NewsletterOctober 2024

Dear Parents and Carers,

I wanted to take this opportunity to inform you of our incredible half term.

It has been a great start for all of our students.

Thank you to all parents and carers who came in for our information evenings. I am hopeful you have all accessed the curriculum resources you were provided with to help you support your child's learning at home. If you were unable to attend or would like to view the information again, please visit Home | The Suthers School, click on Year Groups and scroll to the bottom for the evening's presentation and curriculum documentation. 

I am so proud of our new Year 7s. They have certainly demonstrated The Suthers Way by receiving an overwhelming amount of reward points including Golden Tickets. Students are engaged in their learning as they sit upright ready to LEARN and push the pen; their books are extremely PROUD. When I have visited lessons our students contribute well to class discussion and respect one another and their school environment. They have all made a great start and I am excited to see their character develop over the next half term. 

I have had the pleasure attending Year 8 trips this half term. It is always positive to receive feedback about our students and how they present themselves inside and outside of school. I have also enjoyed being able to observe them whilst grasping the opportunities to learn offsite. Going on these school trips has allowed me to get to know more of our students and I have enjoyed spending time with them. Thank you to all staff who have organised and supported these trips; without their involvement our students wouldn't be able to take part in these additional activities.

Year 11 have demonstrated The Suthers Way by engaging in their achievement interviews and having an awareness of what they need to be successful this year. Their articulation around understanding what they have to learn in each subject area has been impressive. They have shared with leaders how they can achieve their goals over the upcoming months. Today's reward assembly certainly highlighted students who have made great progress and the determination they have to be successful.

We have started our Year 11 booster and intervention sessions after school and attendance is exceptional. Our students are staying to improve their knowledge and understanding for their examinations. We all continue to work hard to provide our year 11s regular feedback and plan opportunities for them to sit purposeful Knowledge Learning Checks so we have robust and accurate data to inform next steps. 

Watching our KS3 students taking part in The Big Draw producing our beautiful mural was also very special. We plan to have more of these opportunities so our students can continue to be creative and express themselves through various art forms.

Our sports enthusiasts have been actively involved in cross-country and sporting events this half term. It was pleasing to hear our Year 10/11 Rugby team represented Suthers brilliantly followed by our Year 11 football team who played a fantastic match against Toot Hill. There will be a rematch which I intend to attend and cheer them on!

I am very excited to see what next term brings for our students. 

I hope you all have a fantastic half term break and I look forward to welcoming all students back to school on Monday 4th November at 8.25am. 

Best wishes, 

Nic

To keep up to date with all events next term, please click this Link

Our Macmillan Coffee Events happened on 27th-28th September, with a bake sale for students on the Friday and a coffee and cake sale for students, staff, their families and the public on the Saturday. Bake sales are always a popular event in school, and this was proved in our first day of takings - £204! 

The Saturday morning started bright and sunny, with cake and coffee sales starting nice and early for those watching the football sessions on the school field! We had a number of students, staff, families and local residents attend throughout the morning, making a further £246. It was a privilege to meet two of our local residents, who discovered our event through the Macmillan website, and not only came to support the event, but also donated some of the cakes for us to sell on the day.

Once again, our students represented the school in the best way they could, while supporting a fantastic charitable cause. Our total amount for the two days, including online donations, was an amazing £470.19! Thank you to everyone that supported the events!

The library carried out a Halloween cake sale to raise funds, a total of £165 was raised to purchase new books.

What a great start to the school year, in terms of attendance to school! As a school we really appreciate your support in making every effort to ensure your child is in school and we will continue to work with you on this. At Suthers, we expect the highest standards of attendance from all our students so they may develop their full potential during their time at school. It is our aim to maintain a culture of excellence, attendance and punctuality. We want students to feel like they belong at Suthers, and we believe having good attendance will make them happier. Families and the school share the responsibility for supporting and promoting excellent school attendance and punctuality. It is our duty to consistently strive to achieve a goal of 100% attendance for all our students.

