This article considers how the head teacher's value system influences the ethos of the Church of England (C of E) Voluntary Controlled (VC) primary school. The findings were generated from a case study of six head teachers of rural primary schools in the East of England. The role of a head teacher in any school is a huge responsibility. Leading a C of E school comes with the added responsibility of providing a Christian distinctiveness, within the traditions of the school's foundation. The head teacher has a vital role in providing this school distinctiveness through the ethos they create.