Sutton House Academy

Sutton House Academy has demonstrated significant improvement since its previous inspection, moving from a grade of 'Requires Improvement' to 'Good' across all areas of evaluation. The school has established a nurturing environment where pupils, particularly those with social, emotional, and mental health difficulties, receive high-quality support tailored to their individual needs. The curriculum is well-planned, with a strong emphasis on reading and personal development, allowing most pupils to achieve well while enjoying their educational experience. However, the school acknowledges the need for ongoing development in some recently introduced subjects where teachers require further training to ensure consistency in teaching quality and student achievement.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve well due to a carefully adapted curriculum.
• Strong focus on reading and phonics across all key stages.
• High-quality support for pupils' social, emotional, and mental health needs.
• Positive relationships between pupils and staff promote a respectful atmosphere.
• The school actively promotes personal development through various PSHE initiatives.

Areas for Improvement

• Staff confidence in teaching recent subjects is lacking, leading to some gaps in pupils' knowledge.

In 2024–25 pupils at Sutton House Academy attended 74.0% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 72.2% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 39.8% of pupils at Sutton House Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Sutton House Academy had 6.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 25.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26 Sutton House Academy had 82 pupils, 98.8% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: moderate learning difficulty; autistic spectrum disorder.

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded special school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Sutton House Academy received £25,944 and spent £22,360 for each of its 89 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £405,000 (£4,551 per pupil).

Across all 2 schools of Fortis Trust, income was £27,053 and spending £25,182 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Southend-On-Sea · Southend-on-Sea local authority: places and applications

Sutton House Academy is part of Fortis Trust, which runs 2 schools. The nearest others:

• Bradfields Academy Chatham

What is Sutton House Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Sutton House Academy is Good, from an inspection in April 2024.

When was Sutton House Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Sutton House Academy was last inspected in April 2024.

How many pupils does Sutton House Academy have?

Sutton House Academy has 82 pupils on roll.

What age range does Sutton House Academy cover?

Sutton House Academy for pupils aged 5 to 16.

What are Sutton House Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 6.1, and 0% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Sutton House Academy?

Sutton House Academy is at Wentworth Road, Southend-On-Sea, Essex, SS2 5LG.