Headteacher Introduction
I have pleasure in enclosing the first newsletter of 2025. The half term, as always, has been both exciting and busy in equal measure as we look forward to lighter days and the start of Spring in earnest!
We have been fortunate to enjoy two themed weeks: the first ever Southfield photography week, where pupils visited numerous galleries to view and explore photography exhibitions and centred their work around well-known photographers, experimenting with disparate photography styles themselves It was delightful to see so many of you able to attend our exhibitions which showcased the children’s inspiring work We really enjoyed, once again, being immersed in the second stage of our thrilling work on philosophy Children explored a further range of philosophic work and ideas anchoring the information to make sense and meaning in the own young lives The exhibitions of their work, as many of you saw, were both utterly captivating and stimulating This term, we were fortunate to celebrate the life of one of our very own class composers, Mozart Year 4 were enthralled in the Mozart 250 Anniversary Project and worked alongside a creative team of Mozart musicians learning all about the composer’s life and musical works and the children themselves performed their work brilliantly to parents Reception classes have been learning all about space and Science and enjoyed a day of space exploration in the explorer dome at school All their work culminated in a joyous celebration at the Reception Space Exhibition
Headteacher Introduction
Our first-class, knowledge-based curriculum, brimming with creativity and academic excellence was displayed across the school throughout the term and inside you’ll see breath-taking work produced by the children at all stages So continues our excellent work on contextualising our curriculum, bringing it to life for pupils, with Year 3 and 5 visiting Chiswick Fire Station linked to their Real Life Maths work; Year 5 also had a great opportunity to visit Hammersmith Academy to watch a production of Matilda Our sporting teams have once again been busy training and participating in the Ealing school league making great strides and securing an enviable reputation for sporting prowess across the borough
We were also officially awarded our International School Award at a ceremony in the Houses of Parliament in recognition of our inspiring work on culture and internationalism in the curriculum of which we are incredibly proud Included also is our extensive enrichment opportunities for children through our lunchtime clubs offer; such as the highly creative and inspired bookmaking club and our eager Southfield journalists who produced a bumper edition of our school newspaper in journalism club
I know you will wish to explore the newsletter with your children and reflect excitedly on our amazing school and community which is truly a vibrant and exciting place to be!
I wish you a happy February half term break!
Dr D Jones
Contextualised Curriculum
This half-term, our pupils’ learning has once again been enriched through exciting trips, hands-on workshops, and immersive experiences that have made their curriculum truly come alive. By engaging in real-world contexts, they have deepened their understanding and made meaningful connections across subjects
Year 4 took part in the Mozart 250 Music Experience Project, where they explored the life and music of Mozart before performing alongside a traditional band, including the captivating sounds of a harpsichord This unique opportunity brought history and music together in an unforgettable way To support our novel studies and exciting Photography Week, many year groups embarked on cultural trips to photography exhibitions across the city Year 3 visited the Victoria and Albert Museum for the Photography Now exhibition, using it as a springboard for their own artistic projects; Year 4 followed in their footsteps, gaining further inspiration from the very same exhibition; meanwhile, Year 5 explored the Autograph Gallery, where they studied a compelling Haitian photography portrait exhibition that connected to their learning about Dorothea Lange’s breath-taking photographs and Year 6 visited Tate Britain to take in a superb gallery of the work of the renowned British photographer, Martin Parr.
