2. This report provides a helpful snapshot of some of the many creative activities that
have grown out of positive relationships between schools and their parishes across
our diocese. It is evident that these in turn offer rich experiences to children, young
people and their families. They serve to demonstrate that the historic partnership
between the church and schools is just as vital now, in the twenty-first century, as it
has ever been, as an expression of community cohesion and a vehicle for the
exploration of the Christian faith.
My thanks go to all the school staff and governors, clergy and parishioners whose
generosity of service is evident throughout the document. Also to Mike Tedstone,
Diocesan Schools Adviser, who had the enviable task of visiting many schools and
parishes in the course of his research, for presenting the results in an accessible and
lively way. There is much to inspire us here!
+Peter
Bath & Wells Lifelong Learning
with Bishop Peter!
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3. Working Together
Schools and Churches in the Diocese of Bath & Wells
Introduction
‘The Church School stands at the heart of the Church’s mission to the nation’ (1998
Synod resolution)
What a challenge! What an expectation! What is the significance of Church Schools
today? ‘They should be distinctively Christian in ethos and inclusive in approach’
(Archbishop of Canterbury writing in the TES, January 2002).
The worship in Church schools is tremendously significant within the Parish as a
whole and, at its best, can have a great impact on the local Christian community. In
my last school, over 400 people (children and adults) participated in an act of
Collective Worship each day; that’s over 2000 worshipping in school each week –
more than would fit into the local church, even if that number wished to attend! It is
therefore so important that the partnership between church schools and their local
parish is strong and mutually supportive. The Diocese has produced protocols for
school and church partnerships which give practical support and guidance; it should
be referred to whenever visits are arranged.
In this diocese, 51% of all primary age children are learning in Church Schools, a
huge number worshipping together on a daily basis – add to that the school staff,
parents and other adults who may join them at Christmas, Easter, Harvest, etc. What
an opportunity!
Over the past year I have visited a large number of schools across the Diocese and
have spoken with Headteachers, Clergy, and others about links between schools and
the local Church community. I visited both VC and VA Church schools and also some
community schools. I do not wish to mention individuals but to acknowledge with
gratitude all the help and courtesy that I have been given by so many.
This report is simply ‘findings to date’; of necessity it is a working document, for with
almost every school visit that I make, I discover more examples of good practice.
Please let me know if you have any traditions or new ideas that you think are worth
sharing; I look forward to hearing from you!
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4. Communications within the community
In most cases I sensed good relationships between school, worshipping community &
incumbent.
In one school the headteacher was fully involved in the appointment of the new
vicar, assisting with the person specification etc, and took part in the interviews.
In most schools the headteacher is part of the welcome at a new incumbent’s
institution.
Most Church schools use the Diocesan Commissioning and/or Affirmation service
for their headteacher (available from the Diocesan Education Department:
education@bathwells.anglican.org).
One head said how much she valued the weekly visit from the vicar who, after
taking worship, had a coffee and gave time to share – providing each with a
sounding-board, support for the head and for the vicar!
In one case the head kept a tin of chocolate biscuits especially for the vicar’s visit!
In many schools, headteachers said that all staff valued the support given by the
local vicar who regularly arranges visits to classes and gives pastoral support.
Time is also given for the headteacher – visits are there for all the staff and
children.
In most cases the Headteacher’s Report to school Governors includes worship &
church links.
Nearly all School Development Plans include links with the church community and
worship.
One head talked about her personal faith journey at the Alpha course, which was
being held in the school.
Children from schools entertain
groups within their communities and
take part in Church fetes (& vice
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5. At one school their regular newsletter is sent to all members of the Church PCC
(not just Foundation Governors) and the headteacher speaks at the Church
Annual Meeting.
Many schools contribute items for the Parish Magazine or Newsletter which is
seen as an opportunity for letting the church community know what is happening
in their school.
One school has a ‘grounds day’ when members of the local church community
help the children working in the school grounds.
In many churches there is a display area for children’s work. Most often, this is
not ‘extra work’ for the school staff as work that has been on display in the school
is then moved to its new position in the church. One of the best and most
interesting displays that I saw was one which showed the development of
children’s writing from early emergent ‘scribbles’ to well developed handwriting by
the oldest pupils. It doesn’t only have to be Religious Education!
Worship
All schools have
visitors from the local
community who help
with worship in school
and in most cases they
are involved in the
planning of that
worship
Most schools are represented in services in church on such Sundays as Mothering
Sunday and Education Sunday, with some taking lead roles on these occasions.
