News, Resources | 17th May 2021

Year 9 Options

Please click here to access the Options site and start making your choices.

Uncategorised | 14th May 2021

Year 10 immunisation letter

Please click here for a letter from the immunisation team to for year 10 students.

News | 13th May 2021

Information on Face Coverings

News | 5th May 2021

Autumn GCSE Results and Resits

Announcements | 4th May 2021

Year 9 immunisation letter

Please click here for a letter from the immunisation team to for year 9 students.

News | 30th April 2021

Year 8 Virtual Parent Consultations

Teaching | 23rd April 2021

Inclusive Learning – Giving Every Child Their Chance

At Ipswich Academy, we work hard to ensure every one of our pupils has the tools and support they need to be able to learn in the same manner as their peers.

Often inclusive learning is seen as something solely for children with special educational needs. While this is certainly part of it, inclusive learning is far more – it is a practice which includes everyone

Also, there is often some confusion between the terms inclusive learning and integrated learning. Integrated learning, where students with and without disabilities all learn in the same classroom can be very effective, and where this is the case then we will work to provide it. However, in other cases integration can actually be a barrier to learning. For instance, deaf students engaging in certain exercises may be better off away from the main class in a space that is acoustically suitable, enabling them to access the work in a more helpful environment.

We approach inclusive learning by looking at the individual needs of every child at our school. These can be academic, and often are, but we also examine other factors such as independence, resilience and attention skills. There are often other barriers to learning to consider, including social, gender and economic issues. This holistic approach allows us to see the whole picture, and from there we are able to take positive action and provide the most effective support.

Ipswich Academy has a large team of Learning Mentors, with at least one assigned to each year group. They are on hand for pastoral support and to try and ensure all students succeed. Mental health can be a big factor in learning ability, and so we have a wide range of mental health support on offer, including mental health first aiders and regular counsellors. 

Students with high needs are timetabled to our Support Centre with bespoke, small class lessons on a range of subjects, in a nurture environment. We provide students who have the highest needs with 1-1 or 1-2 tuition with our dedicated Learning Mentor, Jane Fison, who works with them on a range of life skills, to develop them as a person and prepare them for adulthood, alongside accessing core subjects. 

Much of the support we provide is done from within our school, however if we feel we don’t have the right resources to give the most effective support we will use external specialists, such as Teenage Mental Health. We also work closely with other schools in the Trust, regularly meeting to discuss what is happening, and to share best practice and expertise, which can then be applied successfully in the individual schools.

News | 22nd April 2021

Leavers Hoodies 2021

Announcements | 16th April 2021

Update from Abbie Thorrington

Friday 16th April 2021

Dear parents and carers,

The start of the summer term has been hugely positive. The atmosphere around the academy has been upbeat and the students have settled back in well. As the Year 11 students prepare for their final assessments, they are focused and approaching the challenge in a mature and responsible way. It is so good to see the other year groups taking their studies just as seriously, making up for the disruptions Covid has created. 

As I’m sure you have seen in the media, there is a renewed national focus on sexual abuse in schools. The Government have set up a helpline and ordered a review by Ofsted to assess safeguarding in schools around the issue of peer-on-peer sexual abuse, something that has recently been highlighted by the ‘Everyone’s Invited’ website. 

At Ipswich Academy, we take any report of peer-on-peer sexual abuse seriously, with every case being closely and fully investigated. We encourage an open culture and give students opportunities and safe spaces to make disclosures in the event of an incident. We have precise protocols that we follow to ensure that the correct support is given in school and by outside agencies, if required.

Our staff are trained in handling these types of reports and regardless of which member of staff is told, the response will be the same. At Ipswich Academy, we have specialist staff who are able to assist pupils and ensure that any incident of alleged sexual abuse is taken seriously and dealt with appropriately. 

Not only do we support students in the event of an incident, we also educate students about safeguarding, healthy and respectful relationships, respectful behaviour and consent and that sexual violence and sexual harassment is always wrong through the Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education (PSHCE) curriculum. We promote an honest, open and respectful culture in school and we feel that having a dialogue around such topics is a key part of ensuring that they don’t become normalised behaviours.

As a reminder, all students will be spoken with during the coming week regarding how they can access help and support if they have any concerns. 

If in the meantime you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. 

Yours sincerely

Abbie Thorrington
Principal 

News | 26th March 2021

Easter Update

Last updated March 26, 2021