Parental Information for Cumnor Church of England Primary School
Cumnor school is situated on the outskirts of Oxford and we are delighted to welcome families of different faiths and beliefs to our school. This diversity brings a richness to our school life and we seek to serve our local community by providing a school which is, first and foremost, an excellent place of education where children can reach their highest potential and where all are valued and loved for who they are.
Cumnor school first began in 1857 when the local church set up a school to serve the parish as part of a drive by the National Society of the Church of England to ensure that all children had access to education, which at that time was only possible for those who could pay for it. Whilst the age of philanthropic endeavours in education has all but gone, the sense that the school exists to serve its local community is still a major part of our modern ethos as a school.
As a designated Church of England school, children are able to learn about how the Christian faith is expressed in the Anglican tradition and we have a number of Church services each year at Cumnor Parish Church to mark special occasions in the school year. The school also has access to the church for additional visits when appropriate.
Like all schools, we also have daily assemblies as part of a national requirement and these are mostly led by the Head Teacher or other teachers. These are designed to allow all pupils to find time and space to reflect in a spiritual way. Most of our school-led assemblies are based on Christian values. These values are explored and developed by the children themselves and form part of the wider spiritual, moral, social and cultural learning which takes place in the school. This SMSC agenda is recognised by Ofsted as a statutory part of children’s education in England and as a school, we aim to provide a wide range of experiences which allow pupils to discover and engage with these areas within their own lives. Some of our assemblies are led by the local vicar and members of the church community. This enriches the pupils’ experience of how the church serves its local parish. We normally include a prayer, a brief talk and a song in our school assemblies in a way which celebrates and values the richness of our whole school community. The beliefs of all religions and of those with no religion are respected and children learn a genuine sense of understanding and appreciation of others as part of an understanding of Modern British culture.
The governors, staff and pupils are proud of their historic foundation and seek to ensure that the school is open, inclusive as indicated in our admissions policy.
Our most recent SIAMS inspection report can be found here: