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Church of England as educator
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Education, Christian Education, is a key part of the Church of England's ministry. Nationally, the Church's Board of Education in close co-operation with the Roman Catholic Church, the Methodist Church and the National Society for the Promotion of Religious Education serves as the focal point for many activities.
Much of the work of the Committee is done in association with The National Society
25% of all state primary schools and 6% of all state secondary schools are Church of England schools [18% of all primary and 5% of all secondary pupils in England attend these schools]. The government refers to these schools as "the jewel in the state sector crown". The Church of England Board's of Education, centrally and through 43 dioceses in England [and 6 in Wales], and through The National Society, commit substantial human and financial resources to ensure that church schools are serving their communities with the highest quality of Christian-based education. See also Church House Publishing The Independent Schools Information Service states that 1000 [approximately] of the 1300 independent preparatory and secondary schools in England have a Church of England ethos. Distinctiveness of Church Schools There are 2 distinct kinds of Church of England school:
Church of England schools have their religious education and worship inspected under section 23 of the School Inspections Act 1996. The National Society has so far trained over 800 Section 23 inspectors who have been carrying out this task . In schools without a religious character the whole inspection is carried out by Ofsted. The National Society has recently published 2 books on the distinctive nature of church schools: A Christian Voice in Education and Values for Church Schools [ see Church House Publishing] A church school�s trust deed is the main reference point when checking the religious character of the school. Many schools have lost track of their trust deeds [many of which date back more than 100 years]. Help in tracing lost trust deeds can be obtained from: Sarah Duffield, Church of England Record Centre; email: [email protected] Admissions to Church Schools
Governing Bodies of Voluntary Aided and grant maintained church schools determine their own admissions policy. The criteria for admissions differ from school to school � some ask for evidence of active involvement in the local church, others look at pupils� travelling distance from school or social reasons for needing a particular school. Unless there is a shortage of places, most Church of England Voluntary Aided schools welcome all pupils in their area. Voluntary Controlled schools have their admissions determined by the Local Education Authority. Collective Worship The Church of England Board of Education fully supports the current legislation which states that daily collective worship is the right of every child and "should be maintained as part of the pupils� educational experience". This law is flexible enough to accommodate other denominations and faiths. Thousands of schools have a record of good practice in their daily collective worship. There is immediate help available for any schools needing help and ideas from the Board of Education and The National Society. See Alan Brown, Between a Rock and a Hard Place Church House Publishing. Religious Education The Church of England Board of Education is passionately concerned with the status of religious education in the curriculum. The promotion of excellence in the quality of religious education is the focus of the work of The National Society at its two national resource centres:
Each of these centres offers extensive resources and advice on training and management of religious education in schools. See also Church House Publishing Teacher and Governor Training Most dioceses [Where to find us] and Local Education Authorities offer specific courses for governors, many designed for governors of church schools. In addition to its courses on religious education and worship, The National Society provides a wide range of courses. There are 11 Church of England Colleges of Higher Education in the UK which provide a wide variety of graduate, post-graduate and diploma courses, including Initial Teacher Training and PGCE. These colleges also offer distance learning and taught courses leading to:
For any further information on Church of England Schools, contact:
Teaching in Church Schools Teaching in a church school combines personal professionalism with a calling to teach within a Christian environment. Most posts are advertised in the educational or church press. The CofE does not discriminate on the basis of age, race or gender. Within the UK today the further education Sector is growing rapidly, currently there are 527 further education colleges in the UK and about half of these have some chaplaincy provision. FE Chaplains have a key role to play in this work. There are also opportunities for the church to work in partnership with local FE colleges in community-based learning initiatives due to the development of Lifelong learning Partnerships. For details click here. The Church of England, ecumenically with the Methodist Church, the Roman Catholic Church and the Free Churches Council also sponsor a Beacon Award to promote Sustainable Community Development. Click here to visit the Beacon Award Section of the Association of Colleges Website. For further information contact
Higher Education The CofE ensures that an Anglican chaplain is available to every university and most HE colleges in England. There are some 240 chaplains who are responsible to the vice-chancellors or equivalent for planning and activities conducive to the welfare of students, faculty and staff. In addition they support the Christian community within universities and colleges. For further information contact The Revd Paul E P Brice, Secretary for Higher Education and Chaplaincy, Board of Education [email protected].
