Welcome to The Iffley Academy

From September 2023 I am delighted to be the new Head Teacher of Iffley Academy. Having previously worked at the academy for 7 years, it is a privilege to return.

Thank you for visiting our website.  I hope that it gives you an understanding of the fantastic work which takes place each day at Iffley Academy, to support and inspire students to thrive in all aspects of their lives.

We are a community special academy for children and young people up to the age of 18 with complex special educational needs and disabilities.  Students have Education, Health and Care Plans with a range of needs but primarily we work with students with Moderate Cognition and Learning Difficulties, Autistic Spectrum Disorder and/or Social, Emotional and Mental Health difficulties. All of our students are individuals and we pride ourselves on taking a personalised approach.

At the heart of the Iffley community is a commitment and belief in Restorative Approaches. Developing emotional understanding, building strong relationships, developing empathy for different perspectives and working with each other is core to everything we do.  These strong foundations support students to understand themselves, to problem solve and feel grounded.  Which in turn, supports and enables students to make the most of all learning opportunities and to flourish. We understand that students are able to give their best when their needs are met, when they feel safe and when they understand their relationships with others.

Iffley is proud of its exciting and creative approach to education where amazing things happen.  One highlight is the school’s partnership work with GLAM (Oxford Gardens Libraries and Museums). This constantly developing affiliation has enabled a plethora of opportunities.  For example, students access museum artefacts within school, which directly link to school projects. This helps bring learning to life.  Students have also had the opportunity to work alongside gallery artists and learn about a range of different career options within the gardens, libraries and museums.  Students at Iffley achieve things they did not think possible, by accessing a rich and aspirational curriculum, which is led by dedicated staff who make a significant difference to the lives of young people.

The Academy was judged to be Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in July 2024, designated as a teaching school in 2018 and is part of an aspirational Multi Academy Trust – The Gallery Trust. The Trust is a community of special schools, dedicated to providing outstanding education and support for young people with special needs and disabilities.

At Iffley, the opportunity to build relationships with students’ families is very important, as this enables us to all work together to develop effective communication and gain a deeper understanding of each student. I therefore look forward to seeing you at an academy event soon.

In the meantime, please feel free to contact the academy via reception, if you have any questions or need further support.

Yvette Fay

Head Teacher