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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.
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Cubs at Southfield
Wed 18 Jun 2025On Monday 16th June the 7th Hatfield Owl Cub pack was made official! Joe (Akela), Nicky (Bageera) and Gill (Baloo) and the 7 Cubs were joined by Sam and Mark from 7th Hatfield Scouts and Claire from the Scout movement for our weekly Cubs session. In the session we did a map reading activity which means the Cubs have almost got their first badge – the navigator badge. In addition to this all the Cubs were invested – they said their Cub promise and received their 7th Hatfield Owl’s necker and their promise badge for their uniform.
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Tennis at Southfield
Fri 13 Jun 2025The children in Blackbirds have been taking tennis lessons this term which they have thoroughly enjoyed. The lessons involved lots of skills, learning how to balance bean bags and balls, learning how to control the racquet, how to co-ordinate both hands and body together and how to aim for a target. The different games were very engaging so much so that one child has said he would like to be a tennis player when he grows up and go to Wimbledon!
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This Girl Can football session
Thu 12 Jun 2025As part of this girl can week, our Southfield girsl were very lucky to have Hannah Coote come back in and give them a football training session. Girls had a great time practising their skills in the sunshine.
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President Sports Day at St. Luke's school
Tue 10 Jun 2025Some of the Years 6 pupils spent the day at St Lukes for the Sports Experience Day, sponsored by The President’s Sporting Club and The Essex Disabled Sports Foundation. The weather held, despite a few drops of rain on the way there, and we had a lovely time. The children took part in different sports and some fun activities, table tennis, basketball, pedal carts, mixed sports and derby racing. The children were most excited about the pedal carts. After basketball they all had a design painted on their face or arm. They all listened well to the instructors at each event and were kind and caring to each other. One of the highlights of the day was when they met former boxers Frank Bruno and Jason Matthew who both signed the children’s event T-shirts. A medal was awarded at the end, and they wore them proudly back to school. They represented Southfield School beautifully.