• Research shows that good Attendance is important because:
• Students feel happier in school and anxieties reduce;
• Students feel like they have more belonging and connection to the school;
• Students make better progress, both socially and academically;
• Students are more successful in transferring into employment;
• Students find school routines easier to cope with;
• Students find it easier to make friendships;
• Statistics show a direct link between under-achievement and absence;

Ways for families to encourage good attendance:

• Find out about your child’s absence regularly and check if this matches your own records.
• Talk regularly with your child about school and how they feel about it. They are more likely to attend school if they feel supported and their anxieties are listened to.
• Only grant days at home for genuine illnesses.
• Avoid taking holidays in term time. Know the routines of the school days to avoid issues (e.g. Have they brought in their PE kit?)
• If you have concerns—phone the school.
• Praise and reward good attendance at school.

We just wanted to take this opportunity to give you some information about some changes brought in by the local authority and changes in the DfE guidelines, that you may not be aware of.

Lateness to school

As you are aware, our school policy is that students late to school without good reason, will receive a break time detention the same day. Recent changes to the DfE guidelines now state that if a child arrives after 9am, we can no longer enter a late mark but instead they are marked absent for the whole morning session. If the lateness is due to a legitimate reason e.g. a medical appointment, the absence can be authorised.

Unauthorised Absence Fixed Penalty Notices

The system implemented by the council for issuing Fixed Penalty notices for unauthorised school absence has changed and is summarised below.

• In Nottinghamshire, parents can be fined if their child has in excess of 5 days (or 10 half days) of unauthorised absence over a 10-week period. A penalty notice is charged at £160 if paid within 28 days. This will be reduced to £80 if paid within 21 days.
• For a second offence (within 3 years) a second penalty notice can be issued to the same parent in respect of the same pupil but is charged at a flat rate of £160 if paid within 28 days. No reduced rate is offered.
• For a third offence, a third penalty notice cannot be issued to the same parent in respect of the same child within 3 years. In a case where the national threshold is met for a third time (or subsequent times) alternative action could be taken which may include a referral to the Magistrates Court who can fine up to £2500 per parent, per child.
• Penalty fines will also considered where there have been 10 sessions of unauthorised absence in a 10 week period.

Nottinghamshire County Council have more information about this on their website, which can be accessed using the following link: https://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/education/school-discipline-and-exclusions/attendance-absence-truancy

FAQ's about Attendance:

What can I do if my child is starting to present attendance difficulties?

These difficulties can show themselves in a number of different ways e.g. a reluctance to go to school, feigning illness, failure to attend school even though the child is sent, missing lessons whilst in school. If a problem seems to be emerging, parents/carers should:-

• Talk to the child to try to ascertain if there are any problems or worries at school on the journey to or from school or at home
• Contact your child’s form tutor as soon as possible
• Seek advice from the School’s attendance team

Why doesn’t the Suthers School authorise holidays?

We are very aware of the essential role good attendance plays in achieving good academic progress and good social skills. We, therefore, took the decision that we could not authorise holidays in term time as doing so would be in direct contradiction to what we know is best for our students.

Why do you issue fixed penalty notices if parents/carers remove their children for a holiday?

We can not authorise an avoidable absence which causes harm to the continuity of a child’s education. We are aware that holidays in term time are cheaper than those in school holidays and that this can be a motivating factor. The penalty notice therefore attempts to remove this incentive as well as reinforcing the importance of school attendance. Please note: the fine monies are not given to the school.

Would I have received a fixed penalty notice if I had lied about the absence?

We expect honesty in our dealings with parents/carers and we are sure parents/carers wish to model this to their children. However, it is also our experience that children will tell their friends of their holiday who inadvertently tell their teachers. The length of absence can also trigger attendance officer investigation, including home visits, leading to the truth of the matter.

What should I do if my child is reluctant to attend school?

There may be many reasons why a child is reluctant to attend school, both issues related to school but also issues which are not related to school in any way. Contact the form tutor as soon as possible if your child is reluctant to attend school. They will suggest a meeting with you and your son/daughter to discuss strategies which can be put into place to support their attendance at school.

If my child refuses to attend school, can I be held responsible?

Yes. As the child’s parent, you are expected to ensure that they receive an education. If your child does not attend school you could face court action resulting in a possible fine and or even imprisonment. Please contact the form tutor if you are concerned about your child’s attendance.

Can I be prosecuted if I pay the Penalty Notice but my child is still missing school?

Not for the period included in the Penalty Notice - payment discharges your liability in this respect. However, it may be the case that a prosecution might be considered for further periods of poor attendance not covered by the Penalty Notice, depending upon the circumstances. If this is an issue, it is vital that you work closely with school and support agencies such as the NCC’s Attendance Service.

What do I do if my child is ill?

