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Diocese of Ely Education Team
Handbook for Church School Placements for Curates September 2021
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Contents:
Section One – for Curates – page 3
Section Two – for Schools – page 7
Section Three – forms for Curates – page10
Contacts:
Ministry – Rev’d Steven Rothwell [email protected]
Education – Rev’d Sue Martin
Websites
Diocese of Ely Education Team http://www.elyeducation.org
Diocese of Ely Multi Academy Trust http://www.demat.org.uk/
Diocese of Ely https://www.elydiocese.org/
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Section One – for Curates
Introduction
Our church schools are important places for children, families and communities. In many places they are the centre of the community and their links with the church are a valuable part of community life.
The clergy engage with all local schools in some way and this important relationship should always be approached with professionalism; it is the beginning of a partnership which will last throughout a priest’s time in that parish. The purpose of this placement is to enable participants to gain insights into day-to-day school life, the concerns and priorities of the people who work and are educated in schools today. By spending some time in a school which is not “your” school you will also be able to explore the expectations schools have of clergy in a way which will inform your future ministry. It is also intended to help you think about the part clergy play as local ‘mission leaders’ and how schools can stand at the heart of parish ministry.
The placement is intended to stimulate theological reflection, as well as providing opportunity for ‘participant observation’, deepening understanding of the professional skills that may be required of a parish priest in and around a school and developing participants’ confidence in working in this sphere.
Some 25% of the nation’s publicly funded schools have a Church of England designation and they constitute the single largest partnership between Church and State. It is therefore likely that at some stage in ministry there will be work to be done in a Church school. It is partly for that reason that placements will be in Church schools in the Diocese of Ely.
In preparation for this placement we will notify the Incumbent of the parish of your visit and suggest you should arrange a time to meet.
Aims of the Placement for Curates
To gain an understanding of the full range of school life, particularly the concerns, challenges and opportunities facing teachers, children, parents, governors and other staff members.
To understand the distinctive role of an ordained person in contributing to a school and to stimulate theological reflection on the part a Church school can play in the Church’s mission to the nation.
To identify your own strengths and weaknesses in terms of the relevant competencies.
To work towards improving your confidence and competency.
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An outline of the process for a Placement:
The IME Phase 2 Co-ordinator will:
a) identify interested candidates and liaise with the Diocesan Schools Team (Rev’d Sue Martin) to agree on a placement school. Please note that curates will need to show evidence of a recent DBS check to the school when they first visit.
b) arrange a planning meeting for curates preparing for Placements ( Autumn Term)
c) send to candidates: the link to access the background reading which can be found here https://www.churchofengland.org/education/publications.aspx ; Guidelines for a school placement (this document)
In Preparation the Curate will:
d) engage with the preliminary reading to gain insight into the context and mission of Church of England schools and to stimulate reflection on ministry in such contexts.
e) The Schools Team will contact the school first, giving them the curate’s details and contacts before the curate contacts the school. The Curate will then write a short letter or otherwise contact the school to introduce him/herself and set in hand the process of confirming with the school the dates and shape of the placement.
f) arrange a preliminary meeting with the headteacher (or in school placement supervisor) at the school. The final details of the placement should be addressed at this meeting. If necessary, this could be done by phone, but much better face-to-face. The conversation should include discussion of any specific tasks or manageable projects the curate might be asked to undertake. Curates might suggest suitable tasks in the light of a) above – but it is not the main purpose of the placement to undertake such tasks and projects; they should only be suggested or considered in the light of a) above and should not involve extensive preparation or follow-up work. It is important to note that should an Ofsted or SIAMS Inspection be called during the agreed period of the placement the curate should withdraw and reschedule the placement UNLESS the headteacher specifically encourages them to continue.
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g) gather and digest information about the school inc. Website information; latest Ofsted and SIAMS reports; relevant School Policies (as guided by the headteacher or in-school placement supervisor).
