New school building impresses visitors ahead of official move-in
Over the past couple of weeks, we have been proudly showcasing our brand-new school building to a variety of visitors ahead of our official move-in. On Monday, we had the pleasure of welcoming Councillor Marian James, Chair of the People Committee at Sutton Council, Kieran Holliday, Director of Education and Child Services, and Carolyn Scott, SEND Commissioning Lead from Sutton Council, we also welcomed Penelope and Stacey from Sutton SEND Forum.
Our Principal, James Kearns, guided the guests on an extensive tour of the building and surrounding grounds, highlighting the outstanding facilities designed to support and enhance the learning experience for our students. Special attention was given to features thoughtfully included with our students’ additional needs in mind.
Among the standout facilities were ‘Carew Brew’, a student-led café located next to the school’s reception area. Here, students will have the opportunity to prepare barista-style coffees and beverages for staff and visitors, gaining valuable work experience and developing essential independent life skills. This space will also serve as the venue for the school’s breakfast club, further enriching student engagement.
Other key highlights from the tour included the dedicated drama and dance studio, the sensory outdoor learning garden, and the Skills for Life classroom—designed as a studio flat to help students develop practical independence skills. Our visitors also took note of the smaller but equally significant details, such as the soft seating pads on all classroom chairs, which enhance comfort and create a warm, welcoming and homely atmosphere.
Councillor Marian James said; “Thanks to our strong local partnerships, we’re able to offer more local places for children and young people with additional and complex learning needs. The new Carew Academy is a fantastic purpose-built school and we are delighted to have this in our Borough as we continue to make Sutton an inclusive place to live and go to school.”
The overwhelmingly positive feedback from our visitors reflects the dedication and effort that has gone into making this new school building a nurturing and inclusive learning environment. We look forward to officially moving in and seeing our students thrive in these exceptional surroundings.