Head of History

Henlow Church of England Academy opened as a middle school (Years 5 - 8) in 1976 and established itself as a popular choice for pupils in the 3 tier offer in Central Bedfordshire. As the area now moves towards a primary/secondary model, Henlow is at the forefront of this change as a thriving secondary school (Years 7 - 11). The journey has been an incredible one for our community and I am proud to welcome you to join us as we take our next steps. 

The surrounding countryside has always been a wonderful feature of our setting but the buildings themselves have been transformed in recent years. As a secondary school we now have superb facilities and offer a curriculum full of possibilities designed to develop the interests of our young people. As they progress throughout the school, they begin selecting which areas they wish to pursue further in Years 7 and 8. They have an increased choice alongside a community option in Year 9 and ultimately those subjects they wish to focus on in Key Stage 4. Our commitment in our curriculum and staffing matches the investment in our new buildings. In addition, our secondary Heads of Department have considerable experience at teaching GCSE. 

As a community our ambition is driven by our ethos and Christian vision - every young person deserves to enjoy their learning by receiving the right blend of nurture and challenge (‘I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.’ John 10:10). A genuine warmth and sense of community defines our approach and underpins all aspects of Henlow life. As teenagers make important decisions about the person that they ultimately want to become, we build positive relationships with them and ensure that they are supported to be the fully rounded person they hope to be. 

In 2021 Henlow Academy became the founding member of Poppy Hill Multi Academy Trust which now includes Meppershall Academy. We enjoy strong links with our feeder schools which are now primaries, the Diocese of St Albans and a wide number of community and charity organisations.

Ofsted 

We were one of the first schools in the country to be judged according to Ofsted’s new framework and in September 2019 we were judged Good overall and in all areas. In their report the inspectors note that pupils are polite, mature and considerate towards each other, they achieve well and feel safe and happy in school. They recognised our broad curriculum and specialist teachers; 

‘The school’s curriculum contributes strongly to pupils’ wider personal development’. ‘(they) have the knowledge and skills needed to teach a range of subjects’. 

Ofsted September 2019

SIAMS 

In July 2017 we were judged ‘outstanding’ in our SIAMS (Statutory Inspection of Anglican Methodist Schools). We are the only middle/secondary in Bedfordshire to receive this grading in a church inspection. 

‘In keeping with its Christian underpinning the school knows and treats pupils as individuals, recognising and celebrating their various gifts and talents well’ 

SIAMS July 2017

Our broad aim is to provide opportunity for self-development and self-fulfilment for the children here, to enable them to realise their full potential. 

To be more specific, however, this School seeks to pass on to each new generation of children the knowledge, skills, ideas, attitudes and values which are judged necessary to make it possible to live - and live well - in our society. Societies change, however, and in our modern times they change quickly. It follows then that we need to provide not only experiences which enable children to grasp the essentials of this world as it is, but also experiences which will make them ready to fulfil themselves in a world which is likely to be different from todays. 

Therefore, the School stands not only for tradition and conformity, but also for the future and a willingness to accept, and at times stimulate fresh thoughts and ideas.