The Curate in School
h) The curate undertakes the placement on the agreed days. These should normally be four consecutive days in a single week and should involve being present in the school for the whole of each school day and any additional meetings that have been agreed (e.g. staff meetings, governing body [or sub-committee] meetings (which are normally held in the evening), or other events as they occur). If no governing body meeting is due we would encourage the curate to meet with a governor to talk about their role.
i) The curate writes a concise ‘Reflective Journal’ during the course of the placement. It would be reasonable for time to be set aside in school for doing this, according to the timetable agreed between the school and the curate. The Journal should include: Details of how each day is spent inc. specific activities, lessons, meetings observed Impressions gleaned Questions and issues for reflection Reflection on how learning from the placement is assisting in meeting aspirations set out in the curate’s self-assessment described in (a) above
The Journal, or extracts, might be used in assessing the placement has been satisfactorily completed; it should therefore be written with submission in mind. If a full journal contains highly personal or confidential information a redacted copy could be submitted. A reason for the in- school placement lasting four, not five days, is to provide sufficient time for writing, reflection and discussion within a five-day working week (though of course this ‘fifth day’ could be worked sometime after the placement has concluded).
The journal should not include any identifying details for children and should not be judgemental on the teaching and staff.
The Journal – in full or appropriately edited – should be sent to the IME Phase 2 Co-ordinator within four weeks of the completion of the placement. Finalising the Journal should await the de- briefing discussion held with the Diocesan Schools Adviser (see k. below)
j) The curate will be assigned to one of the Diocesan Schools Team. Your named advisor is Rev’d Sue Martin. She is available to you before, during and after the placement for informal conversation, reflection, advice etc. and should be your first point of contact should a situation arise which requires intervention or simply a ‘listening ear’ after initial contact has been made with the school. Sue’s contact details are [email protected]
k) The curate is expected to arrange at least one face-to-face meeting with the School’s Adviser, at a mutually convenient time and place after the placement has been concluded. The purpose of this discussion is to explore matters arising from the
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experience and the issues identified in the Journal before it is submitted.
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Guidance for Curates on Placement
For the success of these placements we rely very heavily on the goodwill of school staff.They have kindly committed a significant proportion of energy and time to the success of these placements out of a concern to improve the contribution that clergy make to schools in the future. However, your placement may be of some direct benefit to the school itself; youshould be open to making an appropriate contribution in lessons or meetings, but the main focusshould be on ‘participant observation’.
Consider your own development needs for the placement and note in your journal the lines of interest and also expectations. Thinking through how your time in school may best be is spent is part of the purpose of your preliminary meeting with the headteacher (or ‘in- school placement supervisor’, if it is not to be the headteacher). Bear in mind that school staff, especially headteachers, are busy people and be sensitive to the demands you may be making on them.
SafeguardingThe school will have a safeguarding policy on how it deals with visitors to school. It is essential that you follow this at all times. It will also ask you to respect the policy indicating that at no time must you be alone with a child.If you become aware of a safeguarding issue, the first person to contact is the head teacher and then also your IME co-ordinator.There are GDPR issues around any identification of children and school staff, so please ensure that you follow the school guidelines.
PhotographsBefore taking any photos please check the school policy. They may not allow you to take any photos or there may be a member of staff who could take photos on school equipment for you. Any photos for your journal will need to be agreed with the teaching staff and possibly the head teacher. NO photos should be taken of children that will identify them in any way. No photos should be left on your equipment or used in any other way.It is good practice if you do include a school photo to add date and time and acknowledge that permission has been granted from the school.
Having committed yourself to attending the school at particular times you must deliver what you have promised. You may, therefore, need to make provisional arrangements to cover pastoral emergencies in your parish e.g, a death in the parish during your school placement should not normally lead to your cancelling your visit. Make sure that appropriate alternative parish arrangements are in place well in advance of the placement.
Always be punctual. The school day is normally very tightly scheduled; even five minutes lateness can have a significant impact on others. On the other hand, a school may have unexpected difficulties. For example, it may be notified of an Ofsted inspection during or just after your planned placement. You must be ready to respond sensitively should it be necessary to cancel or postpone your
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arrangements.
