Last week in Miss Kempe’s assembly students across the school were introduced to two inspirational creatives: Alvin law and Henry Fraser. Students learnt how Alvin played the drums with his feet and how Henry painted holding brushes in his mouth. Both extraordinary people have incredible challenges but their attitude towards life, their artistic ability and their resilience meant that they have achieved great things. Alvin inspired the students with the quote ‘it really is the case of try and try again’, and Henry by saying ‘it’s not about what you can’t do it, it’s about what you can’.
This week students were invited to come along to two workshop opportunities to explore the creative arts inspired by our two amazing artists. Students who attended had huge fun exploring painting and drawing using only their mouths to hold pencils and brushes or between their toes! They also tried out being like Alvin Law and had a go at playing the drums holding drum sticks with their feet!
It was great fun and students enjoyed the challenge, although I think some found a huge amount of respect and appreciation for artists such as Law and Fraser, one saying ‘It makes me appreciate my hands!’
This week the Iffley Academy was treated to a brilliant dance workshop. This time inspired by the Tate Gallery topic of ‘India’, students from across the school got the exciting opportunity to engage in learning about Bollywood and learn a dance routine by a professional dancer. Students and Staff had a fun filled and energetic hour of learning a series of moves which came together at the end of each workshop into a full dance routine to music.
Iffley Outloud Musical Concert
The Iffley Academy were treated once again to a stunning performance from the choir, led by the incredible Music Therapist Gareth. The choir sang a range of songs, including some from the musicals Aladdin, Matalida and Shrek. The performance was a burst of pure happiness, as students wowed the audience with their singing solos, movement pieces and incredibly talented piano playing and drumming.
MYCO musical theatre workshop
The Iffley Academy had a wonderful morning with MYCO, the musical youth company of Oxford, coming in to run an uplifting and inspiring musical theatre workshop. Students were treated to snippets from the talented performers of the youth group, including songs from ‘The Little Shop of Horrors’ and ‘Waitress’. Iffley Academy students were delighted to be involved in drama based ice breaker style games, improvisation challenges and solo performances. The students were also taught a segment of a musical theatre performance , learning the dance and song. Over 60 students engaged in the morning and all came out smiling!
iBricks STEM workshop
Many of the Louvre Gallery students enjoyed an afternoon finding out about the work and skillset of an engineer. They also enjoyed and demonstrated incredible engagement in building a wind turbine!
The ibrick STEM and careers workshop offered our students fun and exciting activities that helped to develop their skills in maths, science and engineering.
The ibrick kits, complemented the learning that our students have received in the classroom by adding hands-on learning all in an atmosphere of fun. And by using electric motors and the bespoke ibrick kits, students explored the world of science and engineering by creating and innovating with unique models.
The new display cabinet is based on Lowry class’s Arts Award project, which has been an exciting project with The Bodleian Library.
As The Iffley Academy come to the end of their fundraising mission for Sobell House, as part of the Ox trail. Aardman class threw a celebration event for the whole school as a thank you for everyone’s hard work. The class thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to go around each class to take an order of cow themed cupcakes and milkshakes, making them and then delivering!
D-Day at Iffley Academy
Students at Iffley Academy were treated to a unique experience as they found out about D-Day and simulated parachuting into Normandy! The session was led by Andy Kempe, an Emeritus Professor of Drama Education at the University of Reading. ‘Drama is a great way of bringing history to life in a fun and accessible way without detracting from the serious, and in some cases, quite harrowing reality of events such as D-Day,’ said Andy. In the session the students learned a little about some of the preparations for the airborne assault and were taken through the actual routine that the parachutists would have gone through in the early morning of June 6th. Perhaps more importantly, they got to consider what the men might have thought and felt as they literally took a leap into the darkness.
As part of our Discovery Art Award, which is focused on how books are made and printed, Lowry Class were fortunate enough to visit the Print Rooms at Oxford University where they got to use the print press machines!
The students selected the letters of their names and placed them backwards into the print machine so that when printed, their name was the correct way up! They also wrote their names backwards using Lego pieces and also made their own name badges using a special machine!
It was a really enjoyable experience for all!
And so the adventure begins! Our blank canvas….lets get designing!
The Iffley Academy are getting involved in something very special!