Voluntary and Continuing Education Children Children are the Church of today as well as of tomorrow. If we will but see it, they bring us the gift of themselves and ministry all of their own. After all, who was it who offered up their loaves and fishes to the Master? Our challenge in the CofE is to recognise and nurture the innate spirituality of the hundreds of thousands of children in our churches and parishes; bringing them fully into the community of all believers so that they will face their future with a steady faith. This is why every parish in the CofE supports its diocesan Children�s Adviser who is there to help congregations enrich their ministry to children and create environments where children can exercise their gifts and ministries to us. Resources Effective material for children and children�s work leaders is crucial. There is a considerable amount available, but they must be reviewed frequently. See Church House Bookshop. In addition you should see: G Pritchard, Offering the Gospel to Children, Cowley, 1992 R Cardwll, Helping Children to Pray, Grail, 1981 J Bradford, Caring for the Whole Child, Children�s Society, 1995 A Pedley and B Muir, Children in the Church? National Society/Church House Publishing, 1997 C Farley, et al., Under Fives Alive! National Society/Church House Publishing, 1997 S Pearce and D Murrie, Children and Holy Communion, National Society/Church House Publishing, 1997 Charters Many dynamic congregations create and subscribe to a mission statement or children�s charter. This is an example adapted from one prepared by the Diocese of Blackburn. A Charter for the Church Our church will welcome you Our church will accept and value you Our church will work to meet your needs Our church will be Christ-like in its approach to you Our church will nurture you in faith and worship Our church will provide you with appropriate teaching Our church will offer you relevant worship Our church will encourage you to serve others Our church will endeavour to provide you with a sense of community Our church will support you in sharing the Good Nes of Christ in word and deed. Child Protection Whatever the format of a church�s children�s work, it is crucial that child protection guidelines and good practice are implemented at all levels. Each diocese has regulations in place to protect not only children and young people, but also those adults who are committed to working with and for them. If you would like to sample best practice or if you are not sure what you should be doing and would like further advise and help, then click on your Diocesan Office in Where to find us and ask to speak to the Children�s Adviser or any other education specialist. Children and Holy Communion In November 1996 The General Synod of the CofE accepted the House of Bishops� Guidelines on the Admission of Baptised Persons to Holy Communion before Confirmation (which of course includes children), after many years of debate, reports and experimentation. The dilemma for the Church has been (and still is for many) if Baptism is full membership of the Church, then on what grounds are children excluded from receiving Holy Communion? Each of the 44 dioceses in England is now deciding how they will implement these Guidelines. For many parishes the traditional pattern of Baptism, Confirmation and First Communion will remain the norm. For those who already involve children closely in Eucharist worship, there are now two further options to consider. One is to confirm children much earlier. The second is to admit baptised children to Communion and to bring them to Confirmation later, as an adult rite of commitment. For further information click on your Diocesan Office in Where to find us and ask to speak to the Children�s Adviser and National Society/Church House Publishing. "Help! We�ve got children in our church!" There is immediate, local advice from people who know what works so that your congregation can attract and keep children. Again, contact your Diocesan Office. Dioceses also run training in all aspects of children�s work. Click on in Where to find us and contact your Children�s Adviser, or contact Diana Murrie, National Children�s Officer [email protected].
Youth Increasing emphasis in the CofE is being put on promoting the educational, spiritual and social development of young people between the ages of 11 and 25. This work is for those outside the Church as well as those within. The National Youth Officers advise on appropriate training and resourcing of both voluntary and paid youth workers, and provide a Continuing Professional Development Scheme for Diocesan Youth Officers. This will also be available to the Children�s adviser and those working in Adult Education. Action is being taken to enable the better participation of young people in church life with the continuing development of a Youth Adult Network which includes an Observer Group at General Synod. The National Youth Office is also managing initiatives to develop youth work in rural areas and among minority ethnic young people. The National Youth Officers also consult regularly with the Diocesan Youth Officer Network in responding to local, regional and national needs. This has included the provision of the Spectrum training programme for Voluntary Youth workers and courses for perspective Diocesan Youth Officers. At a local level the Youth Officers work collaboratively with their local education authorities. The Church�s youth work involves collaboration and partnership with a number of Anglican voluntary societies as well as with a variety of other Christian secular agencies, including the Department for Education and Employment, the National Youth Agency, the National Council for Voluntary Youth Services, Churches Together in England, and the Council for Churches in Britain and Ireland. The National Youth Officers manage a grant from the DfEE under their scheme for National Voluntary Youth Organisations. This has enabled youth work initiatives to be taken at local, diocesan and national level.