Real Life Maths was brought to life in an exciting way for Years 3 and 5 during their visit to the Chiswick Fire Station, where they applied their measuring and estimating skills in a real-world setting Using an actual fire hose, they put their mathematical knowledge to the test, an experience that was supported by their lessons back in school during Real Life Maths Our youngest pupils in Reception have been reaching for the stars with their unit on space with an immersive experience in our annual Explorer Dome where they were whisked off to outer space to see our solar system and galaxy as they had never seen it before Their hard work and imagination culminated in a spectacular space-themed exhibition, showcasing their outof-this-world creativity. Year 6 deepened their historical understanding of World War II with a visit to the National Army Museum, where they explored the rise and fall of Hitler and London during The Blitz as part of their history curriculum Through artefacts, a workshop and interactive exhibits, they gained valuable insights into this pivotal period
Year 1 and Year 2 embraced a week of creativity and deep-thinking during Photography and Philosophy Week Their efforts culminated in a series of thoughtful and visually striking project exhibitions, demonstrating their ability to connect artistic expression with big ideas
With such a dynamic term behind us, we look forward to even more exciting opportunities for contextualised learning in the half-term ahead
Photography Week
This term Southfield was buzzing with creativity as students took part in Photography Week, an exciting opportunity to explore the art of photography through hands-on experiences We kicked the buzz off a few weeks prior with an engaging parent workshop, where Mr Baxter shared all of the exciting activities with the parents Each year group focused on a unique theme, inspired by renowned photographers and learned how to tell stories through images whilst experimenting with different techniques
From space photography in Reception, inspired by Ian Rankin, to expressive portraits in Year 5, influenced by Dorothea Lange, students explored the power of photography in capturing the world around them Year 1 embraced the beauty of spring through the lens of Edward Weston, while Year 2 had fun with forced perspective, taking inspiration from Tatsuya Tanaka Year 3 turned their attention to architecture, studying the compositions of Julius Shulman and Year 4 experimented with dramatic lighting in the style of Julia Margaret Cameron Finally, Year 6 reflected on connection and storytelling, influenced by the thought-provoking work of Martin Parr
Throughout the week, students developed their artistic eye, discovering how light, angle, and perspective can completely transform an image Their enthusiasm and creativity were on full display as they captured stunning photographs that showcased both technical skill and personal expression
To celebrate their hard work, we held a series of exhibitions, where students proudly shared their photographs with peers, staff, and families The results were truly impressive, with each image telling a unique story A huge well done to all our young photographers we can’t wait to see how these skills continue to grow!
Philosophy Week
ThinkingAboutTheWorld
Following on from our introduction to philosophy in the autumn term, this term’s Philosophy Week II encouraged children to explore big questions about the world around them Each year group focused on a thought-provoking theme:
Reception:Whatisfairness?
Year1:Whatisreality?
Year2:Whatisequality?
Year3:Whatisresponsibility?
Year4:Whatispower?
Year5:Whatisjustice?
Year6:Whatisfreedom?
Children first examined these questions through an ontological lens, considering the nature of these concepts, before shifting to a political perspective They also explored spirituality, drawing from both Eastern and Western philosophical thinkers
Throughout the week, pupils engaged in meaningful discussions and thought experiments In English, they created Exemplas of Resilience, applying philosophical ideas to real-life challenges they may face In Creative Writing, children crafted their own stories inspired by a picture book linked to their big question.
By deepening their understanding of philosophy, children gained valuable tools to question, reflect and form their own perspectives- skills that will stay with them for life
Book Making Club
This year in Book-Making Club, we have explored the art of storytelling, the power of illustration and the craft of book making.
We began by studying short stories and learning how to adapt them into our own creative narratives. We took inspiration from Macbeth to produce unique retellings- standout titles included MacChef and MacDeath!
As we developed our storytelling skills, we also focused on the key features of successful short narratives, refining our illustrations, embracing simplicity With growing confidence, we moved beyond storytelling into the physical craft of book making, experimenting with techniques such as stitch binding and accordion books
It has been wonderful to see these skills come to life, with our children transforming their ideas into beautifully crafted books We look forward to seeing even more budding authors bring their stories to the page!
School Newspaper
This term, the Year 5 Newspaper Club has been working tirelessly to bring the latest news, stories, and creative content to life Our talented team of editors, writers, cartoonists, photographers, and interviewers have been on the pulse of school life, covering key events such as Dyslexia Awareness, Philosophy & Photography Week, and exciting school trips.
