Our Relationship with the Church and Mutually Beneficial Links

As a Church of England school we have close connections with All Saints Church and the Diocese of Oxford.

Rev. Waller, the incumbent of All Saints is one of our school governors and as such contributes to meetings and decision making, helping to ensure our Christian vision is at the heart of all we do. He regularly leads worship both in school and at termly school church services. He contributes to R.E lessons, allowing the pupils to develop a greater depth of knowledge about Christianity and Anglican traditions.

Other church members play an important part in school life. The Open the Book team led by Valerie Kerr, a licensed Lay preacher, deliver whole school worship each Tuesday. During this time we welcome other members of the church into school to support the sharing of Biblical stories.

The school is grateful to church Wardens such as Mr Stuart Leeming, who recently resigned as a foundation governor. He ensures the church is open and ready for termly services and class visits as well as leading services when Rev. Waller is not available.

The school and church share the cost of year 6 Leavers Bibles each year. Seeing this an important part of acknowledging pupils transition to the next stage of their education with the hope that the Bibles may contribute to their spiritual journey.

Toby Long is the Diocese School Improvement Partner. He works closely with the school, providing support when required and ensuring high standards are maintained.

The school also works with the Bridgebuider Trust, a Christian Charity who visit the school half termly to deliver worship as well as facilitating educational visits to local churches for events such as Easter and Christmas Cracked and Lifepath Elstow and Lifepath Olney.

In return the school supports the work of the church in a number of ways. We advertise church services via parent mail and on the school notice board, helping to share events and encouraging families to become involved in the life of the church. In addition to this we regularly reduce publishing costs of service sheets for the church through the use of the school photocopier.

Each year the school volunteers the use of the hall for the annual Deanery meeting, again ensuring no cost to the church.

Where possible the school further supports the work of the church through services such as the Christingle which is held each year in the school hall, involvement in community events such as church window displays and when possible, the involvement of pupils in services.

To visit the website of All Saints Church, please click here