Towards a Diocesan vision for education Consultation Oct 2017-Jan 2018

Why do we need a Vision for Education? Vision = ‘a picture of the future that inspires passion’ Something always drives our decisions, so clear vision  good decisions A captivating vision motivates, moving us from trying to fill gaps  enthusing others

Why are we Involved in Education? C of E started providing for mass education 200 years ago, 50 years before the state C of E is the largest single provider of schools and academies in England today, with 1 million pupils in 4,700 schools, and current plans to open 100+ more In the 1940s Archbishop William Temple saw the clear theological foundation to both NHS and Education This vision is deeply Christian, serving the common good

Why this Consultation on Education? Because there is an exciting C of E vision for education Because we have issues specific to Cumbria Because we are focused on God for All (ecumenical) Because we desire everyone to own it Because the more that feed in, the better it will be

C of E Vision for Education God for All Aim = changed lives on the ground & renewed local communities

Introduction A Christian vision for education (not a vision for Christian education) Church schools for all for Jesus’ sake (not faith schools) For all schools and young people across Cumbria (not just C of E schools)

Introduction The Church of England Vision for Education embraces the spiritual, physical, intellectual, emotional, moral and social development of children and young people. It offers a vision of human flourishing for all, one that embraces excellence and academic rigour, but sets them in a wider framework. This is worked out theologically and educationally through four basic elements which permeate the vision: wisdom, hope, community and dignity.

Wisdom Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man (Luke 2:52) Good schools foster confidence, delight and discipline in seeking wisdom, knowledge, truth, understanding, know-how, and the skills needed to shape life well. They nurture academic habits and skills, emotional intelligence and creativity across the whole range of school subjects, including areas such as music, drama and the arts, information and other technologies, sustainable development, sport, and what one needs to understand and practise in order to be a good person, citizen, parent, employee, team or group member, or leader.

For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope (Jer 29:11) Hope In the drama of ongoing life, how we learn to approach the future is crucial. Good schools open up horizons of hope and aspiration, and guide pupils into ways of fulfilling them. They also cope wisely with things and people going wrong. Bad experiences and behaviour, wrongdoing and evil need not have the last word. There are resources for healing, repair and renewal; repentance, forgiveness, truth and reconciliation are possible; and meaning, trust, generosity, compassion and hope are more fundamental than meaninglessness, suspicion, selfishness, hardheartedness and despair.

Community Jesus said ‘love your neighbour as yourself’ (Matt 22:39) We are only persons with each other: our humanity is ‘co-humanity’, inextricably involved with others, utterly relational, both in our humanity and our shared life on a finite planet. If those others are of ultimate worth then we are each called to responsibility towards them and to contribute responsibly to our communities. The good life is ‘with and for others in just institutions’ (Paul Ricoeur). So education needs to have a core focus on relationships and commitments, participation in communities and institutions, and the qualities of character that enable people to flourish together.

Dignity In the image of God he created them (Gen 1:27) Human dignity, the ultimate worth of each person, is central to good education. The basic principle of respect for the value of each person involves continual discernment, deliberation and action, and schools are one of the main places where this happens, and where the understanding and practices it requires are learned. This includes vigilant safeguarding. It is especially important that the equal worth of those with and without special educational needs and disabilities is recognized in practice. For the first time in history, there is now something approaching global agreement on the worth of each person through the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights and its successor declarations, covenants and conventions, including that in 2006 on the rights of persons with disabilities. How that is worked out in each nation and each school is a massive task that calls on the inspiration and resources offered by each tradition of faith and belief.

The Cumbrian Context Falling rolls, particularly in rural areas (6.5% in 4 years) Reduction in school funding (15% over 5 years) National movements towards new structures (incl MATs) Impact of changed church structures and the requirement to have fewer full-time paid clergy God for All vision with emphasis on mission and outreach

The Cumbrian Context: Wisdom, Knowledge and Skills Supporting schools in educating for wisdom, as well as knowledge and skills, to promote the common good Encouraging a wide curriculum and high standards, especially through local partners and focused visits to the school from DBE and others Focusing on succession planning and excellence in leadership; encouraging serving through good governance

The Cumbrian Context: Hope and Aspiration Aiming to widen the aspirations of many young people, to expand their horizons for the future and job prospects – and of understanding this world in all its fullness Promoting religious literacy via excellent RE and courses such as Understanding Christianity Developing schools and pupils with positive expectations, fueled by hope

The Cumbrian Context: Community and Living Well Together Helping everyone to understand the value of community, and our need for each other Developing long-term structures (such as MATs) where this is best for local communities and young people Churches / Mission Communities / schools (and others) taking responsibility for building the community together Understanding ourselves as members of communities who influence those communities

The Cumbrian Context: Dignity and Respect Promoting an inclusive vision and value set where church schools are for all, and each person is accepted Promoting positive behaviour, and thus seeking to eradicate all forms of bullying and abuse Developing the mental health / wellbeing of pupils and staff Promoting inclusive provision for all children, with their differing abilities and needs

C of E Vision for Education God for All Aim = changed lives on the ground & renewed local communities

How will this Vision for Education work? DBE leads in vision setting for the Diocese (and partners) via training and support to all involved through refocusing our existing resources by making excellent materials available EG Ethos Enhancing Outcomes  heads, staff, governors

How will this Vision for Education work?  Ethos Enhancing Outcomes Wisdom: what impact does pressure to achieve test results have on staff and pupils, and how could broader aims help with this? Hope: how hopeful is your behaviour management system? Community: to what extent are your school partnerships built on the notion of serving one another? Dignity: how did the lessons taught today show your dignity with which you see your disadvantaged students? Wisdom: how are we developing our students’ emotional intelligence? Community: how is the ‘centrality of relationships’ built alongside accountability?

How will this Vision for Education work? DBE works across the Diocese (and partners) with CCL (incl curates’ training) and the REACH team through God for All strategy group and downwards in Bishop’s Council and other committees within Mission Communities – enthusing and helping holding the vision up, and keeping it current

FAQs Have you spotted the spelling / grammar mistakes? YUS! Isn’t this just ‘yet another thing’? No – it’s the thing! Won’t this pressurize our overworked heads, staff and governors? No – it is energising them! Won’t this pressurize overworked vicars / MC leaders? Well, its an encouragement to community engagement and outreach… Is this just for church schools? No – for every school Is it future-proof? Yes – we will hold ourselves to the vision, which shall test all our strategic decisions moving forward

What next? Question time shortly Deaneries; SSG; heads, governors and pupils by 31st Jan Final document to BC in February, then to Synod in March

Question Time National vision – do we agree / disagree / have a nuance? Specific areas – are things missing, or needing emphasis?