Greenwood Academies Trust is thrilled to announce Emma Butler as the new Principal Designate of Tiffield Academy, a special school opening in Northamptonshire. This state-of-the-art facility will educate children with special educational needs and disabilities and is set to open in September 2025. Emma will take up her role in January 2025 and in this Q&A, she discusses her background, her experience, and her vision for the school's future.

Sarah Martin, Education Director for Special Academies at Greenwood Academies Trust, said: "We are delighted to welcome Emma Butler to lead this exciting new special school in Northamptonshire. Her expertise, dedication, and commitment to providing inclusive, individualised education for children with special educational needs and disabilities will ensure the school becomes a place where every pupil can thrive."

Q&A with Emma Butler

 

Emma Butler on the roof of Tiffield Academy 

 

What excites you the most about taking on the role of Principal Designate at this new special school?

I simply can’t wait to open the doors and welcome our first pupils to the Academy. I am passionate about our pupils being at the heart of all my decision-making so the prospect of being able to build our school together is so exciting.

Where did you begin your career in education, and how has your journey led you to this new role?

I started my career at a mainstream secondary school in Towcester. Working in a mainstream school was excellent in terms of developing my English subject knowledge but I was very quickly drawn to supporting pupils with additional needs. I realised that I needed to move into a specialist provision in order to further develop my skills and understanding and moved to a provision which supported autistic pupils. My time there meant that I was able to work with Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists, Mental Health Nurses and psychologists. This experience was invaluable. I was subsequently able to move back to mainstream and complete my NASENCO qualification. My course was transformative – I began to truly understand the importance of pupil voice and an authentic perspective, especially when working with autistic young people. At my last school, I was able to open a specialist provision which enabled young people to attend school when they had struggled before. I am thrilled to now be able to bring my experience and knowledge to shape a brand new school and create a setting where students and families feel valued and important.

What drew you to the field of special education, and what keeps you passionate about working with children with special educational needs and disabilities?

I firmly believe that every young person has the right to enjoy their time at school. Many factors can have a negative impact on a young person’s experience and having additional needs can make the journey even more difficult. I believe in removing barriers so that learning is accessible for all. I also look beyond solely the academic – a young person needs support to develop their own sense of self in order to find their own way in the world. For me, this aspect of education is vital in ensuring our young people find their own voice, in whatever form this takes.

What excites you most about the opportunity to shape the culture and values of this new school from the ground up?

Our school will be built on the foundations of kindness – our staff will support with this at the heart of everything they do. We want our pupils to be curious and ambitious – finding excitement in their learning throughout the day. We are able to bring this enthusiasm to our new school: a new start to work collaboratively and ensure our culture and values reflect the young people we will serve.

What is your vision for the school’s future, and what are your immediate priorities as the opening date approaches?

Our vision is to ensure that families want their children to go to Tiffield Academy. The heartbeat of any school is the staff who work there to support the young people – my first priority is to work hard to ensure we have the right people, with the right values, in the right roles.

How do you plan to create an inclusive environment where every pupil feels valued and supported?

A sense of belonging to our school community will be essential for all our pupils. This will be nurtured through opportunities for all and warmth in the relationships around school. All our pupils will have a trusted adult to support them – this is so important to ensure that pupils feel safe in school. We will come together and problem solve when difficulties arise so that experiences in school remain positive.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working? Do you have any hobbies or fun interests?

I love going on dog walks with our three dogs: Gus, Griff and Gibson. Gus is a miniature chihuahua but is definitely in charge! Griff is a maltipoo and is also Gibson’s uncle. My favourite walks are in the woods on a bright, sunny day.

If you could have any superpower to help you as a Principal, what would it be and why?

I would definitely want to be able to read minds! I think this would really help me when someone isn’t feeling great as it might help me to understand what the problem is and help to solve it.

Do you have a favourite book or author that inspires your work as an educator?

