Trees

As always, the Trees Phase has been buzzing with exciting activities that nurture creativity, teamwork, and life skills. Here's a glimpse of what our incredible students have been up to:

📸 7T1:
Using iPads, our 7T1 students explored photography, capturing stunning images around the school. They also showcased their creativity by designing unique board games as part of their life skills lessons.

🎨 7T2:
In art class, 7T2 students experimented with symmetry, creating beautiful and imaginative symmetrical pictures.

🌳 7T3, 7T4, and 8T4:
Messing in the forest has been a highlight for these groups! They also showed off their culinary talents by baking cakes—combining fun and teamwork.

🔥 Fire Safety with Fireman Nik:
Fireman Nik visited the school to teach students about fire safety, including the vital "Stop, Drop, and Roll" technique.

🌍 8T1:
Exploring global challenges, 8T1 created a powerful climate change collage, reflecting their understanding and passion for the environment.

📚 Library and Garden Centre Trips:
8T3 and 8T2 enjoyed a trip to the library, sparking their love for reading, while a visit to the garden centre gave them a hands-on experience of plant care and sustainability.

🐦 Bird Feeders:
All groups—7T1, 7T2, 7T3, 7T4, and 8T4—came together to make bird feeders, supporting wildlife and learning about biodiversity.

🎉 Fun at the Civic:
Our students had an amazing time enjoying various activities at the Civic Centre, creating lasting memories and friendships.

🎉 Fun at the Civic:
Our students also had a fabulous day at the Grand Theatre watching Beauty and The Beast.

We’re so proud of the creativity, enthusiasm, and teamwork shown by all our students this term. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue our journey of learning and fun!

Hills

Hills have had a fun-filled fortnight and are now very much in the Christmas spirit! We are so proud of all their achievements during this term and look forward to seeing them back in school in January. We wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.  

Hills pupils enjoyed a visit from The Animal Lady and got to meet some very interesting creatures including Karen the owl, a gecko with some real personality and, our personal favourite, Esther the honey bear! Pupils were very brave and interacted with the animals with respect and kindness. Pupils have also taken part in trips to Merry Hill as part of their maths education. Pathway pupils have been enjoying learning about different types of skincare products as part of their hair and beauty lessons and have been able to put their nail painting skills into practice this week. 

9H1 have been practicing their cookery skills making some delicious cookies! They have been developing their talents at following a recipe from start to finish and ensuring they keep a clean and tidy work space. They have also been making some Christmas decorations as part of their Life Skills lessons and Christmas gonks during their careers lessons which sold very well at our careers fair! Pupils held a coffee afternoon in their classroom which included the sale of some delicious cakes and biscuits all in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support charity. Pupils raised £28 which is wonderful! 

10H1 Have been learning about the First Christmas Story in RE. We have learnt the location of Bethlehem and what frankincense and myrrh are. We then continued our learning with a visit to our local church where pupils were able to explore the building, consider how people might use a church and the importance of this for Christian people at this time of year. Pupils were brilliant at discussing this with tolerance and respect for those of other faiths. 

During Science this term, 11H1 have been learning about renewable energy. This week, we focused on solar energy and looked at the different components a solar panel has. This led to us creating our own solar ovens, where we experimented with melting chocolate and marshmallows on biscuits. We very much enjoyed this experiment and being able to test out the final creations! 

9H2 and 10H2 held a Christmas carol concert in their classrooms and performed songs using their Makaton skills. They performed beautifully and showed how amazing they are at using signs and symbols to support their communication. A big thank you to our parents for supporting this. We hope you enjoyed your mince pies! 

Rivers

Rivers pupils have had another busy fortnight, filled with a multitude of activities both in and outside of school. Pupils are now feeling very ‘Christmassy’ and are looking forward to a well-deserved break. We look back on this term with immense pride for all that our fantastic pupils have achieved and look forward to the spring term. We wish you all a restful and relaxing Christmas and a very happy new year.  

Rivers have attended various trips including the Think Tank, Merry Hill, Motorcycle Live at the NEC and trips to local amenities in and around Dudley. Pupils very much enjoyed a visit from The Animal Lady and were able to interact with a range of different mammals, insects and amphibians. Pupils listened really well to information about the different animals, including their habitat, features and clever adaptations for survival and the importance of each in the wider circle of life. Pupils asked some thoughtful questions and were incredibly respectful of the needs of all the different animals. Pupils have also been working on honing their basketball skills in PE and their programming and control skills when using remote control cars in Motor Vehicle Studies. We are very proud to say that Rivers pathway groups have successfully decorated the school Christmas tree and have made it look wonderful for the rest of the school to enjoy! 

