Karen Shaw

Chair of Local Governing Body.

My name is Karen Shaw and I am a Governor at the Iffley Academy.

I am the Link Governor for SEND, Safeguarding and have experience of Site Health & Safety, Teaching & Learning and Finance & Personnel.

I became a Governor because I wanted to be part of the bigger picture as it were and to help the school wherever I can to achieve the highest standard in all areas, not just the educational parts but also the welfare of the students in our school.

My background is in Estate Agency where I worked for a local Independent Estate Agent in Oxford for 30 years.  Recently I had a change in employment and now work for a firm of Chartered Surveyors selling their services and generally organising their workload and day to day running of the office.

On a personal note, I am a very proud parent of two sons. One of whom attended Iffley Academy until 2013 when he completed Sixth Form. He has a Speech and Language disability, Cerebral Palsy, moderate learning disabilities and Epilepsy. He is now enjoying his current role in permanent employment as a Resources Assistant. My other son has a degree in Business Management and is currently a Personal Trainer/Sports Massage Therapist as well as a Fitness Teacher.

Antonia Lee
Safeguarding Lead Governor 
I am Head of Winchester House School, Brackley, Northants, a co-educational Day and boarding Prep School that one of the Stowe Group Schools. The aspect of my job I enjoy most is the opportunity to welcome very young children into an exciting learning journey and building the all-important foundations and learning habits that will sustain them and help them succeed through school and in their adult lives beyond. I am also part of the Executive team for the Stowe Group and enjoy the fact that my contact with, and commitment to, young people does not stop at Year 8 and that I am involved in leading the whole Group and witnessing and influencing the growth of the students who develop into interesting, exciting and strong Change Makers by Year 13. My day to day work, like any Head, can vary within a short space of time from discussing the necessary next steps and ways to extend an able scientist in Year 5 to dealing with a lost ballet sock from Reception and then moments later deciding on the pieces to be performed at Prize Giving and what to do with a broken door hinge! Through my life I have taught two year olds to adults and both typical young people and those with special needs.
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I graduated in Geography from St Hugh’s College, Oxford and then completed my teacher training at Homerton College, Cambridge. Since then I have worked for over 25 years in education in a variety of roles. I have also served for several years on the WWF think tank for Education and was the national Subject Leader for Sustainability for the Independent Association of Prep Schools. I have a strong personal interest in inclusion, mentoring fellow professionals, outdoor education, sustainability and creating ethical leaders and decision makers. The greatest privilege I feel that any teacher has is helping a pupil become the very best version of themselves. I am delighted to say that my niece, Hannah, attends Iffley Academy and it was her and her parents’ reports of the warm, aspirational and positive attitude of the school that made me first become involved.
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Issy Horwood
Governor Community
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I am Issy and I am the post 16 and transitions lead at Unity College, a small SEMH school based in High Wycombe. I became a governor due to my passion of making education a fun and engaging experience for all. I have had many different job roles and responsibilities whilst at Unity and each of them will aid me in the governance of Iffley.
I am passionate about teaching and learning as well as the behaviour and culture of schools. But equally, I am such a firm believer that we can never forget how important the students are in all aspects of education. Every child deserves a full education, which prepares them for their future and this is clearly important at Iffley.
I look forward to helping Iffley continue to be outstanding in every aspect and am excited for the journey we go on together.
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Anna Hallmark
Staff Governor
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I joined the Iffley Academy in July 2023 and work within the admin team. I became a staff governor in January 2024, motivated by an enthusiasm for education and a strong desire to support the school and its community.  

Prior to Iffley, I was a primary school teacher within a variety of mainstream settings, working in London and most recently Oxfordshire. I have taught across the Key Stages including the Early Years, and specialised in English and in particular the teaching and learning of reading. I have a young teenage son and come from a family of teachers – this combined with nearly 20 years of experience in schools, has convinced me of education’s ability and duty to give everyone the best start in life that they can have. 

Becoming a governor at Iffley seemed a logical extension to my love of education, learning and my wish to support others, whilst my career has perhaps made me more aware of the many challenges schools face in supporting their students and families, and the need for concerted efforts to overcome those challenges. 

I continue to be inspired by the dedicated and professional team of staff at Iffley and I’m so pleased to be a part of the governing body. I am looking forward to contributing to the care, nurture and success of the students and the community we serve.

Julia Newman 

Staff Governor

I came to Iffley in 2022 as a part time cover support teacher. Previously, I was a Primary School Teacher in a variety of schools in London, Oxford and Vietnam. After a short time at Iffley as a cover teacher, I was keen to apply for a class teacher role to be part of an effective, supportive and collaborative teaching community. I have been a class teacher here ever since.

In 2024, I chose to become a staff governor because I am passionate about education and believe deeply in the power it has to transform young people’s lives. Throughout my time working in schools, I have seen firsthand how a supportive and inclusive learning environment can inspire confidence, curiosity, and ambition in students. Becoming a governor allows me to play a more active role in shaping that environment, ensuring that decisions made at a strategic level truly reflect the needs and aspirations of our school community. I am motivated by the opportunity to contribute to positive change—helping to strengthen our school’s vision, support staff wellbeing and development, and promote the best possible outcomes for all learners. 

Above all, I value being part of the collaborative and forward-thinking Iffley team that works together to make a lasting difference in the lives of their young people.

I feel proud to be part of the governing body that endeavours to protect and promote the dedication, professionalism and practice of all the staff at Iffley. 

Colena Abbosh

Governor

I am one of the Parent Governors at the Iffley Academy and a proud parent of two neurodiverse teenage children with very different educational needs. As such, we have had wildly different experiences with each in both mainstream and specialist educational settings; including dealing with low self-esteem, autistic burnout, EBSA and long periods of Home Education for our eldest child.

After the fraught process of navigating the EHCP minefield we were delighted when our youngest son was able to join the Iffley Academy in Year 7 in 2023. Iffley has totally transformed his self-esteem and allowed him the time and support to learn in his own way and at his own pace. He is now flourishing.

I am passionate about supporting our SEND children to allow them to achieve their potential. The Iffley Academy is an outstanding school and the whole team do an incredible job of looking after and nurturing our children. When the opportunity arose to become a school Governor I was delighted to volunteer. I have seen firsthand how much of a difference the right school environment can make and I wanted to help contribute to the team that makes such a positive difference in our children’s lives,

Professionally I have had a 20+ year career firstly in Management Consulting (Accenture) and then as an entrepreneur, co-founding and running two businesses, the latter in the sustainability sector. In my career I have had a wide variety of roles including leading global IT transformation projects, being involved in corporate governance, writing policies including ethics and sustainability, leading our Sustainability B Corp accreditation and mentoring our next generation, on both a formal and informal basis.

As business mentoring has always been a passion of mine has it seemed the perfect fit to be the link Governor for Personal Development as I believe that education is the starting point to help launch our children successfully into the next chapter of their lives, whatever shape that takes.