About Schools

Who's Who

Interactions in School

Visitors from faith groups are universally encouraged in schools. Despite very occasionally resistance from, e.g. governors, the presence of faith visitors is seen as part of good practice, especially in faith schools. The Church of England's work on 'The Way Ahead' gives clear direction about this.

Of course, an in any other organisation, there are all sorts of interactions and undercurrents at play in schools. Each will have its own issues about communications and responsibilities so it is always worth bearing in mind that there may be tensions about any outsider coming into the school.

RE and the structure of Primary Schools

Although each teacher in a primary school has a specialism, most are expected to teach across the subject range, perhaps with special responsibility for one or more subjects school-wide. The incidence of RE specialists is much lower in primary than secondary schools and the RE co-ordinator may have only very limited experience of RE.

RE and the structure of Secondary Schools

There will be either an RE department or an RE element in a larger department, e.g. Humanities. The RE teacher (and there may only be one, or only one specialist) may have to teach several hundred pupils a week. Each school ascribes a different status to RE, from the grudging to the enthusiastic. You should be well-received in a Church secondary school.

The Dramatis Personae

Whether you are visiting a primary or a secondary school, there are several staff that you may have to interact with:

The Headteacher
Responsible for day-to-day management of the school. Needs to be aware of what is going on, including who is visiting. The normal route for initiating contact.
Whoever has asked you to be involved, check that the Head …
a. knows
b. is happy
...that you are there. In a secondary school the RE teacher may be the main contact, but meeting the Head is still a good idea as a matter of courtesy and good relations, as well as a chance to make yourself known.
Governors

The governors are responsible, amongst other things, for approving the resources used in the school and for maintaining the law. In church schools, they have a responsibility for RE and Worship as well as a pastoral interest in the school.

In some schools the local clergyperson is expected to be an ex-officio governor or a Foundation governor; both have responsibility in monitoring and evaluating both collective worship and the general ethos of the school (see below in the SIAS section). Clergy governors will need to display sensitivity in cases where a difficult pastoral situation arises, for example a disciplinary problem to be dealt with by the governors where the person in question is also a member of the local congregation. For this and other reasons, fewer clergy governors now accept the role of Chair of governors.

When visiting a school where another member of the clergy is governor, it is especially important to let that clergyperson know that you will be there.

Parents

Parents are often very sensitive to what is happening in schools, particularly in the areas of RE and Worship. They still retain the right to withdraw children from these aspects of school life. The key to god relationships with parents is to be able to demonstrate that what is happening in the class is educationally appropriate for their children in the school context.

Be sure in your won mind about what is appropriate or permissible within the context of the particular schools:

  • In schools without a faith foundation, parents might want to be very clear about your role as a Christian minister in the school. It is not your responsibility to explain this to them directly but you would need to know what sort of response there had been from parents, especially those of other faith allegiance.
  • Even parents in a Church school may be very anxious about anything that seems to be aimed at proselytising or converting, or anything that is overtly evangelistic.
  • Understand your role and stick to it!

Where the school is not a Church school, there may be some sensitivity about clergy going into schools. This can best be overcome by recognising this sensitivity and discussing with the teacher responsible what you will be teaching. This will enable him or her to respond appropriately to any objections and will allow you to say that you are working in co-operation with the school staff.

Again, remember that teaching is normally a joint activity with the teacher. Good communications help avoid misunderstanding and allow you to make the best possible contribution to school life and experience.