Community

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Outreach / Training	click here

Woodfield staff and governors are committed to extending links within the wider community; both locally and within the town of Hemel Hempstead and the Borough of Dacorum.

Woodfield staff work hard to develop and extend links with the community which are wide and varied. We believe that every pupil has an entitlement to develop to their full potential and they will only do this, in preparation for life in the community after school, with full involvement in that community. One of the main aims of the school is to prepare pupils for life in the community and for adulthood. Community links will further their opportunities and experiences, make their learning experiences real, especially for pupils who find it difficult to generalise; eg. you can use money in the classroom but it is no substitute for going to the local shops and paying for real items.

In addition to the benefits gained by Woodfield pupils, we also aim to:

Further links with the community, raising the school profile.

Promote positive attitudes to disability and raise awareness in society as a whole in order to promote inclusion.

Support children and young people in the community through training for carers and other professionals.

Support local schools in better understanding pupils with SENPool resources available, such as staffing, building, resources etc.

Share knowledge and expertise through formal and informal training in the community e.g. police, care agency staff etc

Integration

We have many occasional or regular links with other schools and colleges. This could be for an individual or group of pupils, going out to another establishment or other pupils coming in to Woodfield.

Volunteers

Woodfield is affiliated to the Dacorum Volunteer Centre. We encourage parents and helpers in to school to help with a variety of tasks – with the pupils in class, as swimming helpers, to help in the library etc. We like to make the most of their talents and interests. Volunteers need to fill out a Disclosure Application Form which is sent to the Criminal Records Bureau as County guidelines. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer at Woodfield, please contact us.

Business Links

We are proud to be associated with several large and small businesses in the town in order to help us raise our profile within the community. Companies such as Furnells,

Work Experience/ Student Placements

Our older students may carry out work experience in the local community under the direction of the careers teacher. We have many students come in to Woodfield on placements. This can be for a one –off visit, week placement or regular time over a longer period. We are happy to help share our knowledge and offer experience in the hope that the local community will be better educated in the needs of our pupils.

Sporting Venues

We aim to prepare our pupils for life in the community by offering a range of activities showing them what is on offer and to broaden their awareness of opportunities available to them. Students from the eldest classes can swim in the Dacorum Sportspace rather than the school pool (if appropriate). Groups regularly attend Langley Tennis Club and pupils can take part in fishing trips, sailing etc. We are part of the Dacorum School Sports Network and as such participate in joint festivals and activities with other schools.

Local Community

We use local facilities within walking distance such as the shops, parks, church and library. We also go further afield in order to broaden the pupils’ experience with the shops in neighbouring towns such as Hemel Hempstead, Watford and St Albans. This will give pupils first hand experience of real life situations and encourage generalisation. In addition, we link with local community organisations such as the Village Association, and pupils become involved in such things as decorating the village hall at Christmas .