Thank you for your interest in The Sutton Academy where our ethos ‘Together Students Achieve’ encompasses our ambition and beliefs. I take great pride in being able to share with you a small part of what we do here at The Sutton Academy. We are resolute in our belief that schools make a difference. Lives and the communities that they serve are transformed by them. Every child deserves the right to a world class education and it is our core purpose to raise aspirations and improve outcomes for all. The academy ethos is built around the highest expectations of all and we see it as our duty to ensure that students have the best life chances possible; leaving the academy well prepared to take their place in the world as confident and responsible adults. The academy works closely alongside our local primary schools to make sure that we build on the excellent progress students have already made. From the moment students join us, we build on their previous achievements providing challenging lessons and a focus on academic rigour. We compliment this with excellent pastoral care, guidance and support. The staff at the academy genuinely care about the students and the community that we serve. There is an obvious importance placed on academic achievement at the academy, but education goes beyond this. The academy ensures that students have access to broad and enriching educational opportunities, both inside and outside of the classroom. We believe that these additional experiences are imperative to developing confident, resilient and well-rounded young people. I am incredibly proud of the success of the academy in recent years and would welcome members of the community to visit the excellent facilities that our students have access to. This in turn facilitates a vibrant and positive environment where all students are engaged and enabled to reach their potential. If you would like to visit, please simply contact the academy and we will ensure that arrangements are made for either myself, or one of my senior staff, to welcome you and answer any questions that you may have. We cordially invite you to experience for yourself the calm and purposeful atmosphere where students work hard and are cared for. To arrange a tour of the academy please email contact@thesuttonacademy.org.uk Mr P Willerton, Principal Your Journey Begins Here
Vision Our work at the academy is underpinned by our desire for: � Students achieve to the best of their ability through an ethos of high standards. � Parents to send their children to the academy knowing they will be successful, cared for and enthused. � Staff to be challenged and supported to develop to their full potential to make a difference every day. Our role as educators is to ensure the students leave us with: � Powerful knowledge, vocabulary and a wealth of cultural capital � Qualifications which enable them to take control of the next stages of their life � The four core academy values: kind, reflective, resilient and part of a community The Sutton Academy is driven to provide: � A culture where every child is cared for and encouraged to grow � The highest standards of behaviour and mutual respect � A knowledge-rich curriculum � Highly effective evidence informed teaching � A strong partnership with both parents/ carers and students � The best enrichment opportunities � Staff who feel privileged to serve our community We want our students to fulfil their aspirations and make a positive contribution to society. “Pupils feel safe and happy at school. They are free to be themselves.” Ofsted
Values Kind We expect our students to have a strong moral compass and have a disposition of empathy and respect. Reflective We expect our students to be critical thinkers who automatically look closely at their own work and the work of those they study. Resilient We expect our students to be challenged, we understand that learning is difficult and we will praise those who are willing to persevere. Part of a Community We expect our students to be outward-looking and to recognise the significant role they have in the development of the communities they are part of. We believe that it is our duty to develop, not only a young person’s knowledge of the world, but also their character. We expect all of our students to grow into kind, reflective and resilient human beings who see themselves as members of a wider community. We recognise that each and every one of us will require support and guidance to achieve such an ambitious goal. To that end, we will seek out every opportunity to promote these values as well as challenging and supporting those who, on occasion, fall short. We are not interested in rewarding certain behaviours, actions or attainment as an end in themselves; instead, we are passionate about rewarding the development of dispositions and habits which will lead our young people to live more fulfilling and positive lives. The academy values are designed in a way so that everyone can demonstrate and cultivate them through practice and support; every one of our students has the ability to become the type of person we believe they can and should be. We appreciate the integral role that parents play in the development of their child’s character and ultimately we are there to support them. To help with this, parents will be alerted to their child’s character development through messages relaying when a teacher has identified a value being shown or a missed opportunity to do so. By the time each student leaves the academy we aim for them to be:
