As we move into the last week of building works, the photos clearly show how the new Therapy Centre is coming together. We cannot wait to take on the building early next week. The building will be named the Fields Therapy Centre after our long serving Chair of Governor’s, Carole Fields, who sadly passed away earlier this year. Everyone within the school community feel this is a very fitting tribute to a lady who gave so much of her time to the pupils and staff at Sheringham Woodfields School.

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When you drive past Sheringham High School do you ever notice the newer, single story building to the right of the main school?

Like most people you probably assume it’s part of the High School but it’s not; it’s an entirely separate school, Sheringham Woodfields.

Woodfields is a remarkable and unique place in many ways. Most significantly, all our children have complex special needs (SEND). Here are a few other things that make Woodfields a very special place:

• We cover all stages of schooling, with children from three to 19 years old on site.
• Our classes are not grouped by age but by needs and ability.
• We do not have a traditional catchment area and have pupils attending from as far afield as Great Yarmouth and Kings Lynn.
• We are currently building a state-of-the-art Physical Therapy Centre which will be the most advanced facility of its kind in the UK. It will be used by school and the wider community.
• The new build has increased our pupil capacity from 111 to 135 pupils, a significant increase in SEND capacity in line with government strategy.
• We employ around 150 staff, making us the biggest employer in Sheringham.
• We were rated ‘Outstanding’ at our last OFSTED inspection (January 2019).
• We have close working links with, and are fully supported by, our District and County Councils and our local MP.
• We remained open throughout lockdown and now are teaching 75% of our children.
• We have a fantastic reputation with parents and professionals across Norfolk.
• We are one of the largest suppliers of short breaks in the county, providing after-school and holiday clubs for our children.
• We need your help.

Following the sad and unexpected death of our Chair of Governors, the much loved and respected Carole Fields, our already stretched Governing Body is now urgently in need of new recruits.

We are seeking individuals who are willing to give up a little of their time, we meet six times a year, to support a brilliant team of dedicated staff who enrich the lives of some of our most challenged, and challenging, children.

We would like to talk to individuals from any background; education, business, public or third sector. If you’d like to find out more, please contact me for an informal chat.

Thank you.

Steve Thurlow
Chair of Governors
01263 712937
stevecthurlow@outlook.com

Work continues on the new build and the photos below show the progress made up to 6^th May 2020. Work has obviously changed to ensure social distancing measures are adhered to. The building it really starting to take shape and it won’t be long until we can start getting some photos of what it looks like from inside.

Despite challenges posed by winter weather, construction of the new Therapeutic Centre at Sheringham Woodfields School is on time and on budget, and on 11 March 2020, the ‘topping-out’ ceremony took place.  Members of Norfolk County Council joined staff and pupils as builders Draper and Nichols completed the final section of the building’s roof.

When completed and handed over in late Summer term 2020, the centre will increase the children’s access to important physical therapies, and the incorporated increased group work space will create twenty-four extra school places.  Ten of the children filling these places have already arrived, as have eight new members of staff.  Work has been undertaken within the existing school buildings to create new classroom accommodation for them

Head Teacher James Stanbrook is delighted with progress, saying:

“Credit must go to Draper and Nichols, who have managed to keep to both the timescale and budget to bring us to this point.  This building will bring a new and exciting aspect to the work we do here at Sheringham Woodfields, and I’m really looking forward to welcoming a further fourteen pupils to the school in the coming months.  The formal opening is scheduled to take place in September 2020.

“The new facilities will help relieve the pressure on demand for special school places as part of the local authorities SEND Transformation Programme. The facilities will also be made available to other local organisations, therefore benefitting the wider community.”

Cllr John Fisher, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services at Norfolk County Council added: “This is such an exciting milestone for Sheringham Woodfields School, its community and most importantly those families and children who are already getting the education and support they need in the extra places that this fantastic new building has already created.

“It also marks the first increase in new specialist school places we’ve promised as part of our pledge to invest £120m in special needs education in Norfolk, and I’m pleased to see our ambition starting to come to fruition here in North Norfolk.”

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On the 7^th November the Sheringham Woodfields School basketball team attended the tournament at the UEA. We welcome Jake from Willow class and Josh from Oak class to the team this year. The league has been made up with 5 other schools all very competitive to do well. After this 1^st round of results SWS team has shown how competitive they are with playing 5 , winning 3 , drawing 1 and only 1 loss. There were some fantastic comments from other schools how well they played as a team. Also how they have conducted themselves on and off the pitch. Their sportsmanship to help another team when that team were struggling was 1^st class. Congratulations to them all and we hope his continues to the next round in January.  

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Work at Sheringham Woodfields School continues in connection with the new therapy centre build. The images below show the finalised renders of the new centre.

At present work is being done in connection with the footings and foundations. The next job is to install the new soakaway whilst at the same time starting on the blockwork.

At present we hope to open the centre in June 2020.

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