Sutton House
Sutton sits towards the South end of the campus surrounded by stunning green space, rolling hills, fields and woodland. We are fortunate enough to have outstanding facilities and spacious accommodation – it used to be the manor house of Long Sutton Village. The short walk away from the main College buildings allows us to foster a very strong sense of community and house spirit.
Louis Yates is Housemaster of Sutton House where he leads a vibrant community of boys. Since joining the College in 2022, he has played a key role in boarding life, bringing over a decade of experience in boarding school environments. He has served as Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead and DSL for E-Safety, and has held roles at previous schools including Head of Sixth Form, and Head of Psychology. He began his career as a sports coach, an experience that continues to shape his relational, character-focused approach to working with young people.
Louis lives in the boarding house with his wife Emma, a prep school teacher, their young family, and their two dogs. Family life sits at the heart of his approach to boarding, helping to create a warm, supportive, and authentic home environment for the boys in his care.
A proud family man and member of the Institute of Boarding, Louis has contributed to its blog and looks forward to sharing further reflections in the future. His leadership ethos, developed in part through completing a Master’s in Educational Leadership, is values-driven and coaching-centred, grounded in emotional intelligence. Values-driven at his core, he sees emotional intelligence and character development as fundamental to a young man’s education. He is committed to guiding young men through consistency, meaningful conversation, and positive role modelling.
Louis Yates
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Meet the Assistant Houseparents
Mike Firth – Assistant Houseparent
Originally from West Sussex and educated at Hurst, Mike Firth developed an early appreciation for the strong sense of community boarding can offer. He began his teaching career at Ardingly College, where working within a diverse international community helped shape his inclusive approach.
At Sutton House, he enjoys building relationships beyond the classroom and helping students develop a strong sense of identity and belonging. He teaches Religion and Philosophy from 1st Form to Lower Sixth, and is actively involved in coaching hockey as well as supporting the golf programme.
His approach to boarding is strongly character-based, centred on developing the qualities that help young people become thoughtful, responsible individuals. He encourages pupils to reflect on mistakes, learn from challenges, and grow in resilience, empathy, and self-awareness, helping create a positive and supportive environment for both pupils and staff. Outside school, he enjoys golf and cricket.
James Rayner – Assistant Houseparent (Non-Resident)
James Rayner grew up in North London and Hertfordshire, with his time at Durham University shaping his understanding of community and belonging.
He has worked at Lord Wandsworth College for 12 years in roles including Assistant Houseparent of Sutton, Teacher of Design & Technology, Head of Rugby, Head of the Saturday Morning Programme, and now Head of Academic PE. This breadth of experience across pastoral, academic, and co-curricular life gives him a strong understanding of pupils’ daily experiences.
As Assistant Houseparent, he values Sutton House’s atmosphere, from inter-house events to informal evenings. He believes a boarding house should feel like a home where pupils feel safe, included, and able to be themselves.
Sport remains central to his life; he coaches rugby and supports multiple sports. Outside school, he enjoys golf, travel, and family life with his three children.
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Meet the Matrons
Sue Britton – Matron
Sue Britton has been a valued member of Sutton House since joining Lord Wandsworth College in 2018 as a relief matron, supporting several boarding houses with warmth and care. She later became a permanent member of Sutton House and took on the full-time Matron role in 2022.
Originally from Midhurst in Sussex, Sue moved to Farnham after school to work as a nanny, reflecting her early commitment to caring for young people. She went on to serve for over 15 years as a youth leader in her local church, building strong, lasting relationships with teenagers.
Sue brings deep empathy and life experience to her role, including her experience as a young mother and single parent. She understands the challenges students may face and supports them with humour, authenticity, and compassion.
At the heart of Sue’s approach is a belief that every young person is an individual who deserves to feel seen, valued and supported. She is always learning, adapting and growing in how best to support each boy, drawing on the strong team around her. Her aim is simple but powerful, to nurture, encourage and care for every member of the house.
Becky Von Lipinski – Matron
Becky, born in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, became Matron of Sutton House in March 2023, bringing warmth, care, and extensive experience. She studied singing at the Royal Northern College of Music (BMus Hons) and trained further at the London Opera Studio, supported by Glyndebourne Opera, launching a 20-year international singing career.
