CHRISTIAN VISION & VALUES

» AVA Christian Character Statement
» Reflection and Worship at AVA
» Primary Phase School Prayer
» Flourishing Partnerships
» Berryfields Community Vicar
» Aylesbury Vale Academy Reflection Space
» Governor Link for Christian Character and Vision
» Secondary RS Learning Journey
» Useful Links

AVA CHRISTIAN CHARACTER STATEMENT

Our aim is to serve the common good by enabling the children, young people, and our wider AVA community to flourish through their experience of education and the opportunities we create. We strive to provide an education which prepares students with the best possible chances for their future, supporting them to discover their role in society, empowering them to make constructive life choices and enabling them to make a meaningful contribution in society.

As a community we have a Christian character that guides and influence us. Our ethos is rooted in a keen sense of moral purpose that exists to make outcomes better for the families we serve. Service to all is a critical expression of our Christian character. It is observed in everything we do as a school and is seen in our core values of RESPECT, ASPIRATION and RESILIENCE…

Our core value of RESPECT is underpinned by our belief in the worth of each student...

'God treats everyone the same,' he said.

'He accepts people from every nation. He accepts anyone who has respect for him and does what is right'.

Acts Ch10 v34-35

This compels us to work to enable every student to fulfil their potential so they might ASPIRE to experience a full life...

…real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.

John Ch10 v10.

Finally, we foster student RESILIENCE welcoming the strength of God…

I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Phillippians Ch4 v13. NIV Bible.

…and the encouragement of our community.

‘Let us be concerned for one another,

to help one another to show love and to do good'.

Hebrews Ch10 v24.

REFLECTION & WORSHIP AT AVA

At Aylesbury Vale Academy we are proud to be a Church of England School. We embrace the Church of England’s vision that…

“The ultimate worth of each person is grounded in being created in the image of God and in God’s love and compassion for each of us.”

Church of England Vision for Education Deeply Christian, Serving the Common Good

We believe that every one of us is loved unconditionally by God and…

“…nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God”

Romans Ch 8 v39 New Living Translation”

Our school is a community that celebrates religious, cultural and ethnic diversity and encourages dialogue and understanding. We believe that we can all learn from each other and that collective worship is an educational entitlement for all. As a Church of England School we reflect that Christianity is an inclusive faith which mirrors the attitude of Christ in the Gospels. Thus, we welcome children and staff of all faiths to our worship. We welcome diversity, respect freedom of religion and belief, and encourage all to contribute from their own traditions and understandings.

At AVA Our worship is inclusive and aims to…

recognise and celebrate the diversity of cultures, life styles and faiths which exist in our school and local community;
have an atmosphere in which everyone feels valued and safe;
be appropriate for every student to attend

All students participate in a daily act of reflection and worship.

Within the Academy reflection & Worship occurs at various times of day and with a mixture of groupings of students. This may be as part of a shared assembly, within class at a relevant moment or at the end of the day.

As a school we make a distinction between assembly and worship. Although assemblies can and do provide a shared space for reflection & worship to occur, their content will vary depending on current themes and local and national issues. We believe worship has a significance that goes beyond gathering together in an assembly. We support both children, students and adults to prepare for reflection & worship by clearly indicating when worship and reflection is about to occur, for example, we use a worship candle to indicate the distinct act of reflection & worship within a gathering.

Within reflection & worship both staff and pupils are encouraged to consider spiritual and moral issues, to explore their own beliefs and to develop community spirit. All are encouraged to consider our shared values, and receive inspiration.

At AVA our reflection & worship is invitational and aims to…

nurture reflection, stillness, meditation and prayer;
provide pupils with (age appropriate) opportunities to explore the spiritual dimension of their lives.
provide a sense of occasion that is separate from the rest of the school day

Through reflection, prayer and song, staff and pupils have an opportunity to go beyond the everyday and to worship God. In reflection & worship we create the opportunity to explore the place of faith in each of our lives, and in the communities in which we live. This helps to develop an appreciation of what it means to be human: to understand ourselves and to make sense of the world d around us and of how we relate to one another.

