Newsletter

As we approach the end of what has been a hugely enjoyable and rewarding academic year, I wanted to write to you to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation for your relentless support for The Suthers School. This support has been instrumental in the response to our recent OFSTED inspection and the kind words of our parents and carers and local community was evident via the parental survey result and recent communication which has been overwhelmingly positive. As you will no doubt be aware, we continue to seek opportunities to improve our practice and be even better as a team and through our continued partnership with parents and carers we remain determined and committed to continue to develop, grow and excel in all we do so that every student and staff member has every opportunity to be the best they can be in a transformative local community school.  

The recent events that we have held here this last half term have been hugely uplifting and reinforces my view that it is an enormous privilege to lead such a kind and caring school, filled with amazing young people and passionate and committed staff. Students have been working on social action projects which have raised awareness along with educating other students at the school. In addition to this we have celebrated our year 11 leavers which was an emotional day and we have welcomed our new Year 7 students, along with their parents and carers into our building for a celebration event. We also celebrated the arrival of our new staff during our transition days and welcomed them to our team. 

As a result of such a warm, caring and inclusive culture along with the very highest of expectations and standards in every area of school life, we are pleased to have the support from our community. We have another full intake of students for September this year and we are now oversubscribed. Over 120 students will join us in September which is truly wonderful, and we look forward to welcoming them and their families to our school.

As we conclude the year, we say farewell to several valued colleagues who leave us this summer.  Mr Willson leaves us as he takes up a new post as Head of Performing Arts; we are grateful for the musical opportunities he has provided for our students including the exceptional performance of Matilda this year -it was noted as a professional performance by the audience along with his work on our Year 7 transition with primary schools. Mr Patel also leaves us to continue to support secondary schools within Nova Trust; however, I am sure he will continue to provide us with his wealth of knowledge in preparation before Ofsted revisit within the next 18 months. Mr Patel has been a great asset to the leadership team supporting transition and working closely with Mrs Pettit to develop our Personal Development Curriculum and careers provision mapping across the school which was recognised as one of our strengths during our recent Ofsted visit. We also say farewell to Mrs Cunniffe, who was the first member of staff to be appointed at The Suthers School, and has played a pivotal role to the development of the English department and supporting our Year 11 students from the very beginning. We wish you all every success with your new ventures. 

Please take note that further communication will be sent to parents and carers over the coming weeks to outline the start of the next academic term.

I wish you all a safe and enjoyable holiday and enjoy your summer break.

Nic Watkin

Head Teacher

To keep up to date with all events happening in the first half term of 2022/23 please click this Link

We said goodbye to our year 11 students this term. 

I am writing to mark this special moment of Suthers' history. You are the first year group to cross the doors of The Suthers School and the first year group to leave the school achieving a set of amazing results.

I want to say how incredibly proud I am of you all. I haven't known you long, but long enough to have witnessed fabulous young people who are committed to becoming the best version of themselves; true role models for the year groups below. 

You shine everyday here at The Suthers School and you will continue to shine in your destination of choice whether that be Sixth Form, college or a workplace apprenticeship.  

I want to wish you all the very best for your future. Keep hold of your lucky penny; it will support you in your exams and will hopefully bring you luck for days and years to come!

Remember this: you are truly tremendous and can achieve your dreams. You can be whoever you want to be and you can succeed in whichever pathway you choose. You are in charge of shaping your future and I look forward to meeting you all again in a few years time when you are proudly telling me about how well you are doing! 

We are your Suthers family and we will miss every single one of you! Take care and stay in touch, Miss Watkin 

In English this term,

Year 7 have studied Shakespeare's comedy 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. Not only have they been challenging themselves with deciphering Shakespearean language iambic pentameter, but they have also been acting as real-life barristers in the stalking court case between Helena and Demetrius.

Year 8 are currently embroiled in the battle of the Montagues and Capulets from Shakespeare's tragedy, 'Romeo and Juliet'. Building on their knowledge from their Shakespearean studies in Year 7, Year 8 have developed their understanding of the contextual factors surrounding the writing and performance of the play. They have embedded key knowledge and terminology throughout their reading, most notably through their critical analysis of Lord Capulet's changing patriarchal role.

Year 9 have delved into Arthur Miller's American drama 'The Crucible'. They have interwoven their linguistic exploration of Miller's tragic retelling of the Salem Witch Trials with the American contextual knowledge of 1950's McCarthyism and 'The Red Scare'. Their studies have encouraged the application of the play's pertinent messages, herd mentality and social responsibility, to their own contemporary position in an everchanging world. 