They’ve also been busy quizzing teachers about their favourite books, uncovering fascinating insights into the stories that inspire them
It’s not just about the words our cartoonists have been crafting witty comics, while our puzzle masters have designed mind-boggling quizzes and crosswords, drawing inspiration from Wordle and classic puzzles Meanwhile, our photographers have captured fantastic moments from school events, ensuring no detail is missed
Collaboration has been key, with our budding journalists working together on Google Docs to refine their articles before moving onto the next stage designing and editing using Canva With their new digital skills, they are preparing to print and publish their very own edition, showcasing all their hard work
Keep an eye out for the latest issue it’s sure to be packed with exciting stories, creative flair, and plenty of Southfield spirit!
Sports Update
Once again, it has been another successful half-term for our athletes at Southfield Our dedicated children have been attending their weekly training sessions and their commitment and perseverance has paid off as they continue to improve week on week
In the girls’ football league, our talented players took part in some hard-fought matches and demonstrated incredible skill and determination Their efforts have kept them at the top of the league table, earning them a well-deserved place in the finals. They will now compete for the top eight positions in a highly anticipated super-league showdown
The boys’ football team also faced some challenging matches The games were closely contested, resulting in a mixture of wins, draws, and losses. Despite the tough competition, the boys finished an impressive 8th place out of 16 teams and it came down to goal difference to determine final standings – an amazing achievement! Well done to all the players for their hard work and dedication
Performing Arts
Year 5 had the honour of being invited to see a preview of Matilda at Hammersmith Academy this half term and what an incredible experience it was by all accounts The children were in high spirits leaving the performance and I am sure even picked up some ideas and tips for their own performances in our upcoming Eisteddfod or the Summer term productions
Over the last couple of weeks Year 4 been lucky enough to be offered a place to take part in the ‘MOZART 250’ project - a series of immersive workshops led by a range of professional musicians
Inspired by Mozart, they have learned about Mozart’s life and designed 18th century hats as well as composing their own music
The project culminated in an immersive showcase of the children’s compositions for parents and an invitation to see The Mozartists perform at Cadogan Hall
What a fantastic opportunity for the children and one which they throughly enjoyed.
Southfield Forum Southfielder Award
Our Southfield Forum has been busy this half-term, interviewing pupils from across the school to hear all about their recent learning The forum focused on two key areas: our School Development Plan and our exciting Photography Week, which links to our digital arts focus for the year
Pupils spoke passionately about their learning, demonstrating impressive knowledge of their focus photographers, sharing biographies and explaining the technical aspects of the photographic styles they explored
A special mention goes to our Reception pupils who amazed the forum with their incredible understanding of space! They spoke in detail about dwarf planets and the gases that make up the planets in our solar system – truly out of this world!
This week, we came together for another special Southfielder Award assembly, celebrating pupils who have achieved new badges The hall was filled with applause as children cheered each other on, sharing in the joy of their classmates' success It was wonderful to see so many pupils receiving Personal Growth badges, inspired by their reflections and discussions during our recent Philosophy Week
Our staff were proud to share how close so many children are to their next milestones and are they are excited for future assemblies to celebrate even more achievements
A huge thank you to our Year 6 Enterprise Team, who collected and distributed the badges across the school They were met with smiles and pride from their peers, a perfect end to a fantastic celebration of success!
EYFS Reception
In EYFS we have had an exciting and explorative half term, where we have developed our Reading, Writing, creative and Mathematical skills whilst learning all about ‘Space’ The children have shown a tremendous amount of enthusiasm for this topic, asking continuous questions about the solar system and life beyond Earth, whilst relating it to their Literacy and Maths
During our topic, we have learnt what planets make up the solar system, and the different properties of each planet, as well as talking lots about how we can look after our own planetEarth. We have learnt a vast amount of new vocabulary such as ‘orbit’, ‘astronomer’ and ‘ oxygen ’ We have also looked beyond the solar system at galaxies and constellations, and even talked about life that may exist out in space. Through role play, children have developed an understanding of all the different training an astronaut undergoes and what they need whilst they are out there We have spoken about the impact of gravity and other planets having no atmosphere or sound.