Nurturing REFLECTION & WORSHIP AT AVA

To nurture reflection amongst students and staff at AVA we have adopted a common language to support moments of reflection & worship. This supports individuals to explore the place of faith in each of our lives.

The Rose, Thorn, Bud method helps students recognise and articulate their experiences, both positive and challenging and offerings a simple structure for reflection and worship that benefits both students and staff.

Our Primary Phase school prayer…

Loving God,

This is our school.

Let peace live here.

Let the rooms be full of happiness.

Let love live here:

love of one another, love of mankind,

love of life itself and love of God.

Let us remember that;

as many hands build a house,

so many hearts make a school.

Amen

Flourishing Partnerships

Aylesbury Vale Academy is committed to fostering strong community links and over a number of years has developed partnerships with local faith and community organisations. We have positive working relationships with many including the Church on Berryfields, our local Mosque and Muslim community, the local Hindu community Aylesbury Youth for Christ and Berryfields Parish Council.

Church on Berryfields

In particular, the Academy is blessed through a strong working partnership with the Church on Berryfields and Revd Gareth Lane.

The Church on Berryfields holds weekly Sunday worship in our Primary Phase hall.

Revd Gareth Lane leads frequent assemblies and worship in both the Primary and Secondary Phases of the school.

The Church also supports AVA in many other ways including through the involvement of Gemma Moncada, their Family and Children's Worker. The church supports our students as they transition between phases, through engagement with families in times of crisis and by supporting our charitable and community links through events such as an annual Light Party on 31st October each year.

Click HERE to visit the Church on Berryfields website.

Berryfields Community Vicar – Revd Gareth Lane

Revd Gareth Lane serves as the community vicar for Berryfields, supporting both the local church and wider community, including families connected to the Academy and Berryfields Primary. His unique role helps build a vital bridge between church and community, offering pastoral and spiritual support to pupils, families, and staff, while also leading the development of a new church for the growing Berryfields population.

Gareth grew up in Kent and attended a Church of England secondary school. After school, he moved to High Wycombe to study a BTEC HND in Business Studies and IT. He shares:

“I was always interested in IT—it was probably the only thing I did well in at school. My BTEC helped me start on the IT career ladder, working on a helpdesk and later becoming a networking engineer. I eventually joined a small consultancy firm, working with large companies to develop their IT networks.”

While at college, Gareth became a Christian, beginning a journey that would eventually lead him to church leadership.

“I met my wife Jenny shortly after college, and we became increasingly involved in our church in High Wycombe. Over thirteen years, I found myself leading services and preaching, even helping to set up a service for people in their 20s and 30s. It gave me more of a buzz than designing networks, and I began to feel that God was calling me to full-time ministry.”

Gareth trained for two years in theology to become a priest, followed by a three-year curacy at Church of the Holy Spirit, Bedgrove. This brought him to Aylesbury, where he now calls home.

“Aylesbury has really grown on me—I now consider it home. It’s been exciting to work alongside the Academy and Berryfields Primary. Everyone is so friendly, and I’m here to offer pastoral care and help explore faith in the school context. I’ll be out and about, so please do come and say hello. I want to make myself available to people.”

We’re delighted to have Revd Gareth Lane as a supportive presence in our community.

Aylesbury Vale Academy Reflection Space

We provide dedicated Reflection Spaces for both students and staff. These areas offer a calm environment for quiet reflection, prayer, or meditation and are open to people of all faiths, beliefs, or those simply seeking a moment of personal contemplation.

To ensure the space remains welcoming for everyone, we ask that users maintain an atmosphere of respect and inclusion at all times. This means keeping noise to a minimum, leaving the room clean and tidy, and refraining from eating, drinking, or using mobile phones and headphones. The Reflection Spaces are available during lunchtimes, and all users are expected to respect the practices of others, sharing the area courteously and without disruption.