Dartington Church of England Academy aims to serve our community, within a Christian Vision, equipping our children with the skills and attributes to flourish in life, in all its fullness. Underpinned by the vision ‘Together we grow, together we flourish.’
We believe that we are all created in the image of God and that we are able to open our hearts and allow ourselves to be transformed by him, leaving our positive imprints on others. We believe it is our privilege and duty to responsibly nurture and support our children, the community and ourselves so that together we stride forwards together to make the community and the world that we live in a better place.
Our school lives and breathes the Church of England’s vision of John 10:10, that every child will flourish and that they will achieve the very best they can, fulfilling their dreams and ambitions. It is a place where all are valued as individuals and as God’s children. The whole child matters to God and we invest time to nurture children’s intellectual developments as well as their many, other gifts.
Recognising its historic foundation, the school will preserve and develop its religious character in accordance with the principles and practices of the Church of England and in partnership with the Church and the Parish and the Diocese, bringing this character into the present day. The school aims to serve its community by providing an education of the highest quality within the context of Christian belief and practice. It encourages an understanding of the meaning and significance of faith, and promotes Christian values through the experiences it offers to all its pupils. As a church school we embed our Christian values of: Peace, Trust, Compassion, Creativity and Wisdom into everyday learning and foster a respect for other people and their beliefs; extending welcome to all through the mission of open doors and warm fires.
We provide the rich soil that enables our children to develop deep roots and flourish. Within our
distinctive community, our Christian school nurtures growth, giving courage to face challenges, and
abundant opportunities for unique strengths to blossom. Everyone feels valued and has the skills
to make wise choices for themselves and others, and trust in the brightest future.
Our vision draws inspiration from the Parable of the Sower which is found in the gospel of Matthew
13:1-9, 18-23 in the New Testament. From this, our school is the good ground that allows all who
come into contact with it to grow well. Its seeds (pupils, staff and community) are given a rich diet
to thrive into the best ‘plant’ possible. Our seeds are cared for during all ‘seasons’, given support
and protection when it is needed and encouragement to flourish. The plants are strong and
resilient, able to live peacefully and joyfully with those around them. The rich harvest is the end
result of this labour for pupils, staff and the community – the brightest of futures.
Our vision is underpinned by our core Christian values of compassion, creativity, wisdom, trust and
peace – with love encompassing all.
By providing the opportunities and experiences to nurture children’s curiosity and knowledge we
will support them to develop the skills they need to move through their education and into the world
beyond. We believe in providing the children with a rich, vibrant curriculum which enables them to
gain knowledge and confidence to develop skills but also grow as a learner, preparing them for the
next step on their journey. We are a happy school, we care about each other and we are proud of
how we work together as part of a wider community.