Commonwealth Links – A Commonwealth Club is on offer to all students every Thursday lunchtime and is open to all year groups. Students meet and discuss different elements of the Commonwealth and work with The Royal Commonwealth Society on a variety of activities including their yearly competition. Awareness of the importance of membership of the Commonwealth has been shared through assemblies and as a result of our work we have been privileged to attend a number of prestigious events:
- Opportunity through Enterprise workshop in Cambridge. Four Year 8 students attended this event at the Pitt Building in Cambridge where they were part of a workshop of five schools and were able to present their findings to and also meet HRH The Prince of Wales.
- Attendance at the Commonwealth Day Observance Service in Westminster Abbey. This is the largest multi faith service in the country and students have represented Southfield at a number of services.
The ‘Send My Friends to School’ campaign – Each year we participate in creating a variety of display information to explain why primary school education is needed for all children across the world. This is an element of the Millennium Development Goals as agreed by World Leaders in 2000. The displays created are then sent to our local MP and also to the Prime Minister as recognition of our global responsibilities.
We have a link with an orphanage/school in Munnar, India and we communicate with them through a pen pal scheme which is open to all students. We are able to donate money to them so they are able to purchase items for their school, by holding fund raising Mufti Days. There is also a penny pot scheme in school and we are encouraged to put any pennies into the pots and the money is sent to Munnar to go towards their food. It costs 2p for a meal for each student there. Awareness is raised through displays, assemblies and tutor time activities. We also welcome Julie Foster, a previous student, to our school at regular intervals as she visits Munnar and is able to pass on news and information.
MacMillan Coffee Mornings – Each October staff participate in this event and raise money for this very important cause. October 2016 was a very successful event and staff took part in their very own ‘bake-off’ with a challenge for the best cakes. Staff created a variety of wonderful cakes which were enjoyed by all with coffee and tea provided. In conjunction with a mufti day the total amount donated to this charity in 2016 was £1184.11.
Students raised money to sponsor Guide Dogs for the Blind and raised money to sponsor Fifi, Eddie and Fargo.
Students participated in the ‘Rocket Science’ experiment with Tim Peake and grew different seeds as part of an experiment to see if there was a difference.
Students in the Eco group received a Community Education Award in 2016 for their school and community work on making people more ‘green aware’.
RCI – links have been developed with a global company based in Kettering and students have been involved in creating Artwork for display in their canteen. The artwork was based on environmental themes and used recycled materials.
The school is part of the Global Learning Programme which is a project involving local primary and secondary schools meeting to raise awareness of development issues. The project used The Olympics as the basis of the work and students from each of the schools worked together to create a final presentation.