families, and carers
7.1
Advanced
7.2
Advanced
Targeted support and appropriate referrals
8.1
Advanced
8.2
Advanced
Overall score
62/63
Overall level
Advanced
Date
16th June 2025
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Southfield Summer Solstice Choir Event
Fri 20 Jun 2025What an absolutely wonderful afternoon at Southfield School. Members of the choir wow'd the audience of parents, peers and teachers with stunning singing a wonderful reading. Carl and Riley declaimed poems confidently, celebrating sun and long grass and bright new days. Sihawukele brought a few to tears with his beautiful rendition of Summertime by Gershwin. The heat did not deter the choir from putting on an incredibly exuberant performance and we are looking forward to showcasing their passion and enthusiasm in the future.
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Brocket Hall golf competition
Fri 20 Jun 2025A group of children from Jays and Blackbirds went to Brocket Hall for a little friendly competition with two other schools. The children hit some balls on the driving range to see how far they could get the ball to go. We have some budding golfers in our midst. They also practiced some activities designed to improve their accuracy, including one called ‘the impossible shot’. All of them gave it a good try but it truly was impossible to achieve this in one put. Despite the heat the children enjoyed their time at the golf course and as ever they conducted themselves beautifully.
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Hatfield Art Project.
Fri 20 Jun 2025On Friday morning, The Junior Leadership team got the very exciting opportunity to visit Hatfield Town for the opening of our Hatfield Art Project that is now open to the public. We were invited to meet the Mayor and High Sheriff as well as lot of other members of the Hatfield council to share all our amazing class pieces of artwork all related to parts of Hatfield. We got to cut the ribbon at the grand reveal and try on the golden chain that the Mayor wears. The Junior leadership team were very proud of seeing all of Southfield's artwork, which will be up in town for a year. Do pop down and take a look for yourselves! Well done Artists of Southfield
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The ice cream van popped in.....
Thu 19 Jun 2025What better way to cool down on a very hot Thursday afternoon, than to have the local ice cream van pop along to treat the children and staff. It was a lovely treat for all.