Telephone the school office on each morning of your child’s illness by 8am. If your child experiences a prolonged absence, a medical note or evidence from the medical professional may be required by the school.

Many thanks,

Simon Buckberry

Assistant Headteacher

SENDCo

After parent and student feedback and observations from Suthers staff members it has been highlighted to us that the buses have struggled this term with overcrowding, along with the morning bus arriving too early. Marshalls of Sutton on Trent have assessed the issues and have now made changes to the scheduling of their buses they provide for Suthers students. 

There are two main changes that students will need to be aware of:

• The No.22 bus will no longer stop at Suthers School, this will be replaced by the No.85 a double decker bus. The No.85 journey will run later so students will no longer have to wait a long period of time to get into school. 
• To prevent overcrowding the No.55 bus will no longer stop to pick up or drop off at any stops along London Road. Students at all stops on London road must now catch the No.85.

 please click here to view the new timetable

Enrichment Classes for the next term are as follows;

Tuesday                                                                                            Wednesday                                                                       Thursday

The Suthers Collective Orchestra**                               Arts Awards                                                                      Gardening Club 

Boxing                                                                                              TBC                                                                                         Musical Productions

Warhammer Club                                                                      Cooking Club                                                                    Rehearsal* 

                                                                                                              S29 Drama Club                                                              Shakespeare Club 

                                                                                                              TBC                                                                                         Remembrance Club 

                                                                                                             Netball  (PE Department)                                           Boxing 

                                                                                                             Football  (PE Department)                                         Boys Rugby  (PE Department) 

                                                                                                             Flying Club                                                                          Girls Rugby  (PE Department) 

*Please note that participation in the school performance will be via audition. For more information, please contact Mr. Case.  

** Please note this club is for instrumentalists only.

students sign up for activities for Sept - Dec.

There are some spaces available - parents can email me. 

There will be a new timetable in Jan. 

Four students from Suthers School have been learning to fly gliders at Darlton Gliding Club (near Tuxford), after starting during a summer school in the holidays. With help from skilled instructors, they are learning how to control the gliders and understand how flying works, like the effects of weather and how the glider stays in the air without an engine. As they practice, they're getting more confident and excited about eventually flying solo. This experience not only teaches them about flying but also helps them develop focus, patience, and teamwork skills.

Anyone interested, see Mr Carter

We have been so lucky to have received our first sponsor , a huge thank you to 'Peachy Clean' for the generous donation of £250 . From this we have purchased a whole stand of new books, which are rapidly being booked out by our very grateful students. They look absolutely fantastic in thew Fern, with the amazing 'Peachy Clean' plaque made for us by Mr Smith. 

If anyone else would like to' Sponsor A Shelf 'Mrs Liwoshko can be contacted at aliwoshko@suthersschool.co.uk

April Liwoshko

We had a successful first half term in our Netball fixtures. Both fixtures were played against Magnus, and both resulted in wins. A strong win from our Y10/11 Team and an 18-5 win from our Y8/Y9 team. Both games, the girls showed incredible play down the court, getting the interceptions and showcasing amazing shooting! We look forward to more fixtures in the run up to Christmas.

We also had great success in the Y11 Rugby Tournament, winning two games and drawing one.

Our Y11 Football Team played a friendly against Toot Hill, narrowly missing out on a win, in a 5-4 defeat. All the students played well and it’s a shame there weren’t more goals scored. Take a look: 

Performing Arts

Little Shop of Horrors

Rehearsals are well underway for this year’s musical, Little Shop of Horrors. The cast are rising to the demands of this full-length musical and you will be in for a treat. The show will be in March- watch this space for tickets!

GCSE Drama

Year 10 and 11 Drama students continue to study hard and we have been fortunate enough to go and see ‘Wonder Boy’ at Derby and ‘Blood Brothers’ at Newark Palace Theatre. For component 1 of the GCSE curriculum, students are required to analyse and evaluate Blood Brothers and a Live Performance.

S29 Drama Club

We have welcomed back Christina Riley who is leading the KS3 Drama club after school. The over-subscribed club are working on a short original performance that will premiere in November. Students are developing skills in creating, devising and performing.

LAMDA

Victoria Potter is continuing to coach Suthers students through the LAMDA examinations. New students have also begun, and we continue to gain excellent results.

