The Southfield Centre opened in September 2022.

The Southfield Centre is incorporated into Summerdown School, providing bespoke facilities for pupils with complex medical and nursing needs. All of the Southfield Centre rooms are located within the main school building. The Centre can accommodate up to 51 pupils, ranging in age from 3 to 16 years.

 

About The Southfield Centre

The Southfield Centre is a distinct provision within Summerdown School in Eastbourne.

All pupils at the centre have a high level of complex medical and physical needs, including nursing needs. Wherever possible Southfield Centre pupils are integrated in to school life and are they are very much part of the Summerdown School community.  

The Southfield Centre benefits from excellent facilities, including on-site nursing and therapy teams, ceiling tracked hoists in all classrooms and hygiene suites, powered mobility, hydrotherapy and an accessible playground. Nursing and therapy staff work exclusively with Southfield Centre pupils.

Pupils are placed at the Southfield Centre by East Sussex Local Authority through the EHCP process. The local authority commissions and manages the onsite nursing and therapy provision. However, medical and therapy staff work in close collaboration with school staff to meet the needs of all Southfield Centre pupils.

The nursing team is employed by East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust (ESHT). The Southfield Centre nursing team is led by a matron, Kate Cambell.

 The therapy team (occupational therapist, physiotherapist, speech and language therapist). The therapy team are employed by the Children’s Integrated Therapy and Equipment Service (CITES) and led by Clare Fuller, Clinical Specialist Paediatric Occupational Therapist.

If you would like to learn more about the Southfield Centre, please contact Summerdown school office who will be happy to direct your query to the most appropriate member of staff.

The Southfield Centre comprises the following classrooms:

· a nursery classroom

· a reception classroom

· 4 primary classrooms

· 3 secondary classrooms

These classrooms are all equipped with full ceiling track hoists, hygiene suites, wheelchair and equipment storage space, height adjustable furniture, and larger doorways. All classrooms are on one level on the ground floor and open directly to outside spaces. First floor teaching spaces can be reached by the wheelchair accessible lift.

Pupils placed at the Southfield Centre have access to all of the facilities that Summerdown School has to offer, and can be included in all activities, as the school has been built with inclusivity at its heart.

The primary and early years classrooms open out onto fully inclusive playground areas. The secondary classrooms open out onto adapted leisure areas. There are also other large recreational areas, all of which have play and leisure equipment that can be accessed by ambulant and non-ambulant pupils together.

Summerdown School contains specialist classrooms including library, ICT, food technology, art/design, and a science studio. These spacious classrooms have been purpose built to be accessible for pupils with mobility needs including height adjustable equipment. In addition, the school also has a fully inclusive hydrotherapy pool and two sensory rooms.

 

The Local Authority will consider placements at the Southfield Centre for those pupils with EHCPs who require nursing support.

 

Please contact Nicola in the school office if you require any further information:

telephone: 01323 921 630

email: officessc@thesouthfieldtrust.com

 

Penny Kershaw

 

Executive Principal Southfield Trust