Youth A Part Church House Publishing, is a major report on the Churches� work with young people and continues to be a great stimulus to discussion and action in youth work at every level. �Time of our Lives� The National Youth Office and Diocesan Youth Officers Network are supporting an initiative of the Archbishops of Canterbury to bring together 5000 young Anglicans from England. The Time of Our Lives
For more information you can contact your own Diocesan Youth Officers, National Youth Officer or the �Time of Our Lives� office. The Network encourages the participation of as many young adults (16-25) as possible, into all levels of decision making within the CofE. The Network also supports and equips those who are involved by networking on their behalf, developing training and resources and providing information. It also highlights the need for young adult participation in the Church decision-making process. The Network is managed by a group of young adults supported by General Synod�s Board of Education, the National Youth Officers, the Diocesan Youth Officer Network and the DfEE.
Ecumenical Initiatives The National Youth Office and Diocesan Youth Office Networks work collaboratively within Churches Together in England. They are members of Churches Together in England�s co-ordinating group for Youth work, the English Churches Youth Service. They have also been working with Officers from other denominations as part of the Joint Churches Youth Service Initiative (JCYSi).
Adult Education, Training and Lifelong Learning Nationally and in each diocese, the CofE is committed to adult Christian education, training and development. Click on Where to find us and contact your diocesan Adult Education Adviser. The ethos of the CofE�s adult education is to: work with dioceses and other agencies in order to help people to:
Nationally, the Adult Education Office has a long history of innovative work in training. We have run and helped to run many different kinds of events for those who are involved in helping adults learn. It was a pioneer in participative and lifelong learning approaches. Learning Opportunities 1999 Each year, the Church of England Board of Education offers a national programme of training for those, both lay and ordained, who work in the churches or related organisations. This programme is for all those involved in lay training - Adult, Children and Youth work, and will also be useful for Lay Leaders, Readers, Clergy, Continuing Ministerial Education and Post Ordination Training The wide range of events includes one day courses and residential workshops and covers theory and practical skills, new thinking and development work. For the first time in 1999, the programme of training offered by the Upside Down Trust (formerly the Scripture Union Training Unit) has been included separately. Those seeking NVQs in Training and Development will find appropriate courses in that programme.
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Further Information and Bookings
Adult Education with Theological Reflection (MA Programme)
For those looking for accreditation through a Masters, Diploma or Certificate in Adult Education with Theological Reflection, this part time distance learning course is offered by the Board of Education and University College Chester. It offers the opportunity to gain an academic award which is clearly based in experience and practice. Each student receives local tutor support and where possible, this support happens in small group tutorials. The core modules are How Adults Learn, Theology of Adult Education, Understanding and Working with Process and Designing Learning and these four modules are required for all students. Successful completion leads to the Certificate. Four additional selected modules lead to the award of the Diploma and the Masters is achieved after completion of a dissertation.
A Summer School is held each year in which practical work is undertaken in Understanding and Working with Process, Designing Learning and Consultation. Individual modules and the Summer School are open to anyone - registration for the award is not necessary.
For further information contact Hilary Ineson
Continuing Professional Development A CPD scheme is being piloted for Diocesan Youth Officers, Children�s Officers and Adult Education Advisers in 1998/9. The scheme aims to give those working in these fields an opportunity to assess their training needs with a view to addressing any gaps and also to develop particular skills or areas of expertise.
There is an initial assessment followed by annual opportunities to reassess job and career-related professional development. The scheme provides experienced facilitators who enable those participating to evidence competence, plan a professional development strategy, and locate work-based support locally.
For further information contact:
Youth Work:
Children�s Work:
Adult Work:
Investors in People Investors in People is an organisation-based programme, administered by local Training and Enterprise Councils, to develop individuals to the benefit of themselves and their organisation.
Tested successfully in several, it is now offered to other dioceses as a helpful tool for mission and ministry. The emphasis of the Standard on the learning organisation is a significant factor for the Church seeking to adapt to the changing circumstances and challenges of a new millennium.
Investors in People :
Within a diocesan-parish context four benefits of working towards IiP are to:
For further information contact Ian Stubbs
Churches and the Learning Age Early in 1998 the Government published a discussion paper on Lifelong Learning entitled, The Learning Age. Its reception was mixed but many people have welcomed it as the start of an important debate which puts adult learning back on the national agenda.
As well as securing our economic future, learning has a wider contribution. It helps make ours a civilised society, develops the spiritual side of our lives and promotes active citizenship. Learning enables people to play a full part in their community. It strengthens the family, the neighbourhood and consequently the nation. It helps us to fulfil our potential and opens doors to a love of music, art and literature. That is why we value learning for its own sake as well as for the equality of opportunity it brings. David Blunkett, Secretary of State
There is a lot here for churches to respond to including:
To share your ideas or find out more about how churches are responding to The Learning Age contact Ian Stubbs: [email protected]
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