Curriculum Key Stage 3 – Years 7, 8 and 9: In Key Stage 3, students follow the National Curriculum ensuring a broad and balanced range of subjects with an emphasis on developing literacy and numeracy. Key Stage 3 is designed with an academic focus on knowledge and skills needed to succeed in Key Stage 4 and 5 but also in life after leaving the academy. A personalised AEN curriculum is in place for those students who need extra support to access mainstream learning. The breadth of the National Curriculum is still covered but lessons are also dedicated to Social Skills, organisational skills and Numeracy/Literacy. Key Stage 4 – Years 10 and 11: Key Stage 4, studied in Years 10 and 11, offers students a diverse choice of subjects to study for two years. These subjects are selected to further diversify the curriculum they studied in Key Stage 3 and allows students to study subjects in further detail for which they have a particular passion or interest. We highly value a robust academic curriculum so Key Stage 4 is centred on the English Baccalaureate. When selecting their GCSE options, students are guided to select from one of three different pathways, but we strongly believe that pathways are used to guide students in the option process. Key Stage 5 – Years 12 and 13: As an 11-18 academy, our Sixth Form offers continuity from Year 11 with clear progression pathways to further study. We offer a wide range of academic and vocational courses, with students able to choose a blend of qualifications to suit their aspirations. The curriculum is built with our students’ aspirations in mind, giving students the opportunity to study complementary qualifications preparing them for future careers in a variety of different settings such as STEM or Clinical Care. Students who wish to opt to study a more diverse range of subjects are able to do so. The curriculum and the effective implementation of that curriculum is at the heart of the academy. All students, whatever their ability, need or starting point are entitled to a broad and balanced curriculum rich in knowledge and experience. The five pillars include: 1. The systematic building of knowledge sequenced in a way that aids understanding. 2. Lessons that are designed and delivered in a way that enables students to retain key knowledge over time. 3. Exposure to a range of high level vocabulary which supports students in accessing the curriculum. 4. Opportunities for students to develop their ‘Cultural Capital’ making links between what they are learning and the wider world. 5. Developing the skills needed to apply the knowledge acquired to a wide range of contexts.
We see education as so much more than a set of academic qualifications that students leave with. As well as succeeding academically, we are fully committed to ensuring all students leave us ready to embrace the challenges of the ever-changing world. Our exceptional Personal Development curriculum provides students with a well-sequenced programme of learning and enrichment opportunities, giving students the knowledge and skills, they need to really thrive beyond the classroom. ‘Personal, Social, Health and Economic’ (PSHE) Education The PSHE curriculum intends to provide students with a knowledge of their, local, national and global community, giving them the confidence to tackle many of the moral, social and cultural issues that are part of growing up in today’s society. The curriculum provides comprehensive, unbiased and correct information, which is age-appropriate and expertly sequenced. Personal Development “At The Sutton Academy, pupils, and students in the sixth form, flourish. They benefit from a well-thoughtout, ambitious curriculum that gives them the rich knowledge that they need to embark on their futures.” Ofsted
Enrichment Our Enrichment programme enables students to learn beyond the classroom, and we work to nurture their confidence and ambitions through a range of different activities. The excellent facilities at the academy are utilised to offer a broad range of opportunities to support the engagement of all students. Careers We work in partnership with a range of external providers to ensure our careers programme is inspiring, current and diverse. Throughout their time at The Sutton Academy, all students are offered valuable meetings with a range of employers and industry professionals. These encounters take place during the school day and as part of our avdditional offering. Opportunities are varied and tailored to suit individuals’ needs and interests. Care Support & Guidance The academy believes that when students feel safe and happy, they will flourish. The pastoral team work closely with form tutors and subject teachers to support the wellbeing of students throughout their time at the academy. Parents and carers can be confident that students can fulfil their academic potential, as well as being safe and happy. A strong partnership with parents and carers is vital to their child’s journey at the academy. We are proud of our commitment to parents and carers to ensure the best outcomes for each student. “Leaders have successfully prioritised reading across the school. They ensure that pupils access a range of diverse, high-quality texts.” Ofsted
At The Sutton Academy, the highest possible standards are clearly communicated, consistently demonstrated and upheld by all staff and students at all times. Students appreciate that our high standards are crucial in preparing them for success, both now and in the future. Staff and students take great pride in maintaining the high standards in our learning community, demonstrating the ‘Better Never Stops’ mentality. Underpinning this is the fact that teachers are highly effective at establishing positive relationships in their classrooms, which students value and respond well to. Behaviour for Learning Facilities � Innovative teaching, aided by a wealth of updated and enhanced ICT facilities around site such as touch-screen television displays for teacher use in all curriculum area. � Extensive sports facilities including a large sports hall for use with many sports, two full size all-weather pitches, a full-size multi-use grass pitch, athletics running track, internal squash courts and external netball courts, along with additional indoor teaching space � A fully furnished and well-stocked Library for students to access independently � Twelve dedicated science laboratories designed and equipped to support each of the three scientific disciplines � Our Learner Development Centre offers bespoke support, in a quieter area of the academy, as part of our ‘Gold’ provision for students. These specially furnished classrooms and break-out space allow for