To supplement our learning on space, we created a space station in the classroom with all the various control panels and even created a rocket tent for both reading and role play purposes On tuff trays, we have created a ‘Race to Space’ board game to consolidate our subtraction and addition skills, as well as ‘pack a bag for space’ looking at the equipment astronauts use and need, as well as honing on our letter formation by tracing and writing letters to an astronaut, developing our fine motor skills
Reception
For outdoor learning we have used chalk to create our own solar systems, created galaxies out of paint, explored moon dust, and engaged in our very own Race To Space group games We have also immersed ourselves in the topic through junk modelling, song, dance and construction
Key Stage 1
Year 1
This half term has gone by so quickly We have been busy with so much learning from Photography to Geography, Maths to Philosophy
In English, we have looked at not one but two different books from the same author- John Burningham We started off with The Magic Bed as we explored dream like adventures
We wrote a letter and a diary entry all about Pirate Island and a poor tiger who had lost its parents Through Courtney, we loved exploring a new type of poem - acrostic poems It was a lot of fun making up ones using our own names as the title Our writing has improved such a lot since Christmas; our brains and hands are getting very strong!
Alongside English we have been consolidating our knowledge of numbers to 20 in Maths We started off looking at each “teen number” and now we are looking at addition and subtraction using these numbers We are really good at using counting cubes, tens frames and number lines to help us We can now explain what the correct answer is but also how we know
Science and Geography have been really interesting this half term We have been looking at The United Kingdom and the four countries that are part of the union and alongside that, the seasons and weather patterns we expect to see here We even learnt how to present data in a graph! When exploring the United Kingdom, and specifically Scotland, we learnt lots of interesting facts
Did you know that Edinburgh is built on an extinct volcano?
Year 1
We have been really lucky to have 2 enriching theme weeks this term- Photography and Philosophy. First up was photography where we looked at the work of Edward Weston We were so proud to show you our incredible still life masterpieces in our exhibition We arranged our own floral compositions and then used the camera to capture the beauty of Spring In philosophy, we looked at the concept of reality We pondered questions like, “Is everyone’s reality the same?” and “How do we know what is real?” Again, we were immensely excited to see our work on display for you all
Year 2
Year 2 have had a great start to 2025, filled with lots of exciting new learning
In English, we have started our novel ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’. We have written announcement letters as Willy Wonka, announcing the hunt for the golden tickets, as well as newspaper reports to share the news of Charlie winning the 5th ticket! In Maths, we have begun our unit on multiplication and division, where we looked at sharing and grouping, as well as the 2,5 and 10 times tables
In Geography, our topic has been ‘The British Isles’, where we have looked in detail at the countries making up the British Isles, exploring their landmarks, cultures and traditions, particularly enjoying the legend of the Loch Ness monster!, Our science topic this term has been Electricity in which we have drawn and built our own electricity circuits using wires, a battery and a bulb.
As part of our Photography Week, Year 2 studied the work of Tatsuya Tanaka under the theme ‘Perspective’ We looked at examples of his photography before having a go at taking our own forced perspectives images using digital cameras Year 2 were able to display their fantastic work in their photography exhibitions, sharing their photos and writing In addition, Year 2 learned about the theme of ‘Equality’ as part of our second philosophy week, writing an Exemplum of Resilience linked to our class discussions
Year 2
Key Stage 2
Year 3
Year 3 have continued to shine, enthusiastically embracing the exciting learning opportunities across our new topics this half term
Our flourishing digital artists truly shone during Photography Week Inspired by our fascinating trip to the V&A Museum, where we explored the Photography Now exhibition, our young photographers were given fresh ideas and techniques to explore Children explored architecture by capturing photos around the school to create their own unique class alphabet, as well as forming words in small groups The week culminated in a Photography Exhibition, where students proudly showcased their writing on Julius Shulman alongside their impressive photographs.
Children also visited Chiswick Fire Station to understand Maths in the real world Children delved into the essential mathematical details that firefighters need to save lives and protect themselves Each child had the opportunity to handle the hose, and they had a blast lifting their teachers on the stretcher!