9R1 took part in a trip to Dudley Town Centre last week and identified how the town has developed since the 1970s. We explored the different kinds of shops and local businesses, both modern and historic and thought about which we felt were the most important for the people of Dudley. We also discussed how the introduction of the Merry Hill Centre had an impact on the town. Pupils behaved wonderfully and were a shining example of our school! 

9R2 have been writing short stories for the “SUTTON PIRATE NEWS”, bringing news stories from Pirate Island to Sutton! Pupils have worked really hard, using their skills of summarising stories to hook the reader. They have also worked on ordering information chronologically and writing in the past tense. Well done 9R2! 

10R1 have been putting their writing skills into practice by creating some amazing short story openings for their English assessments. They have used language features and punctuation to create tension and suspense! Pupils have worked so hard and we are really proud of the written work that has been achieved.   

10R2 have been developing their skills of using pop art techniques after research Any Warhol. They have produced some wonderful pieces of work which show their diverse range of skills and interpretations! Pupils have also been creating cards to show their understanding of the celebration of Hannukah. They have approached this with enthusiasm and understanding of people of other faiths. Fantastic work, 10R2! 

11R1 pupils visited Merry Hill Shopping Centre to apply their functional mathematic skills. Pupils calculated the cost of items within a variety of shops and made decisions about what to purchase. They also enjoyed some food together in Eat Central and were in excellent Christmas spirits! Pupils have also been practicing road safety and travel training skills  

11R2 have created some very interesting presentations about real life heroes! Pupils completed independent research, put this together and then presented in front of the class, develloping their spoken language skills. We all learnt lots about different people. Pupils in sport and leisure pathway have been developing their badminton skills at the leisure centre. 11R2 also enjoyed Forest School this week, working on their skills of teamwork to make a stretcher. Great work, 11R2!

Autumn Term Attendance Initiative Success

We are thrilled to share the success of our Autumn Term Attendance Initiative! A huge congratulations to all the pupils who achieved their attendance targets—your hard work and commitment have not gone unnoticed. Those selected and who reached their desired goals will receive a well-deserved reward for their efforts.

We would also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to parents and carers for their ongoing support. Achieving good attendance is not only about academic success but also plays a key role in promoting positive mental health and wellbeing—values that align with our school motto: Safe, Happy, Learning.

Thank you for your collaborative efforts in helping our pupils thrive.

Supporting Dudley Council’s Fostering Initiative

At Sutton school, we are proud to support Dudley Council’s fostering initiative. As a special school, we work with children from a wide range of backgrounds and home lives, and we believe it is important to raise awareness of this vital cause.

Fostering can make a life-changing difference to children and young people in need of a loving and supportive home.

For more information, please see the attached details.

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about this important initiative

Online Safety During the Festive Period

As we approach the festive break, we know that once the celebrations settle down, children may spend more time on their devices. While technology can offer entertainment and connection, we kindly remind you to be mindful of the impact excessive screen time may have on their mental health, particularly if appropriate controls are not in place.

To support you in keeping your children safe online, we have attached a helpful guide on protecting them during the Christmas break and beyond.

Thank you for working with us to ensure our children stay safe, happy, and healthy during this festive season.

For more details about the services available, please refer to the attached PDF.

As we approach the festive season, I want to take this opportunity to reflect on what has been a truly inspiring term here at Sutton School. Our pupils, staff, and wider community have demonstrated resilience, kindness, and an unwavering commitment to our shared motto: Safe, Happy, Learning - Towards Independence.

This motto guides everything we do, and it has been wonderful to see it brought to life in so many ways this term. Whether it’s through the achievements of our pupils, the creativity they’ve shown, or the care and support they’ve given one another, we are constantly reminded of the incredible spirit that defines Sutton School.

I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our parents, carers, and families. Your partnership and support mean the world to us and play a vital role in enabling our young people to thrive. To our dedicated staff, thank you for your unwavering passion and commitment. You go above and beyond every day to ensure that our pupils feel safe, valued, and empowered to achieve their best.

As we celebrate this festive season, I encourage everyone to take a moment to appreciate the small joys around us—moments of kindness, progress, and connection. These are the things that truly make our school a family and a place of warmth and belonging.

I wish each of you a peaceful and joyful holiday, filled with rest, laughter, and time with loved ones. As we move into the new year, I look forward to continuing our journey together, living our motto and creating opportunities for every pupil to flourish.

On behalf of everyone at Sutton School, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Warm regards,
Ian Curnow
Headteacher.