Do not make assumptions about the background knowledge or Christian commitment of staff, children or parents in schools - even in a Church school. Church schools serve their local community and you may expect the makeup of the pupil body to reflect the locality in which the school is placed. If in doubt seek advice from within the school.
School staff are sometimes surprised at what can be perceived as a different culture of ‘professionalism’ on the part of clergy to that expected of teachers within the school context. One of the skills needed by ministers is the ability to adapt to different professional cultures according to the context of their ministry. One of the values of these curate placements might be to increase understanding of the professional culture in which a school operates.
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And finally – always offer to pay for any photocopying, telephone calls etc. You should also pay for coffee and school lunches if you take them. Keep a record; legitimate expenses can be claimed for from the Ministry Department.
Section Two – for Schools
Thank you for offering to host a curate in your school as part of their ministerial training. The person you have been allocated is in their second year of curacy, and may or may not already have some experience of working with schools, or may even have once been a teacher themselves. The aim of the placement is for them to “see the school from inside” and discover the best ways for clergy and schools to work together in future. They will welcome the opportunity of conversations with staff, governors, your own parish clergy, and, of course, your children. The curate is not expecting to lead collective worship or take RE lessons, but may perhaps be a “Christian visitor” in the classroom on request – these details may be discussed at your preliminary meeting.
The Process:
a) The Education Team will notify the headteacher of the name and details of the curate allocated to the school for the placement. The precise timing of the placement is subject to agreement between the curate and the school. The placement should take place in the Spring Term. It is strongly advised that the placement takes place on four consecutive days. Curates are expected to be present for the whole school day and attend any twilight meetings (e.g. staff meetings, governor meetings) as agreed.
b) Before contacting the school, curates are asked consider their own learning journey and how this placement is to help the curate address identified priorities. They will complete a Reflection Journal which will identify their learning intentions and expecations.
c) Curates are asked to make first contact with the school in order to introduce him/herself and set in hand the process of confirming with the school the dates and shape of the placement. A preliminary meeting with the headteacher (or in-school placement supervisor if not the headteacher) should then be arranged to address the final details of the placement. If this is not possible, a telephone conversation may suffice, but is not ideal.
d) Since the curate will have undertaken their learning expectations, she/he should be given the opportunity to gain relevant experience that will help fulfil identified goals. The curate will also be writing a Reflective Journal while they are on placement, and it is important that they are given sufficient time in the day for this.
e) Rev’d Sue Martin, your nominated member of the Diocesan Schools Team, is available to you for consultation and advice throughout the process: from the initial contact from the curate,
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to the completion of the placement. Contact details are sue,[email protected] .
f) It would help us review the programme if a short evaluation by the headteacher (or the in-school placement supervisor) of the process, relevant observations and suggestions of how the process can be improved were sent to the Diocesan IME Officer and Bishop’s Officer for Schools Mission, once the placement has ended. Contact e-mails: [email protected]
g) The school should follow its normal safeguarding procedures with respect to this placement – the curate should bring with them a recent DBS document and photographic means of identification
Guidance for Host Headteachers
When you agree to accept a curate on a school placement it will be helpful to identify an appropriate member of staff who will act as contact / mentor before and duringthe placement. This may be yourself as Head, but need not be.
School staff are sometimes surprised at what can be perceived as a different culture of ‘professionalism’ on the part of clergy to that expected of teachers within the school context. This can be because clergy can have a quite different professional background and because they work mainly within a different working environment from that of teachers or other school professionals. A parish minister’s work involves relating to a wide range of groups, faith communities and institutions, many of them voluntary or informal; appropriate ways of approaching such work may not always sit easily within the more regulated culture of a school.
There may therefore be different perceptions about how to deal with areas of work such as: expectations of others; formal planning and evaluation; accountability; confidentiality; complaints, timetabling etc. One of the core purposes of the placement is to enable ministers to develop a deeper appreciation of school culture and reflect on both the possibilities and boundaries involved in developing a rich and fruitful ministry in and alongside schools. It is important that both sides are sensitive to these and other issues before the placement begins. It will be helpful if you could discuss any concerns with a curate at the initial meeting. It is hoped that there will be an element of mutual learning and that conversations during the placement may help each to appreciate more deeply the context and expectations which each bring to their roles.
