This afternoon I visited Sutton Tuition and Reintegration Service (STARS) in Carshalton to hear more about the work they do to support children and young people with complex medical needs.
It was especially lovely to be shown around the school by my old primary school teacher from Camden, Beverley, who has been Headteacher at STARS for a number of years. STARS is a medical pupil referral unit who operate a number of sites across Sutton including the Drapers' Centre in Carshalton, a schoolroom at the Royal Marsden Hospital and bedside teaching at Queen Mary's Hospital for Children.
During Coronavirus and lockdown, with many of the schools' pupils having to isolate, STARS were still able to provide remote learning and ensured that every child still had access to education. Staff at STARS were keen to highlight that the school's purpose is to provide education for as long as that child needs it for, whether they be for months, a year, or years.
The school had such a lovely environment and I'm really pleased to see that this year's Year 11 achieved such fantastic results given the disruption they've experienced over the past 18 months.
You can read more about the work of STARS here.