She performed with companies including English National Opera, Scottish Opera, Edinburgh Festival, Garsington Opera, and Dutch National Opera, as well as venues in Madrid, Stuttgart, and the Bregenzer Festspiele. She also appeared at major UK concert halls and internationally in Hong Kong and the USA, with broadcasts on BBC and ITV.
After returning to the UK in 2018, she continued performing until 2022 before moving into pastoral care and joining Sutton House as Matron, inspired by her family.
Becky lives in Emsworth with her partner John. She enjoys yoga, cinema, and long walks, and supports John’s ultra-marathon running, bringing the same energy and dedication to Sutton House.
Meet the Assistant Houseparents
Mike Firth – Assistant Houseparent
Originally from West Sussex and educated at Hurst, Mike Firth developed an early appreciation for the strong sense of community boarding can offer. He began his teaching career at Ardingly College, where working within a diverse international community helped shape his inclusive approach.
At Sutton House, he enjoys building relationships beyond the classroom and helping students develop a strong sense of identity and belonging. He teaches Religion and Philosophy from 1st Form to Lower Sixth, and is actively involved in coaching hockey as well as supporting the golf programme.
His approach to boarding is strongly character-based, centred on developing the qualities that help young people become thoughtful, responsible individuals. He encourages pupils to reflect on mistakes, learn from challenges, and grow in resilience, empathy, and self-awareness, helping create a positive and supportive environment for both pupils and staff. Outside school, he enjoys golf and cricket.
James Rayner – Assistant Houseparent (Non-Resident)
James Rayner grew up in North London and Hertfordshire, with his time at Durham University shaping his understanding of community and belonging.
He has worked at Lord Wandsworth College for 12 years in roles including Assistant Houseparent of Sutton, Teacher of Design & Technology, Head of Rugby, Head of the Saturday Morning Programme, and now Head of Academic PE. This breadth of experience across pastoral, academic, and co-curricular life gives him a strong understanding of pupils’ daily experiences.
As Assistant Houseparent, he values Sutton House’s atmosphere, from inter-house events to informal evenings. He believes a boarding house should feel like a home where pupils feel safe, included, and able to be themselves.
Sport remains central to his life; he coaches rugby and supports multiple sports. Outside school, he enjoys golf, travel, and family life with his three children.
Meet the Matrons
Sue Britton – Matron
Sue Britton has been a valued member of Sutton House since joining Lord Wandsworth College in 2018 as a relief matron, supporting several boarding houses with warmth and care. She later became a permanent member of Sutton House and took on the full-time Matron role in 2022.
Originally from Midhurst in Sussex, Sue moved to Farnham after school to work as a nanny, reflecting her early commitment to caring for young people. She went on to serve for over 15 years as a youth leader in her local church, building strong, lasting relationships with teenagers.
Sue brings deep empathy and life experience to her role, including her experience as a young mother and single parent. She understands the challenges students may face and supports them with humour, authenticity, and compassion.
At the heart of Sue’s approach is a belief that every young person is an individual who deserves to feel seen, valued and supported. She is always learning, adapting and growing in how best to support each boy, drawing on the strong team around her. Her aim is simple but powerful, to nurture, encourage and care for every member of the house.
Becky Von Lipinski – Matron
Becky, born in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, became Matron of Sutton House in March 2023, bringing warmth, care, and extensive experience. She studied singing at the Royal Northern College of Music (BMus Hons) and trained further at the London Opera Studio, supported by Glyndebourne Opera, launching a 20-year international singing career.
She performed with companies including English National Opera, Scottish Opera, Edinburgh Festival, Garsington Opera, and Dutch National Opera, as well as venues in Madrid, Stuttgart, and the Bregenzer Festspiele. She also appeared at major UK concert halls and internationally in Hong Kong and the USA, with broadcasts on BBC and ITV.
After returning to the UK in 2018, she continued performing until 2022 before moving into pastoral care and joining Sutton House as Matron, inspired by her family.
Becky lives in Emsworth with her partner John. She enjoys yoga, cinema, and long walks, and supports John’s ultra-marathon running, bringing the same energy and dedication to Sutton House.
Houseparent: Mr Louis Yates
Assistant Houseparent: Mr Mike Firth
Assistant Houseparent (Non-Resident): James Rayner
Matrons: Sue Britton, Becky Von Lipinski
Email: yatesl@lordwandsworth.org
House Tel: 01256 860241