Year 10 have embarked on their first mock process for which the entire English team are immensely proud. They have not only been revising both AQA English Language Papers, Robert Louis Stevenson's 'Jekyll and Hyde', and Shakespeare's 'Macbeth', we have also begun the exploration of the 'Power and Conflict' Poetry Anthology. 

Maths;

This term Key Stage 3 students have been looking at Statistics and Probability and being able to analyse data. It has been great to see the real-world applications of using data, be it through pie charts, scatter graphs or bar charts, taking place in classrooms across the school. There have been some brilliant research projects completed as well, to add to the great examples from earlier in the year that are currently displayed on the B floor corridor.

At Key Stage 4, the focus for Year 10 for this term has been their first set of mocks, and it was very pleasing to see the effort and determination that students put into these. There were some superb results that bode well for Year 11. All students have received a results sheet for their mocks, detailing the scores they achieved on each of the 2 papers and a list of topics of strength and areas to focus future revision on.

I also would like to take the opportunity to thank Year 11 once again for their absolute dedication to Maths during their time at the Suthers School. You have been missed since you left! I look forward to seeing you all on results day.

In Science, STEM

We have been building gliders using a kit provided by the Smallpiece Trust. We are certain that STEM enrichment will flourish in September and we are looking forward to starting the new academic year with some successful test flights of our gliders. The activity has been a fairly intensive exercise in calculation, aerodynamics, planning, drawing and construction which has required some very coordinated teamwork to make it successful with really minimal intervention required by staff. The STEM teaching team are incredibly proud of our students this year and excited about seeing some flight in September.

In French, Year 7 students designed their own menus and used role play to create an authentic French Cafe.

In History this term,

This term in year 7 we have been looking at the Tudors and how turbulent religion was. Students were able to consolidate their learning by producing fantastic Tudor rollercoasters. 

In year 8 students have been debating the rights of women and the fight for the vote, in the lead up and after World War One. Students have been shaping fantastic responses to big questions and arguing the rights of women. 

Year 9s have had the opportunity to study the American Civil Rights Movement and understand how life was segregated for different groups for many centuries. Year 9s have also had an opportunity to study modern day history and consider how key events such as 9/11 and Afghanistan have shaped the world we live in today. 

Food Technology 

At the end of this term Year 9 students planned a 2 course meal using culinary skills they had learnt through out the term. Students were able to use the recipes which they had be taught in lessons or design their own. They had to work independently with minimal or no support from Mrs Gollin and Mrs Beresford.  

Mr Griffiths and Mr Lynas chose their favourite meals after a large amount of tasting! The winning students were Oscar and Jade. Well done to all students who took part.

As part of National Manufacturing Day a small group of Year 9 students visited Swiftool Precision Engineering. As part of the Open Doors programme, the aim is to inspire students by showing them the various career routes they can take and make them aware of the many fantastic employment opportunities available to them on their doorstep. The students were challenged to complete a 'Meccano' style Helicopter with just pictures and no building instruction. Zach managed to complete the challenge in 26 minutes, beating the Apprentice's time of 35 minutes. An amazing achievement!

Year 10 Work Experience.

Our year 10 students took part in Work Experience this term. The feedback from employers was excellent. Students were extremely professional, actively involved in their work and some of our students have even been offered a part time weekend job as a result of their commitment and maturity towards their roles. 

Student Parliament

Our Student Parliament have been regularly meeting this half-term and working hard to prepare for the new academic year. Students have identified five areas where they would like to support the development of the school. They have set up the following committees:- 

• Anti-bullying Committee
• Mental Health and Well-being Committee
• Diversity and Inclusion Committee
• Student Ambassadors Committee

They are also going to continue with the fantastic work started by SAVE, our student led charity group. 

Some of our student parliament members have already attended training days to support with this work, including the Diana Awards Anti-bullying Ambassador training and Well-being Ambassador training with Worth-It. 

The students are looking forwards to becoming a driving force for positive change in the school in the next academic year"

Head Students

This year we say good bye to Cody Harrison and Amelia Beresford-Wilson.

A message from Amelia.

