About Ifield School
The school aims to provide an attractive, welcoming and stimulating environment that can develop pupils through the effective and appropriate delivery of the National Curriculum. The school seeks to develop in all a respect for the individual and an appreciation of quality. The school understands that every child has natural talents and abilities that can stand outside of their general underlying ability
and seeks to support these. The staff see that the successful re-integration of pupils, when appropriate,
is of the utmost importance. Staff endeavour to create, within classes, a well organised, conducive
and ordered environment. The schools aims to provide a happy and cheerful ethos that enables
children to develop their confidence through success and praise.
Ifield School greatly values parental partnership and operates an ‘open door’ policy to aid effective communication with parents/carers. Regular and active home to school contact is encouraged through
a variety of school activities, and home/school contact books. The school uses parent volunteers
within the classroom.
The school is situated on an extensive campus close to Gravesend and within easy access of the A2. It
was purpose built in the late 1960s within self contained and attractive landscaped grounds with hard
and soft play areas. Specialist rooms support Science, Design Technology (including Food Technology), Speech and Language, Music & Dance and Sports Hall, fully integrated ICT facilities
and from January 2008 a Hydro Therapy Pool.
Our pre-school provision is based at Kings Farm Primary School as an inclusive nursery known as Ifield @ Kings Farm. The Post 16 Faculty is based at NWK College Campus in Gravesend and is known as Ifield @ NWKC. This is a newly collaborative provision to ensure that our pupils’ needs are met beyond statutory school age.
A number of staff have obtained advanced qualifications in special education and the school’s plan supports ongoing training of all teaching and non-teaching staff. Staff are selected to fulfil a clearly
defined role and are supported through a sound management structure. A small panel of governors
oversee appointments. Ifield School employs two Speech Therapists and two Speech Therapist Assistants.
Ifield School believes in the importance of being a part of the local community and enjoys an excellent
local and countrywide reputation.
In line with the Inclusion Initiative, Ifield School has already responded to the changing role of the District Special School. The Ifield School SMILE Centre provides outreach materials for supporting pupils with special needs within the mainstream setting. It also offers an extensive training programme for continuing professional development in AEN by experienced staff who work collaboratively with local schools.
The school was inspected by Ofsted in November 2004 and found to be “An effective School with some very good features. Good teaching promotes learning well and they make good progress. The
positive ethos means that pupils achieve well in their personal development and the school provides
good value for money.” The School received a Sportsmark for demonstrating high quality in
achievement from Sport England in Summer 2001 and was re-awarded in Summer 2004 and 2007.
We also achieved Healthy Schools Status in 2006/7.
The School has also a unique off-site curriculum development facility known as The Woodland. This is an exciting additional facility owned by the School. It is for the use of Ifield pupils and also other local schools by arrangement. It provides opportunities for curriculum extension activities and also for extra curricular activities, e.g. camping and outward bound courses.