The term wrapped up with a thought-provoking Philosophy Week, where our philosophers explored the theme of responsibility, drawing on the powerful works of Jean-Paul Sartre and Simeone Beavoir
The children engaged in discussions on key topics such as ontology and existentialism The term concluded with the children showcasing their exemplum's of responsibility in our Philosophy Week exhibition
Year 3
Year 4
We have had a fantastic start to the Spring Term in Year 4, filled with new learning and some wonderful trips and workshops to contextualise our learning Earlier on this half term, we had the opportunity to visit the ‘Photography Now’ exhibition in the Victoria and Albert Museum This supported our learning in ‘Photography Week’ when we explored the theme of lighting through photography and literature Our focus was on the renowned photographer Julia Margaret Cameron, whose work captured the essence of story and framing. Building on this, we created our own photographs focusing on lighting to help bring context to our English work and novel, The Ghost of Thomas Kempe
Year 4 have also been lucky enough to take part in the ‘MOZART 250’ project this term - a series of immersive workshops led by a range of professional musicians Inspired by Mozart, the children composed their own music and lyrics They learnt about Mozart’s life and designed 18th century hats Year 4 performed their compositions to parents and it was a fantastic experience and opportunity 4 Mozart were particularly excited to be learning about their own musician!
This half term in English, we have read the children’s novel ‘The Ghost of Thomas Kempe’ which follows the story of James Harrison, a young boy whose family moves to a cosy cottage in Ledsham However, all is not as it seems as paranormal occurrences begin to ruin James’ new life. Despite his family’s doubts, James believes it is the ghost of Thomas Kempe, a previous resident of the cottage, who has decided James is to be his apprentice Thomas Kempe gets James into all sorts of trouble; what will James do? The novel has provided a great foundation for the children to create some fantastic persuasive speeches, suspense stories, news readings and alternative viewpoints about the novel.
Year 4
In Maths, we have continued to delve deeper into multiplication and division, learning and understanding the rules of multiplying certain numbers together. We then looked closer at factors of numbers and how to systematically work out the factor of a given number We have started our new topic of length and perimeter We have continually been practicing our times tables up to 12 to help us become more confident and fluent
In Geography, we have covered Eastern Europe, where we learned to identify the Baltic and Balkan countries, how the climate of these countries differs to the UK and Mediterranean, compared how the human and physical geographical features of Eastern Europe differed from those of the United Kingdom, and finally took a closer look at the global effects of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia
In Science, we explored ecology We started off by looking at how living things depended on their habitats to be able to live, looking in more detail about how some animals adapt to be able to live in their habitats We then moved on to look at how food chains were affected by natural life cycle, looking in detail about producers, consumers, and decomposers and their roles We finally looked at ecosystems and how they are affected by human behaviour before conducting research about how humans have changed the local area, looking specifically at Southfield Primary School and the ecosystems within the garden area
For History, we started our new topic of Life in Ancient Rome, discovering how powerful the Ancient Roman Empire was, the structure of the Roman society during the Roman Republic and discussed the effect that this would have had on people who lived there We then studied the eruption of Mt Vesuvius in Pompeii, focussing on the damage and destruction that this caused We wrote some incredible letters from a child’s perspective trying to escape the natural disaster Finally, we explored the leisure activities such as ‘bathing’, shopping in the ‘Forum’, and spectating events, such as gladiator fights at the amphitheatres
Year 5
Year 5 have had a fantastic start to the Spring Term! This term, we have been using our class novel, The Snow Spider by Jenny Nimmo, as inspiration for our writing The novel follows the journey of Gwyn, a young boy who discovers his magical heritage and embarks on a mysterious adventure This has linked beautifully with our descriptive writing, where the children have created their own magical settings, character backstories, and diary entries from Gwyn’s perspective They have also explored myths and legends, crafting their own Welsh-inspired tales
In Maths, we have deepened our understanding of multiplication and division, applying our skills to problem-solving challenges. We have also been investigating fractions finding equivalent fractions, adding and subtracting fractions and making connections between fractions, decimals, and percentages. The children have been encouraged to explain their reasoning clearly, using mathematical vocabulary to justify their answers.