specific learning and courses to be delivered appropriately � A large multi-use Plaza facility with its own dining kiosk, allowing for independent study, meetings, break-out space and break/lunches for students � Six dedicated ICT classrooms, for use with the curriculum across all year groups, containing modern personal computers with the latest educational software installed � Modern restaurant-style dining facilities (three dining rooms) for break and lunchtimes, along with a cashless catering system. These enhance the dining experience and provide quicker resources to reduce queueing, for example using our Plaza kiosk facility or electronic preorder system � Two purpose-built Art classrooms that have been furnished with bespoke fittings and equipment � The Student Development Centre is a fully staffed area of site that works with students with personalised timetables and also offers bespoke smaller-group support for students � State-of-the-art Technology workshops and classrooms equipped with the latest equipment for design, electronics and food technology � A large modern Arts Theatre that can hold up to 300 people for use with academy productions, music shows, celebration events and year group assemblies � An independent Sixth Form block; housing its own dining facility, ICT resources, classrooms and social space. Please see our Sixth Form Prospectus for more information
A student’s education is more than just academic qualifications, but the importance of them cannot be underestimated. We regularly talk to the students about the importance of their education and how the qualifications they achieve will open doors to whatever their future ambitions are. There is significant support provided to students to ensure they reach their academic potential, this support runs through Years 7-10 and intensifies in Year 11 when students work towards their examinations. We are regularly praised for the level of academic support provided, going above and beyond the offer of most schools. This includes intervention for core subjects in Years 7-10, reading and numeracy intervention and the compulsory Boost and Secure three nights a week in Year 11 to ensure students reach their potential. The academy also pays for academic tutors for our students in Year 11. This academic drive is a part of the recent academic successes. Below is a small sample of academic achievement at the academy Celebrating Success Student Outcomes Taylan (2023 Leaver) Progress Score: +1.199 Seven grade 9’s, three grade 7’s and a Distinction* Over one grade better in every subject compared to similar students nationally Evie (2023 Leaver) Progress Score: +2.083 Five grade 9’s, three grade 8’s, one grade 7, one A* and a Distinction. Over two grades better in every subject compared to similar students nationally Sam (2022 Leaver) Progress Score: +3.692 One grade 9, two grade 8s’, one grade 7, three grade 6’s and two Distinction* Well over three grades better in every subject compared to similar students nationally
The Sixth Form “In the sixth form, students value the level of tailored support and guidance that they receive from staff about all aspects of their learning and development.” Ofsted The Sutton Academy Sixth Form offers a strong academic culture of both guided and independent study, in a supportive environment, built around the conditions to thrive academically and personally. Our teachers are subject experts and view their role as Key Stage 5 teachers as a privilege and are fully committed to going above and beyond to ensure success. Our shared goal is to ensure that students leave with the very best outcomes possible, ready to pursue their next steps. Here are just a few of the many reasons we feel The Sutton Academy Sixth Form should be your preferred choice of post16 destination: � A responsive and dynamic curriculum offer. � Excellent academic and vocational standards � Dedicated Leadership Team � Small group sizes, allowing for flexible and personalised academic support � Dedicated Sixth Form Centre � Personal Academic Mentor � An outstanding Personal Development offer � Excellent wrap around pastoral support Students have access to areas for specialist study, including unique art and design work areas, laboratories to explore the sciences, access to a dance studio and theatre for drama performances as well as a fully equipped recording studio. Students also have access to dedicated study areas, fully equipped with the latest ICT equipment, allowing them to extend their learning outside of normal lesson times. Our directed study area provides students with a relaxed learning space to study with others, whereas our silent study area allows them to work undisturbed. Our sixth form centre also benefits from its own, recently refurbished, dining area that students can access throughout the day. Year 13 Trip to New York
How To Apply We appreciate that choosing a school for your child is one of the most important decisions you will ever have to make. We hope this prospectus pack provides you with all of the necessary information ready to apply to join The Sutton Academy. To apply for a place at the academy, please complete the online application via the St Helens Council website. Further information on how to do this is included within this prospectus pack. Please contact us if you require any support or advice to complete the online application. “Pupils feel empowered. They learn well.” Ofsted
The Sutton Academy Elton Head Road, St Helens, WA9 5AU T: 01744 678859 A multi academy trust in Warrington, Cheshire comprising of Primary, Secondary and Sixth Form providers. We educate the youngest in our community while also providing opportunities for adults to return to the classroom. Our vision is rooted in our mission – to serve, challenge, and empower the educational community. We embody this mission by offering highly effective services to our academies, fostering strong leadership, investing in our workforce, and inspiring the children and young people in our care. www.thesuttonacademy.org.uk Visit us here
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