"The past 5 years of my life have been an experience I would not change for the world. Despite all the hardships throughout my secondary school experience, including the COVID-19 pandemic and our temporary building in Bingham, I am extremely grateful for the opportunities I have had at The Suthers School. It has been an honour not only to be the first cohort at Suthers but also the first Head Girl; one of many head students to come. All the staff members at The Suthers school have worked incredibly hard and shown a great deal of compassion and dedication to all the students. As Head Girl, it has been a pleasure to be involved in the growth and development of this school, working with driven students in student parliament, participating in charity events along with SAVE, welcoming visitors into our school and even featuring on the news after advocating for inclusivity in schools! I shall miss the strong feeling of community at The Suthers School and am appreciative of the TORCH character strengths, which I will continue to use in my future"

"Once again, a big thanks to everyone who has made mine and many other students school journeys full of memories, achievements, learning opportunities and most importantly, happiness"

A message from Cody.

"I have enjoyed every minute of my secondary school experience at Suthers. It feels very special to have been a part of a brand-new school and is something I will never forget. I will never forget the moment where we pushed Mr Pettit into the lake on our rewards trip! Being head boy at the Suthers school has been an honour and working with Amelia and the Suthers school staff and the Suthers school parliament has not only enriched my way of thinking but has been exciting also. Thank you.

We are happy to introduce our new Head Students, Colby Richards and Beth Carpenter.

Hello,  

My name is Beth Carpenter. In September I will be taking on the role of Head Student in The Suthers School alongside my classmate Colby. I am so excited and appreciative to have this amazing opportunity and I can’t wait to be working closely with Miss Watkin, members of staff and getting to know and talk with more students. I joined The Suthers School in September of 2018 and have since watched the school grow and evolve into what it is today. I am open to any questions, concerns or suggestions from students and parents. I am here for anyone to speak to and I’m more than happy to raise anything needed. I look forward to taking this position in the school next year !     

Greetings, my name's Colby Richards, I'm a year 11 student who is a member of the new Head Students for the Suthers School. Over the past 4 years I've seen this school grow and develop from the temporary neighbourhood of Bingham where our small building stood, to the permanent settlement in Fernwood; this couldn't have been achieved without the contributions of students and teachers alike, and now I want to make an impact too. Whilst the school has succeeded in multiple areas, subjects such as communication to parents/pupils and the rewarding of hard work still needs greater attention than what it has now. There's so much Suthers has achieved and thrived upon, and I want people to talk about what they want to change or add so that we can grow. There's still so much we can do, so let's make change happen.

I look forward to further seeing the school grow.

We are looking forward to welcoming our new staff members in September;

Adam Jennings - Head of Science

Adam Case - Head of Performing Arts

Natalie Kelter - Art Teacher (maternity cover)

Vicki Brinded - MFL Teacher

Beth Shelton - Humanities Teacher

Barbi Gardin - English Teacher

Callum Highley - Maths Teacher

Houda Medjdoud - Business Teacher

Some of our current staff have furthered their teaching/support skills and taken on new roles within our team to begin in September.

Emma Wallace - ASL for Co-Curricular

"I am really excited about taking the lead on all the wonderful co-curricular opportunities our students are given. In September we will be launching Suthers Plus, our new co-curricular program. As we are no longer bound by Covid restrictions, we are working with a range of external providers to build on our existing Tuesday afternoon enrichment and to provide additional opportunities for students on a Thursday and Friday. We also have an exciting range of trips in the pipeline, including a trip to a French Christmas Market and a Year 7 Transition event. Suthers Plus will also now include the Suthers Student Parliament. You can find information about their work elsewhere in the newsletter."

Emma Brown - ASL for Literacy

'I am really excited to be appointed in the role of ASL with a focus on leading literacy across the school from September. In 2019 I completed a Masters degree in 'Creativity, Literacies, Arts and Learning' at The University of Nottingham where much of my research focused on young people learning to read and write and how, as educators, we can ignite a passion for reading and writing in our students to promote them becoming life-long literates. I am already working hard to build on my prior experience with staff to ensure we have plans in place for students that will prioritise literacy opportunities across the whole school; our first mission is to create a learning space that inspires creativity and supports the love of books in our existing library space, now renamed The Fern. This is just the beginning of plans to raise the profile of, and attainment in, reading, writing and oracy. I recognise the importance of working in partnership with parents and carers to improve literacy standards and I am keen to work alongside our wider community on this agenda, so will be in touch with opportunities for this in the new academic year. Until then enjoy a restful summer and pick up a book or two!' 

Zoe Allen - KS3 Culture for Learning Lead

'Over the next year I will be looking to make sure that KS3 students are achieving their full potential in the classroom, and around school.  We will be spending time reviewing our AToL's and setting targets to make sure that every student is able to progress in all areas at the Suthers school'

Jyoti Pettit - Careers CoOrdinator

Richard Smith - Transition Lead

Emily Braithwaite - Specialist Learning Support

Kenya Watson - Pastoral Leader

We take pride in our appearance at The Suthers School and whilst wearing our uniform students are always representing our high standards and expectations. To identify your uniform, we recommend you label it accordingly. 

