The latest clergy study day focussed on how churches and schools could be partners in mission. Led by the diocesan Education team, clergy from across the Diocese gathered together to explore how churches can best support our local schools and work together with them.
Director of Education, Tim Reid opened the day explaining that there are 350 schools across the Diocese, 99 of which are Church of England Schools. These CoE schools are in a wide variety of contexts and range from 19 students to 1120.
Tim said: “In total there are 22,500 children in church schools across the Diocese and we have the opportunity to engage with them in a deep and meaningful way.”
Opening worship was led by children from Red Hill Primary School along with Diocesan Education Adviser, Duncan Hutchison. Clergy were taken through a typical structure for collective worship as it might happen in a school with the children taking the lead and offering prayers which they had written themselves.
Duncan then talked more generally about Collective worship, launching a new resource ‘Story of the Bible in One Year’ which provides a structure to exploring some of the key stories of the bible in a logical way.
He said: “Collective worship is there to bring the school together as a community, enable children to grow spiritually, develop a culture of justice, challenge and equip children for the world and nurture and inspire. It should be inclusive, inspirational and invitational and the best collective worship can result in transformational change, inspiring both children and adults to make a difference in their world and be all that they can be.”
There was an opportunity to hear about the Church and School Partnership Awards, which are a good way of celebrating the relationship between church and school and encouraging greater collaboration. The first awards are about to be presented with schools and churches achieving one bronze award, one silver and one gold!
Clare Snape, Headteacher at St George’s CE Primary and David Hildred, Rector in Kidderminster East spoke to the clergy about their experience of the award as they will be the first to be presented with a gold award in November. They explained the importance of having a working group which included people from the church and the school which met regularly and looked at ways to extend what they were already doing together.
David said: “Among many other things, we involved the children in our interviews for the new Team Vicar, offered the school a stall at our Christmas Fayre and set up a buddy system between the school and the care home where I visit regularly. Children in Reception and Year 6 go in and read with residents and both the children and the residents absolutely love it! It’s been about finding things that are already happening that we can build on, so it doesn’t become an additional burden.”
After sharing lunch together at St Helen’s Church, the clergy training day continued in the afternoon with guidance from Nadia Underwood from the Education Team about being a Foundation Governor.
Nadia thanked all clergy who took on this role, saying: “When I was a headteacher, having the local vicar as a Foundation Governor was something I really appreciated. You can provide real support, particularly when the school are dealing with challenging issues. As well as providing challenge, it is good to take the time to sit and have a cup of tea with staff, be on the end of the phone or offer to pray for the Head. Governors can also be a key link between the school, church and the diocesan team.”
At the end of the day, Duncan provided some information on the SIAMS (Statutory Inspection) process before the clergy were joined by St Barnabas CE Primary School who led those gathered in two songs they had been taught by the iSingPop team.