Our Geography topic of Norfolk has given the children the opportunity to study the region’s physical and human geography, comparing it to other areas of the UK They have explored the Norfolk Broads, coastal erosion, and how the landscape has shaped the way people live and work there Using maps, diagrams, and research, they created travel brochures showcasing Norfolk’s unique features and attractions
In Science, our focus has been on Forces The children have explored friction, air resistance, water resistance, and gravity through a series of exciting investigations They have designed and tested parachutes to examine air resistance, experimented with different surfaces to explore friction, and even investigated how streamlined shapes affect water resistance The highlight of the unit was designing their own fair-test experiments to see how forces impact everyday objects.
Year 5
Our History lessons have transported us back to the French Revolution, where the children have explored the causes, key figures, and dramatic events of this pivotal period in history They have learned about the storming of the Bastille, the role of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, and the rise of revolutionaries like Robespierre The children engaged in debates about the fairness of different social classes and created powerful newspaper reports from the perspective of different groups living through the revolution.
Year 5 also took part in our very first photography week, where they explored the theme of ‘Emotion’ through the work of Dorothea Lange They studied her powerful images that captured moments of hardship and resilience and then applied her techniques to their own photography The children took thoughtful portraits and images that aimed to tell a story, considering lighting, composition, and facial expressions to convey deep emotions Their final photographs were displayed in our brilliant school exhibition, where we shared our creative vision with the rest of the school community
Year 6
Year 6 have had fantastic start to Spring Term! This term, Year 6 have been using their class novel The Kingdom By The Sea Tom by Robert Westall as their stimulus for writing The novel explores the story of a young boy, who is bombed out of his home and learns to live on his own, in the wake of World War 2 This linked wonderfully with their prior learning in History of World War 1 and The Rise and fall of Hitler The children have produced excellent work across a whole host of fiction genre styles, including a survival logbook and a transcript
In Maths, the children have deepened their understanding of the four operations and solved problems using BIDMAS and long division They have begun exploring the relationship between fractions and division, equivalent fractions and adding and subtracting them They have also had to explain their reasoning and provide evidence to support their understanding
Our Geography topic (North America) has seen the children applying their prior learning from previous years by analysing maps and diagrams to learn about the continent in its entirety, focussing on biomes and countries in North America, as well as the rivers and cities They have used their knowledge to create some brilliant leaflets and brochures about the continent
This half term’s Science topic of Electricity has seen the children participating in experiments by constructing circuits and learning about the different components that make them work They also planned an investigation with circuits, making predictions and using symbols to draw diagrams of their experiments Finally, they used all their knowledge to design and make a simple electrically powered car.
ear full of exciting ward to a before
Year 6
In History, we have been exploring “The Rise and Fall of Hitler” leading on from our previous topic from Autumn 1 - The Great War This topic focused on Hitler’s rise to power, inevitably leading to WWII and Hitler’s demise The content followed the events of the Armistice and Treaty of Versailles, the rise of the Nazi Party, life in Nazi Germany, Kristallnacht and the outbreak of the Second World War The children went on a trip to The National Army Museum, where they toured the galleries and participated in a workshop about the Blitz to prepare them for next half term when we will be studying WW2!
Year 6 took part in their first connection themed photography week where they researched Martin Parr and wrote an analysis about his work, learning about the techniques he uses in his photographs They learned that he takes photos that are full of bright colours and show people taking part in the normal activities of everyday life. The children used the techniques of Martin Parr as inspiration to take their own photographs, focusing on humour, reality and bright colours to encapsulate what it is like to be a child here at Southfield Primary School The children wanted to take photographs that future children of Southfield would be able to connect with if they saw them in 100 years time We then showcased all of our hard work at our incredible photography exhibition