There are particular skills a minister might be expected to develop. However, no one individual is necessarily going to be expert in all of them. One of the skills of a wise minister is to differentiate between those skills that can and should be developed and areas of work for which a person is fundamentally ill suited. However, we do not wish our clergy simply to say as one cleric was heard to say, ‘That’s not my anointing!’ whenever a new challenge occurred! Our hope is that all our parish clergy should be equipped and willing to engage in at least some aspects of a full school ministry.
This is not a teaching practice. Nor should curates be treated as ‘extra pairs of hands’, but by hearing children read or leading a small group (under supervision
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of course) they would get a much better idea of the challenges. Your curate may also agree to be “grilled” as a Christian visitor in an RE lesson but do establish beforehand if this is something they want to do as part of this exercise. The main focus should be on active and reflective ‘participant observation’. The main purpose of the placement is to enable clergy to have a better understanding of the effective working of a school and also of the variety of contributions that a parish priest can appropriately make to that.
Curates are asked to complete a simple a self-assessment exercise at an early stage, based on list of competencies and to identify their personal goals for the placement. The planning of how best the time should be spent and structured will depend on what they have identified as well as the practicalities of each particular school. One of the purposes of the preliminary meeting with the headteacher (or placement supervisor) is to share what might be possible within the practical constraints.
If you have any concerns that cannot be dealt with directly with the curate please feel free to contact Rev’d Sue Martin or the Curate Training Officer in the first instance. Advisers are available to both the school and the curate through the process and will be meeting each curate afterwards to reflect on the experience and issues identified in the curate’s Reflective Journal prior to its submission to the ‘Initial Ministerial Education Phase 2 Co-ordinator’ who takes overall charge of this phase of a curate’s training.
Following the placement we would be grateful for your evaluation of the placement and any suggestions for how the process can be improved
Bishop’s Officer for Schools’ Mission
Rev’d Sue Martin acts as a link person as required between the Curate, the School and the Diocese for the duration of the process, beginning at the point when the curate makes first contact with the school until the point when issues arising from the Journal have been explored and discussed through a face-to face meeting with the curate after the in-school placement has been completed.
Sue is also available to the School to discuss any issues arising from or during the placement and to receive any feedback the School wishes to offer.
Sue may be approached by the IME Phase 2 Co-ordinator for feedback. However, it is not her task to evaluate the ‘performance’ of any curate unless exceptional issues arise during the course of the process that may require direct diocesan intervention of some sort.
If things go wrong…
It may be that during the course of the placement the curate may wish to raiseissues of concern or complaint. These should always be raised in strictest confidentiality with the headteacher (or in-school placement supervisor). If a difficulty relates to the headteacher then the curate should discuss them with Rev’d Sue Martin.
If the headteacher (or in-school placement supervisor) has a concern regarding the curate, this should, in the first instance be raised directly with him/her. If not resolved please contact Rev’d Sue Martin or Rev’d Steven.
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Initial Self-Evaluation
Area of School Life
ExtensiveExperience and skill
LimitedExperience and skill
Little or noExperience and skill
Comment
Primary SchoolsSecondary SchoolsChurch of EnglandSchools and AcademicsWorking withchildren of the age- group served by the SchoolClassroomobservation and practiceSchool curriculum
Consideration ofappropriate Models of Mission for ministry with Church of England schoolsSchool Governance:a) Role of
Governing Body
b) Role ofFoundation Governors
Religious Education
Collective Worship:a) Context
and Character
b) Leading
--------------- --------------- --------------- ------------------------------------------------
Legislation andstatutory
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contextAccountability:a) the
Ofsted framework
b) the SIAMSframework
----------------
---------------- ----------------
------------------------------------------------
Other
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Some Possible Activities during the Placement
It will not be possible to do all these things in four days. In the light of the Self -Evaluation above and the school practicalities within the planned week, the Curate and Headteacher may wish to use this checklist to identify appropriate activities.