I love to read anything written in an authentic voice – if a piece is about being autistic, I want it to be written by an autistic person. I am currently reading, ‘Neurotribes: The Legacy of Autism’ by Steve Silberman which is really prompting me to think about how the world is experienced by different people. I was also really inspired by, ‘Poor’ by Katriona O’Sullivan – it is an account of her own childhood experiences and I found this very moving.

What’s a fun fact about you that pupils or staff might not know?

I’m obsessed with the Paddington films. I recently watched the new one and I cried three times! My dream would be that they would find Uncle Pastuzo one day!

 

This consultation is now closed. The summary report can be downloaded from the documents at the bottom of the page.

Opening of new special school in Tiffield for pupils aged 4-19

Greenwood Academies Trust (GAT) is pleased to confirm that it has been approved by West Northamptonshire Council and the Department for Education (DfE) as the sponsor for a brand-new special school. The school is planned to open in September 2025, for children aged four to 19, who are on the autistic spectrum and / or have severe learning difficulties.

The new school will accommodate 230 children and will be based on St John’s Road, Tiffield NN12 8AA. It is being built using modern methods of construction by Willmott Dixon. The ground works and construction are already well underway to build a school which will deliver much needed specialist facilities.

The new school will be named Tiffield Academy and is due to open its doors from September 2025. It will initially open with 142 places and then build to its full capacity of 230. All places will be allocated by West Northamptonshire Council.

Greenwood Academies Trust is comprised of 37 other academies looking after over 19,000 pupils. The Trust is excited about working to develop the Tiffield Academy as an excellent provider of education for young people but also an important hub within the Tiffield area.

 

Academies are state-funded schools, they are independent from Local Authorities but are accountable to the Government, which provides free education in the local community. Funding to run the academy is on the same basis as other schools and comes directly from the Government. In order for a new academy to open, Greenwood Academies Trust must enter into a Funding Agreement with the Secretary of State for Education, but we have to consult stakeholders on this and gain their agreement.

We would therefore like to invite you to show your support for this exciting new project. The consultation begins on Monday 7 October 2024 and ends at 5.00pm Monday 25 November 2024.

Please can you contribute to the consultation by completing the form, before the deadline set out above, which can be found here: https://forms.office.com/e/7paczFey5y or alternatively scan the QR code below:

 

For more information, please visit www.greenwoodacademies.org/tiffieldacademy/ 

The outcome of the consultation will also be published on this website.

We are very excited about the opening this new special school as it will provide much needed specialist places for children and young people across Northampton and surrounding area. As part of this, we really welcome your support.

Section 10 Consultation Report

The statutory consultation ran for a period of six weeks from Monday 7 October 2024 and ended at 5.00pm Monday 25 November 2024. Therefore, it is now closed.

The report below summarises the findings of the S10 public consultation in relation to Greenwood Academies Trust (GAT) opening the new Free Special School and entering into a Funding Agreement with the Department for Education.

The Principal vacancy is now live! 

A ‘once in a career’ opportunity is available to lead the brand new Tiffield Academy as its inaugural Principal. 

We’re looking for an exceptional leader who:

• is excited about providing the very best education for students with complex special educational needs and has significant experience of working with students with autism
• is passionate about developing an aspirational curriculum which is adapted to the needs of individuals and focuses on what’s really important
• is able to inspire leaders, teachers and support staff to be the best they can be and is committed to supporting the professional development of their team
• is able to lead the team of professionals working around the students and engage with stakeholders including therapists, the Local Authority and care workers
• has the vision, organisation and proven track record in school improvement to ensure a high level of performance across the Academy
• has an effective leadership style that encourages innovation and confidence and builds a positive culture amongst staff
• can build positive relationships with staff, pupils and parents alike
• is able to demonstrate the values that underpin our approach to supporting students 

Find out more and apply here.

The unanimous approval by West Northamptonshire Council’s planning committee on Tuesday 23rd January 2024 marked a positive step forward in addressing the increasing demand for specialist placements in West Northamptonshire.