• School Blazer – Regulation grey, with official school badge. 
• School Tie – Regulation clip on ties from September 2022 and any replacement ties which are purchased. Ties must be worn with the top button of the shirt done up. 
• Skirt or Trousers – Formal, plain black, knee-length pleated skirt. No stretch-fit, pencil style or skater skirts permitted. Plain black, school regulation formal cut trousers. No jeans, chinos or stretch material or skinny-fit trousers are permitted. 
• Shirt – formal white, long sleeves or short sleeves with stiff collar which must always be clean and tucked into the waistband. Coloured t-shirts or vest tops are not permitted underneath shirts. 
• Pullover/Cardigan – Grey V-neck cardigan (optional). 
• Black tights only – Socks are not permitted when wearing a skirt. A lighter denier may be worn in warmer weather. 
• Shoes – Plain black lace-up or slip-on formal leather/leather-effect shoes with low heels (no more than two inches in height). Please note that boots, trainers, fabric/pump-style or sling back shoes are not permitted. Alternative footwear for medical reasons must be communicated with school via a note or email. If non-regulation shoes are worn for any other reason communicated by parents or carers, a suitable pair of shoes will be issued on loan. 
• Trainers - Trainers must only be worn for PE lessons and sporting recreation. During break time, students may change their footwear to play sport on the field or MUGA. They should not be worn at any other times. 
• Coats are to be placed in lockers at the start of the day.  

Sports clothing Dress Code:  

• PE kit –Compulsory: TSS Polo Shirt, TSS plain black branded leggings/joggers, TSS branded black crew neck sweater, trainers
• Optional: Rugby Shirt, PE Socks 

Please follow the LINK to the Uniform Shop 

If you feel you need financial assistance with purchasing school uniform or equipment, please contact the school and ask to speak to our Senior Pastoral Leader Mrs Redmond. 

Duke of Edinburgh Award 2021-22

Congratulations to our year 10 D of E participants, they had to walk for a minimum of 6 hours on both Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th of July. The weather was hot and the landscape hilly, but they managed it with smiles on their faces. Students showcased their teamwork, navigation skills and resilience as they walked around the Bradgate Park area of Leicestershire, camping over night at a scout camp, pitching tents and making their dinner using portable gas stoves. The D of E instructors were very impressed with the attitude shown by the Suthers students and look forward to seeing them in the Derbyshire Peaks for their Silver expedition! A massive well done to all 14 participants, you made Mr Sykes-Wood, Mr Carter and Miss Humber very proud.

Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation competition winner from The Suthers School

Scarlett Twiner Year 8, won one of the four categories to create a poster or song that represents a legacy of change to keep up with the values of the foundation. Students also had the opportunity to take part in a county-wide challenge set up by the police.

“I have learnt so much about this project and how the law changed because of his death,” said Scarlett.

"I was able to link to personal development and civics work. I am really pleased my entry was noticed because it has also given me confidence.”

This year will mark the third year of National Stephen Lawrence Day, a foundation that hopes to inspire a fairer and just society through Stephen’s legacy engendering equality, diversity and inclusion for young people and communities globally.

The Stephen Lawrence Foundation offer resources to schools and leaders are given the tools to implement staff training and parents are offered workshops.

Romel Davis, a Youth Outreach Worker at the Nottinghamshire Police, gave Scarlett praise about her competition piece and informed her it was members of the Stephen Lawrence Foundation that choose her picture as one of the winners.

The Suthers School strongly believe that taking part in such an important legacy will create positive changes and build better relationships with their communities and young people.

Knife crime in Nottinghamshire has reduced year on year for the past three years and statistics from 2021 showed there was 714 knife-related offences.

To donate or learn more about the resources that are available visit www.stephenlawrenceday.org. 

For the School Year of 21/22 our school charity SAVE and other members of staff have organised;

• Wear yellow day - Young Minds UK 
• Children in need
• Red Nose Day
• McMillan Cancer Research cake sale day
• Ukraine Day
• Bake sale for Newark Emmaus Trust and Alzheimer's UK 
• Wear it Green Day for Mental Health Awareness
• Wear a hat Day for Brain Tumour Awareness
• Jubilee Celebrations, with cake sales raising money for Seashells Trust