My role as Interim Headteacher is to build on the strengths of the school and the capacity of the staff team to empower children's learning and safeguard their wellbeing. I felt very proud when a Supply Teacher in Beech class said she had really enjoyed her day at Southfield. She said she particularly liked the friendly atmosphere here. I thought it would be good to celebrate the strengths of the school together and make a list below using the yellow thinking hat...

What would you say are the best things about the school?

Who are you impressed by?

How have you been helped?

What do you enjoy?

To further develop the school's strength in thinking skills we have been introducing de Bono's Six Thinking Hats to the children - 6 different coloured hats for 6 different styles of thinking. This is an excellent tool to help groups of people think more collaboratively rather than talking at cross purposes.  Everyone wears the same hat at a time and pools their thinking as they go along. It works! 

is for sharing Information.  is for thinking about feelings.  is for positive thinking. 

 is for checking & judging.  is for creative thinking.  is for planning and summarising our thinking.

I encourage you to ask the children about these at home. If you'd like to try them out for yourselves there is a fuller summary with sample questions on the attachment below. I would also like to offer a parent workshop if any of you would like to spend an hour learning how they work in practice.

This week I have spent a morning or afternoon in each of the five classes getting to know the children and seeing their learning in action, as well as keeping warm in these freezing conditions. The staff have been discussing behaviour issues and we've decided to make the school rules simpler by just having four: a Safety Rule, a Respect Rule, a Learning Rule and a Work Rule. This will make it easier for all of us to remember and hopefully easier to keep! If you want to see a summary of our revised discipline procedures please download the attachment below and let us know what you think.

Happy New Year to you all! I must say a big thank you to everyone who has welcomed me to Southfield. The children are both friendly and curious, especially after I told them the Dr Who on TV was just a drama based on my life as a time lord! The teachers are already working hard and I am impressed by their caring approach to education. So far I have met many parents as I walk about the school in the morning but if I haven't said hello yet please come and introduce yourself to me. I feel like I belong here already!