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6. Most schools use prayers and or responses from the church worship, (for
example: The Lord is Here with the response His Spirit is with us or The Lord be
with you with the response And also with you) and there is usually agreement on
which version of the Lord’s Prayer is used.
Most church services/Sunday schools use songs that they know are used in
school worship and vice-versa.
One school is used on a Sunday morning for ‘Church in School’ (this is in addition
to the usual services in church).
At another school the Year 6 children take part in the Eucharist at the church six
times a year with a special service sheet which fully involves the children &
parents. At the end of the school year the Year 5 children are invited in readiness
for their future participation as Year 6.
In another, a service of communion is held in the school at the end of each term.
A loaf of bread is blessed for everyone and part of this is broken off to be
consecrated whilst the remainder is shared with all the children.
A special Education Sunday
I was invited to Hinton St. George this year, to the parish celebration of Education
Sunday. This was a wonderful example of church and school coming together in
the school for a joint service. In one of the schoolrooms there was an altar and in
the next room (through an adjoining door) the church music group played as
everyone gathered.
The furniture in the rooms was set up as for a normal school day – this was not
meant to be the church in another setting! People of all ages sat on the tiny (!)
chairs around tables on which were pictures and pieces of writing done by the
children in school for everyone to look at. There were also sheets for the younger
ones to colour and a word-search specially devised by the Rector for the occasion.
Pictures of the village in past years were passed around as well as pictures of
groups of past pupils.
The service, led by the Rector, began with the school recorder group playing and
this was followed by the celebration of a past pupil’s eighty second birthday which
included a beautiful cake and a chorus of ‘Happy Birthday’ accompanied by the
Chair of Governors on his violin. Everyone then introduced themselves to the
people around them. The first half of the service included prayers written and
read by pupils; present pupils interviewing past pupils and a retired teacher (they
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7. were very interested in the cane and entries in the Punishment Book!). We sang
several lively hymns with the words on the Smartboard and two groups of children
(one in each room!) entertained everyone with their country dancing.
The Rector then continued with the second part of the service beginning with the
prayer of consecration and shared the bread and wine with everyone. The service
ended with more prayers written and read by the children and the final blessing.
The whole event was followed by fellowship and a warm feeling that the spirit of
the Lord was truly in that place.
Celebrating Festivals
Most schools hold services in their church especially at Harvest, Christmas, Easter
and at the end of the School Year. Many festivals of the Christian year are jointly
celebrated:
Harvest
Many schools link their harvest celebrations with those of the church; gifts are
brought by the children to the church’s Sunday services and are distributed
along with those of the congregation.
At one school the children take part in a service in their church at which they
take part in five separate processions to present: harvest produce; harvest of
their own work (writing/pictures/crafts/models, etc); a Bible, prayer book and a
book of their own prayers; bread, water and wine; and offerings of money. The
harvest produce and children’s work is then left in the church for the Sunday
services.
At the end of an exciting day on a
cereal farm, children take part in a
harvest act of worship in a barn
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8. In one school the children join in the village Harvest Home, together with
members of the church, helping to lead the act of worship and dancing and
singing in the celebrations that follow.
At one school the children wrote personal letters to members of the local
community to go with each harvest gift that was distributed. Names were given
to the school by the church. Most of the recipients replied personally to the
individual children (via the school).
Christmas
There are so many examples of schools and churches working together at this
special time. Schools are invited to take part in church carol services and members
of the church are invited to school services and concerts.
Christingle services are held in many
churches. In one school the children are
given collection boxes for the Children’s
Society and take them, two weeks later, to
the Christingle service on the second Sunday
in Advent. During the service they sing a
special Christingle song and receive
Christingles as they donate their collecting
boxes.
At another school the school children are
involved with the church and community in
the annual Tree Festival at the church.
The children make all the decorations for
the trees themselves and write about their
reasons. All this is displayed in the church
over a weekend in mid-December.
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9. Another school has a similar event. The children make tree and other decorations
for the church and put them up in the church at the end of the term.
At one school the children organise fund raising and then invite members of the
local community, via the church, to a tea party at which they entertain their
visitors and acts as hosts.
When all the students of one church secondary school walk to the parish church
for their carol service, there are serious implications for the town centre traffic!
One church holds a special service for the school (on a school day) at which the
crib is assembled as the service progresses. This is completed at the start of the
Spring Term when the Kings are added at an Epiphany service.
