Ethos & Values

We are a school: we will educate a new generation to view the world critically, make their own decisions, and act in a way that benefits the wider community, not just themselves. This is summed up in our motto, “think for yourself; act for others.”

Cheney is a genuinely comprehensive school, in the best sense of the term, with a fully inclusive intake, which represents not just our catchment area, but also modern Britain. The ideals of the comprehensive movement have been met in Cheney, in a way that is very rare.

We value creativity over conformity; education over league tables; the needs of students over data; self-discipline over sanctions; nuance over simplification; curiosity over acceptance; honesty over reassurance; the judgement of our community over the judgement of the official world. We value emotional intelligence equally to academic intelligence; well-being equally to success; self-knowledge to factual knowledge; humanity to rigour.

This is not to say that the things we value less are worthless; in their place, and in their time, quite the reverse. In fact, we believe that if we get the first things right, the second will follow.

Mr Rob Pavey
Headteacher