Iffley Academy Partnership shortlisted for Museums & Heritage Award 2020

A partnership project led by Gardens, Libraries and Museums (GLAM) has been shortlisted for the Museums & Heritage Awards 2020, in the ‘Partnership’ category.   

The Iffley Academy Partnership is an innovative partnership, which places cultural learning opportunities at the heart of the curriculum. Oxford-based Iffley Academy is a community special academy for children and young people with complex special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Over the past three years, the Gardens, Libraries and Museums have been working with staff and students from the school to co-develop and co-deliver a programme of creative learning opportunities and project work based around the University’s collections.  

The innovative partnership between GLAM and Iffley Academy sets out to create equitable access to cultural venues for children with SEND so that they feel comfortable and confident in these spaces. Cultural learning is placed at the heart of the school curriculum so that it informs teaching across all subjects, including both maths and science. The partnership also encourages students to actively consider careers in the arts and cultural sector.

The project has meant participating students can achieve Arts Award qualifications but it has also had a positive impact on  their social skills and self-confidence. The project has also transformed teaching practice at the school.

The Museum & Heritage (M&H) Awards are the preeminent annual awards in the heritage sector, celebrating innovative and ground-breaking initiatives from museums and heritage visitor attractions across the UK and overseas. GLAM has been well represented at the awards, having been shortlisted for best Marketing campaign at the 2018 awards and for Project on a Limited Budget for its Out in Oxford project at the 2017 awards, and winning Volunteer Team of the Year at the 2019 awards with its Multaka-Oxford project. The Ashmolean Museum was shortlisted for Permanent Exhibition category at the 2018 awards where GLAM was also shortlisted in Marketing Campaign category. At the 2016 awards the Bodleian Libraries won the Marketing Campaign category and the Museum of Natural History won for Project on a Low Budget and ‘Best of the Best’.

The winners will be announced at the virtual awards ceremony on 22 September 2020.  For more information visit the M&H awards website.  

Watch a video about the Iffley Academy Partnership or find out more on the Iffley Academy Partnership webpage