The Suthers Collective Orchestra

We are pleased to announce the formation of the Suthers Collective Orchestra who are now rehearsing weekly as part of our enrichment program. Our talented musicians have been busy working on a number of pieces ready for our debut performances later in the year.

Uniform

A polite reminder regarding uniform.

Shoes must be formal black shoes and not trainers of any kind. Typically, sports brands do not make school shoes and therefore black trainers cannot be worn. Please can you check what your child is wearing to school and ensure these meet our expectations. We do have a supply of formal school shoes and are happy to support students in meeting expectations.

Please see below some examples:

Students should refrain from having any facial piercings. Nose rings and studs should be removed before school. A suitable retainer can be worn and an example has been shown below.

Last summer we appointed our new Student Leadership Squad.

They have asked for our summer uniform to be all year round. We will now allow students to wear charcoal shorts all year round if they so wish to do so.

French Manicure being allowed. 

We have agreed both as a trial this year.

Nails can be natural with a smart short French Manicure as below 

No acrylics are permitted and students will be asked to remove them. 

The full school uniform policy can be found at https://www.thesuthersschool.co.uk/page.php?p=uniform

Thank you in anticipation of your support.

Mr P Hunt

Assistant Head Teacher

As a team, we recognise our responsibilities for safeguarding children and protecting them from harm. We follow the procedures set out by the Nottinghamshire Safeguarding Children Board (NSCB) and take account of guidance issued by the DfE. All these procedures are set out in our safeguarding policy. Please visit the information tab, Policies on our website for our latest safeguarding policy.

If you have any safeguarding concerns, please do not hesitate to contact one of the DSL team via the below emails:

Senior DSL - Mrs Redmond wredmond@suthersschool.co.uk

Deputy DSL - Mr Lynas dlynas@suthersschool.co.uk

DSL - Miss Bentley kbentley@suthersschool.co.uk

DSL - Mr Buckberry sbuckberry@suthersschool.co.uk

If you have urgent concerns for a child, or suspect that a child has been abused in any way, you can also report a safeguarding concern to Nottinghamshire Multi-agency Safeguarding Hub by calling 0300 500 80 80 (if you are a member of the public). If you require an urgent response outside of working hours (08:30-17:00), contact the Emergency Duty Team (EDT) on 0300 456 4546. In an emergency call 999.

https://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/care/safeguarding/childrens-mash

There are also helpful links for further advice

For online safety- please see the E-safety section of our website

Childline www.childline.org.uk

Comforts, advises and protects children 24 hours a day and offers free confidential counselling.

Phone 0800 1111 (24 hours) Chat 1-2-1 with a counsellor online

ChatHealth. Easy way for young people to confidentially ask for help about a range of issues or make an appointment with a school nurse. The number to text is 07507 329952. The service will be available on Monday to Friday 9.00 am – 4.30 pm

Kooth www.kooth.com

Is an online counselling and emotional well-being platform for children and young people, accessible through mobile, tablet and desktop and free to access.

Young minds www.youngminds.org.uk

Advice and information about young people’s mental health including information on CAMHS and what the next steps to seeking support are.

Health for Teens www.healthforteens.co.uk offers a great content and of your health, from sexual health to your feelings, growing up, lifestyle and much more.

Samaritans www.samaritans.org

24 hour confidential listening and support for anyone who needs it. (Adults included.) Phone 116 123 (24 hours) Information and support for mental health issues

Harmless- www.harmless.org.uk

provides a range of advice and support about self harm, people who self harm, their friends and families. Phone 0115 934 8445

B-eat www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk

The UK's eating disorder charity. They have online support groups and a helpline for anyone under 18. Phone 0345 634 7650 (4pm – 10pm 365 days a year) Email fyp@b-eat.co.uk

The Mix www.themix.org.uk

Information, support and listening on EVERYTHING for young people

Phone 0808 808 4994 (24 hours), get lots of support online

Drugs and alcohol

Frank www.talktofrank.com

Confidential information and advice about drugs and substance abuse, whether it's for you or someone else. 0800 7766 00 (24 hours, won't show up on your phone bill)

LGBT

Stonewall www.youngstonewall.org.uk

The UK charity for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people and their allies. They offer information, advice. Phone 08000 50 20 20

Nottingham LGBT switchboard

Nottingham chartity offering advice for LGBT and questioning, people, their friends & family. Phone line open 7-9.15pm Mon-Fri 0115 934 8485.