Pros
Some on the ground staff are really lovely.
Cons
Where to start! I have never been an anxious person before working here. I was so anxious to go to work everyday that I would feel sick entering the building. I had countless injuries and my partner would beg me to leave the job as he couldn't bare to see me so injured. Covered in bruises, bitten, repeatedly punched in the head and kicked so hard I couldn't walk properly, just to name a few of mine. Not to mention the countless physical and mental health issues other staff received while I worked here. I absolutely DO NOT blame the children for these behaviors. They were a result of a very poor environment and lack of staff leading to poor support. Staff have cliques and bully those who do not fit in with them. Staffing is allocated based on what makes life easier for those who are doing the staffing. Incredibly unfair and unethical. The building is not fit for purpose, building tools and cleaning chemicals were left accessible to children, smashed windows and doors, tiny corridors with no alternative routes meaning you have to squeeze past and enter children's personal space (terrible if they have sensory issues or trauma history!) I was provided no time to do my actual job and was used to make up staff numbers every single day. I was put with young people who I had never supported before with only 5 minutes until they arrived so no time to read any of their paperwork. I was left alone with young people who others were scared to support. I was criticised for my practice when I had to use restraint to keep myself safe, despite repeatedly calling for help and no one came to help. Staff came to me burnt out, crying, injured and desperate for a break. Staff would call me to ask for a bathroom break or a drink of water, which I rarely could provide as I would be staffed with a 2:1 child by myself. I was put in countless dangerous situations. We would advise management that we could not safely have all children in school with such low staffing and they ignored us. Leaving zero first responder staff available for the entire day, when there were children in the building who would often need up to 5 staff in a crisis. No wonder staff and other children were injured during incidents! Getting a 20 minute unpaid break was a privilege, not a right. Going to the bathroom was a privilege, not a right. Sick pay is non-existent. If you are sick for more than 3 days within a 12 month cycle you are pulled into a disciplinary meeting and told that you will be let go if this continues. All of this for very little pay! Speaking to people still employed in Sutherland House School in 2026, it seems they have got rid of all the 'problem' children with higher needs. Where do these children go if a 'specialist Autism school' cannot meet their needs or provide a safe and nurturing environment?