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Aims, ethos and approach

At the heart of our vision is our belief in educational excellence.  We believe we are called to serve our pupils, staff, parents and their local community by providing academies with the highest levels of academic rigour and pastoral care. Our academies are places where children and young people develop and thrive intellectually, socially, culturally and spiritually.

ODST academies teach a broad and balanced curriculum, designed for their unique school community and within national guidelines. Focusing on core skills, this is designed to ensure that all pupils reach their academic potential and seeks to enrich their experience along the way.

We are committed to sustaining high quality schools, and supporting schools in need of specific improvement. We set out to recruit and retain staff of the highest quality and to offer them the working conditions they need to give their best as they serve the pupils in their care. We work in partnership with families so that our students can be engaged and effective learners.

We seek to embody 'community', where the emphasis is on what we can contribute, rather than on what we might receive, and where we give to each according to need. As a limited company operating within the family of the Diocese of Oxford, the trust is motivated by Christian values to serve local communities, but we do not impose those values.  Admissions policies are open, and priority is normally given to children in the local area. We welcome those of all faiths and none, and we are proud of the diversity within our academies which reflects that of their local community.