Ash Wednesday
At St. Mark’s, in my last year, a local vicar took the service in school on Ash
Wednesday. He first burned palm crosses in a special burner in front of the
children (one teacher had his hand on a fire extinguisher!) and then mixed the
ash and put a cross on the heads of two of the children. He then knelt down and
had one of the children put a cross on his head – a very moving moment. At the
end of the year at the school open evening, when I was talking with the child and
his parents he said ‘Remember when I had that cross on my head, Mr. Tedstone, I
can still feel it now’ and that was six months later!
Palm Sunday
Many churches invite schools to take part in special services, which seem to
invariably involve a donkey or pony leading a procession to the church.
At one school the vicar demonstrates the making of a palm cross during his
school service and this is followed during the day by groups of children making
their own crosses with help from members of the church.
Easter
Most schools end the term with services in church that re-tell the events of Holy
Week, finishing with the joy of the Resurrection.
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10. Ascension Day
One school celebrates Ascension Day by all the children taking part in practical
workshops in the church led by church members – workshops include handbell
ringing, the church building, the organ, church flowers, stained glass, church
treasures, decorating candles, etc. The children take part in two activities and
work in ‘family’ groups across the whole age-range starting at 10.00am. After
lunch there was an act of worship after which they could go home if their parents
were able to collect them. Otherwise they had to return to school until the end of
the afternoon!
At one church secondary school, after a service in the parish church, Year 9
young people are given fruit buns at ground level while the sixth form ascend the
church tower!
Leavers’ Events
Most schools take part in the Leavers Days organised by the Diocesan Education
Department in and around Wells Cathedral. Each school has a banner and in
several cases these have been made with the help of members of the church and
often reflect the church/school link.
Nearly every school has a
service for leavers in their
church and at many of these
services the leaving children are
presented with a gift of a Bible
or some other appropriate item
(including a relevant book or, in
one case, a specially made
bookmark) from the church.
Other activities
The church community is a very valuable resource for schools in many aspects
of Religious Education, especially the people, church building and all the
activities that go on in it.
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11. In many schools the clergy talk
about their role and will often
demonstrate baptism, marriage
and church ‘ritual’ with
opportunities for role play. This
may well be in the school or the
church
In more than one school, church groups run Christian Clubs during term time
and Holiday Clubs in school breaks.
One school needing more space realised the potential of the church building
which was empty most of the week during the day, so now they use the church
for all sorts of activities. They purchased display boards that are in the church
with children’s work. The congregation really enjoy and value this direct link
with the school and children!
One school has become
involved with their church’s link
with Zambia and recently
organised a teacher exchange.
They now have a joint
church/school link with Zambia
Many schools mentioned the support that they received from the church at times
of local or national crisis (eg a death or serious illness, the tsunami, etc).
Some schools have active prayer groups, which pray for the work of both the
school and the church; in two schools there are weekly meetings of such a group.
The headteachers especially value this prayer support.
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12. In many schools members of
the church community help in
school with such tasks as
hearing children read, art &
craft activities, supporting
visits, etc.
Schools often make their resources available for the church to use, and several
schools have helped their churches with such things as training/sharing
expertise in such areas as Child Protection.
A number of schools and parishes have now held a special service to affirm
and celebrate their historic and on-going ‘covenant’ relationship
At a special service the youngest
member of the school signs her
name on a covenant document
to renew the school/parish
partnership.
In conclusion….
Church schools are a kind of church, a gathering of people invited by God, not neutral
institutions with religion bolted on. They provide a major opportunity to serve,
nurture and witness to children and young people. Schools have been through a
tremendous amount of change over the past few years, the experience and expertise
gained could in turn be of great help to the church, especially as part of the current
Changing Lives initiative. Church schools, which in this diocese seek to serve their
local communities, are today indeed a ‘gift’ to the church.
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13. And finally, I would like to mention Chris – an 11 year-old at my school. One day in a
bad state he said to me “I wish I didn’t have to come to this Christian School!!”
I was so taken aback – where was all this coming from, I asked myself? “If I was at
******** school where my friend goes I could hit back when someone hit me”.
Although I knew full well that this would not be so, he really understood something of
what we were about!!
THANK YOU
I would like to acknowledge the help of the following schools & parishes:
Bishop Henderson, Taunton
Brent Knoll
Flax Bourton
Hinton St. George
Horsington
North Cadbury
Old Cleeve
St. Andrew's, Bath
St. Dubricius, Porlock
St. John the Evangelist, Clevedon
St. John's, Midsomer Norton
St. John & St. Francis, Bridgwater
St. Mark's, Worle
St. Paul's Shepton Mallet
Thorncombe, St Mary's
Tickenham
Ubley
Wraxall
Worlebury St. Paul's
And many more for all their help, support and precious time.
Mike Tedstone
Diocesan Schools Adviser
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