Welcome Back – Summer Term

We would like to extend a very warm welcome back to all of our families as we begin the Summer Term. We hope you all had a restful break and are ready for another exciting and successful term ahead.

Following a very positive Spring Term, where we saw fantastic progress, engagement, and achievements across the school, we are looking forward to building on this momentum.

This term is always a busy and exciting one, with lots to look forward to, including our residential trip, awards evening, and many more opportunities for pupils to shine and celebrate their successes.

A gentle reminder that Parents’ Evening will take place in June—please keep an eye out for appointment information coming soon.

We would also like to remind parents of our school timings:

• Start time: 08:20

• Finish time: 15:00 (Monday–Thursday)

• Friday finish: 13:30

Attendance and punctuality are essential in supporting your child’s progress and wellbeing. Strong communication between home and school plays a key role in ensuring this, so please do keep us informed of any issues that may impact attendance.

As always, we thank you for your continued support and look forward to working together throughout the term.

 

Parental Maths Session – A Fantastic Success!

We were delighted to welcome parents into school for our recent Parental Maths Session, and what a fantastic event it was!

It was wonderful to see such high levels of engagement, with families working together alongside staff to explore different maths activities and strategies. The atmosphere was positive, supportive, and full of enthusiasm, with pupils and parents alike enjoying the opportunity to learn together.

Sessions like this are incredibly valuable in strengthening the home–school partnership, and it was great to see parents gaining confidence in supporting their children’s learning.

A huge thank you to everyone who attended—we really appreciate your time and involvement. We look forward to offering more opportunities like this in the future!

 

National Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Month

This month, we recognise National Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Month, an important time to raise awareness of how we can all play a role in keeping children safe.

At Sutton School, the safety and wellbeing of our pupils is always our highest priority. As a special educational needs (SEN) school, we understand that some children may be more vulnerable due to communication differences, social understanding, and increased reliance on adults. This makes it even more important that we create a safe, nurturing, and protective environment where every child feels heard, valued, and supported.

Our Safe & Wellbeing Hub works closely with pupils and families to provide tailored support, ensuring that children have trusted adults they can talk to and that families feel supported every step of the way. We take a proactive approach to safeguarding by building strong relationships and offering early help where needed.

Within school, we also support pupils through:

• Aspirational communication tools, such as aided language mats, to help children express their thoughts and feelings

• A spiralling PSHE curriculum, where key themes are revisited and built upon, including healthy relationships, consent, and understanding of their bodies

• Creating safe spaces where pupils can learn about boundaries and develop the confidence to speak up

We encourage all parents and carers to continue these important conversations at home and to seek support if needed.

For further information, advice, and support, please visit the NSPCC website.

Together, we can continue to work in partnership to ensure all children are safe, supported, and able to thrive.

 

 

Health Champions Inspired by Visionary Workshop

Sutton School’s Health Champions were proud to be invited to a unique and inspiring workshop led by Rob Hopkins, a leading advocate for sustainable community change.

Held on Tuesday, the event brought together professionals from across Dudley, with our students representing the only group of young people in attendance—a fantastic achievement and a testament to their growing voice within the community.

Throughout the session, our Health Champions explored climate-positive futures through creativity and imagination, encouraging everyone to truly “fall in love with the future.” They took part in a range of engaging and thought-provoking activities, sharing ideas about the kind of world they want to live in and expressing their hopes, ambitions, and sense of responsibility for the future.

Together, they mapped out ways to inspire change—both within themselves and their wider communities—highlighting the power of young people in shaping a better world.

If you’re not familiar with Rob Hopkins, he is an incredibly engaging storyteller and the founder of the Transition Movement. As an author and podcast host, his work continues to inspire communities across the globe to rethink and rebuild a more sustainable future.

 

Deaf History Month

 

This month, we are proud to recognise Deaf History Month, a time to celebrate the achievements, culture, and contributions of deaf individuals, while also raising awareness of the importance of communication and inclusion.

As a SEN school, this is particularly important to us. Many of our pupils experience communication differences, and we are committed to ensuring that every child has a voice and feels understood. We recognise that children with additional needs can be more vulnerable to communication barriers, which is why we actively promote inclusive communication strategies across our school.

At Sutton School, we support communication in a variety of ways, including the use of Makaton to help pupils express themselves and understand others. Our popular “Sign of the Week” encourages both pupils and staff to learn and use new signs, helping to build a more inclusive and supportive environment for everyone.

You will also see communication-friendly displays around school, designed to support understanding, promote independence, and celebrate different ways of communicating.

We are incredibly fortunate to have Mrs Hudson, our HLTA who specialises in Speech and Language, supporting both pupils and staff. Her expertise plays a key role in ensuring communication needs are met and that pupils are given the tools they need to succeed.

By recognising Deaf History Month, we continue to promote inclusion, understanding, and respect, ensuring that all pupils—regardless of how they communicate—feel valued and heard.

 

 

 Loudmouth Theatre Brings “Screen Time” to Life

 

Students in 8T1 and 8T2 recently took part in an engaging and thought-provoking workshop delivered by Loudmouth Theatre Company. The session, titled “Screen Time,” focused on key aspects of Relationships, Sexual Health and Education (RSHE), exploring the impact of life online.

Through powerful, well-researched drama, the programme brought real-life online experiences to life—helping students to better understand both the benefits and risks of time spent online. The performance explored important themes such as social media use, online gaming, and the role of online communities in providing support.

Following the performance, students took part in interactive, discussion-based workshops, where they were encouraged to share their views and reflect on their own experiences. These sessions supported pupils to:

• Understand how information and data is generated, shared, and used online

• Recognise their rights and responsibilities in digital spaces

• Identify harmful behaviours, including online bullying, abuse, and harassment

• Learn how to report concerns and access support if needed

The workshops provided a safe space for students to ask questions, build confidence, and develop their understanding of how to navigate the online world safely and responsibly.

Programmes like this play a vital role in supporting our students to become informed, resilient, and responsible digital citizens, both in school and beyond.

 

Boxing Intervention – Spring Term Wrap Up

We are delighted to share the success of our Spring Term Boxing Intervention, which has had a fantastic impact on the pupils involved.

The children selected to take part were truly amazing throughout the programme. They demonstrated commitment, resilience, and a willingness to challenge themselves, gaining so much from the experience. It has been particularly encouraging to see the positive impact both in and out of the classroom, with improvements in focus, confidence, and emotional regulation.

A huge thank you goes to Craig, our boxing mentor from BoxClever, who has been an incredible asset to our school. His ability to build strong relationships with pupils and support them in developing discipline, respect, and self-belief has been invaluable.

We would also like to remind families that Craig offers free sessions within the local community, providing a great opportunity for pupils to continue building on the skills they have developed during the programme.

We are extremely proud of all the pupils who took part and look forward to continuing this valuable intervention in the future.