Activity/ Discussion Priority/Agreed Activities
Comment
Classroom Observation
Year Groups ?
Shadowing single class for a whole day
Specific Lessons: e.g. Literacy; Numeracy; Technology; Science; ICT; Creative Arts etc
Religious EducationCollective Worship
Observation
Leading (if appropriate)
Informal ObservationPlaytime
Lunchti
me
OtherPupil Interactione.g. School Council; Other
Governancee.g. Chair of Governors; Governing
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Body Meetings and
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Committees; Foundation GovernorsChaplaincy (if applicable)
Discussion with School Staff:e.g. Senior Leadership Team; RE Co-ordinator; Collective Worship Co-ordinator;S.E.N.C.O; Admin Staff; Teaching Assistants; Support Staff etcLocal Clergy
Pre- and After-School
Parents and PTA
Documentation:e.g. School Profile; Reports (Ofsted/SIAMS); Minutes; PoliciesRAISE and performance data
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Collective Worship Observation Record
Date and Time ……,,,,,,,,….……………..
Present: Whole School / Key Stage / Class Worship Leader: ……………………………
Theme of Act of Worship: ……………………………………………………………………...........
GATHERING: Was preparation timely and appropriate? What sensory features were used? How were artefacts/space used to distinguish this as a special time? To what extent were pupils involved in the preparation/welcome? Was the purpose/theme of the act of worship made clear to pupils? Was an opening welcome phrase used? Where appropriate, were adults/pupils briefed appropriately on what they should be doing? Was leadership ‘shared’ between adults/pupils?
ENGAGING: How was the theme ‘linked’ or ‘grounded’ in pupils’ own knowledge/understanding or experience? Was the theme developed effectively? Was the pace and timing appropriate? Was the content and delivery appropriate for the age range of the pupils, how was this catered for? Did visual aids/artefacts add to the worship session? If questioning was used, was it used effectively? Did the leader present a clear message? Were the pupils actively engaged? Biblical links? Was a variety of approaches used to support pupils with different learning styles eg. use of symbols/photographs/sound effects/written word/thought and action(spiritual styles: word, emotion, symbol, action)
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NB This should be filled out after the act of worship. Do not fill this out during time of collective worship.
RESPONDING: Was there a balance of music, speech and silence? Were there opportunities for prayer and reflection? If songs or hymns were used, were they appropriate for the pupils and the theme? How were the pupils actively engaged? What opportunities were there for pupils to contribute their thoughts, ideas, feelings?
SENDING OUT: How was the act of worship concluded? Was there a sending out phrase/organised conclusion to the act of worship? How did the pupils leave? Were pupils given a message to take with them? Was music/visual stimulus used to aid the sending out?
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Select Bibliography
Church of England
The Way ahead: Church of England schools in the new millennium (CHP, London 2001) esp. c. 1,2,3 and 7
(https://www.churchofengland.org/media/1118777/way%20ahead%20-%20whole.pdf)
Statutory Inspection and Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS)
https://www.churchofengland.org/media/2289425/inspectors%20handbook%20may%202015.pdf
The Church School of the Future (NS, London 2012) https://www.churchofengland.org/media/1418393/the%20church%20school%20of%20the% 20future%20review%20-%20march%202012[1].pdf
The Church of England Vision for Education (2016) http://www.elyeducation.org/main/?page_id=9
Grove Books: Education Series
eD 1 Church Schools: A Mission-Shaped Vision Tim Elbourne
eD 2 Churches Linking with Schools Howard Worsley
eD 10 Understanding Church Schools: Ideas for Today from Joshua Watson's Founding Vision
Tim Elbourne
eD 12 The Gospel and Educational Values: The Church of England’s Contribution John Pritchard
eD 16 Help, There’s a School in my Parish! Anthony Buckley
eD 19 Mission in Schools Kevin Ellis
eD 20 A Theology of Hospitality for Anglican Schools Tom Wilson
Other
More than Caring and Sharing: Making a Church School Distinctive John Cox (Stowmarket, Mayhew, 2011)
Anglican Church School Education ed. Howard Worsley (London, Bloomsbury, 2013)
