Totternhoe CofE Academy
Our Mission Statement
We, at Totternhoe CE Academy, strive for excellence in education by providing a safe, secure, caring family environment, where all are valued and respected as individuals, enabling them to reach their full potential, whilst growing in their love and understanding of the Christian Faith.
Our local village school joined the Diocese of St Albans Multi Academy Trust on 1st February 2018, becoming Totternhoe CE Academy. The school has maintained links with St Giles’ Church in Totternhoe over many years. In fact, when the school first began in 1867, it was a Church school.
Today, the school enjoys opportunities to worship at St Giles’ Church, at harvest, Christmas, Easter and at the end of the summer term. The children lead and participate in the services and these are always well attended by parents/carers and wider family members. The church provides a warm welcome for our pupils and families. In addition, the Church is an excellent resource for learning across the curriculum, eg. in RE and local history studies.
We welcome regular visits from the Vicar and other staff, to lead collective worship, at the school. The children always enjoy the ‘Open the Book’ assemblies led by staff and volunteers from the church. The stories are always long remembered!
We welcome opportunities to engage with the wider church at events such as St Giles’ Christmas Fayre, where Totternhoe CE Academy pupils sing Christmas songs and carols; participating in other musical events (eg. rural churches’ ‘Sing it in a Day’ earlier this year; supporting the St Giles’ Summer Fayre, running fundraising events.
Each Christmas and Easter, the school invites older, local residents, many linked to the church, or suggested by the church, to our community tea parties, where the children entertain the guests and provide light refreshments. We really value these opportunities for the children to meet and engage with older members of our local community.
Totternhoe CE Academy has clear values based on Christianity and these underpin our ethos, our mission statement and our behaviour for learning policy. Our Academy Council members, staff and parents believe that our school values include key values of British society such as tolerance, freedom, justice, liberty and community/collective responsibility.
Our website: Totternhoe CE Academy