Why is the Church so involved with Schools?

That’s a question often asked of clergy when talking about the role of the Church in local schools. For hundreds of years in this country, the Church and School have been very closely linked. In many places it was the church which established a local school, and that is recognised today by the huge number of “Church” schools - especially in the infant and junior age range. The Diocese of Portsmouth is responsible for 49 schools, including St. Luke’s Comprehensive School in Portsmouth. 37 of these are “controlled”, where the local authority is responsible for the day to day running of the school although the buildings are still owned by the Diocese and some of the governors are Diocesan appointments. The other 12 are known as “aided” in which the school is both owned and organised by the Church. Teachers, especially Headteachers, are appointed by the Church and both the local parish and the Diocese together appoint the majority of the governors. In these schools Christianity is the dominant religion and school worship and teaching has to be designed to reflect this.

It is planned for there to be a “Church School” on the Newlands development (West of Waterlooville), and Tony Blackshaw, the Diocesan Education Officer, has already made representation to the Hampshire Local Education Authority so that it is aware of the Church interest. Hampshire will support the Church application for an Aided School. Most of the building costs will come from central Government, but the Diocese will have to find around 5%. Once established that amount rises to 10% for maintenance of the buildings. With a new primary school expected to cost in excess of 25 million pounds, the Diocese doesn’t take such decisions lightly, so to have Diocesan backing, Waterlooville is very fortunate indeed. The proposals for the school state that it will be “Anglican” led, but with an “Ecumenical” instrument of government. In reality this means that governors from other local Churches will be appointed and current meetings between Church leaders suggest that these will come from the Baptist and Methodist Churches. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth is heavily involved in the planning meetings, but with St. Peter’s Primary School already in the town, it is unlikely that it will choose to be part of a new school.

Interestingly, the Anglican and Catholic Dioceses, have also been working together on the Isle of Wight and last September a new Church school, Christ the King College, opened in Newport. Initially this is for children in years 4 - 7 but the Island Education Authority has already indicated that it expects the new school to take in infant age children, which on the Island is years R - 3. Once new buildings are ready the school will expand and the children will remain at Christ the King College through to sixth form (years 12 & 13).

The Portsmouth Diocesan Education team is shared with the Diocese of Winchester, although it is based in the new Diocesan offices in Portsmouth. The area covered by the team is the whole of Hampshire, including the Unitary Education Authorities of Portsmouth, Southampton and Bournemouth; parts of Surrey and the Isle of Wight. As work begins at Newlands, albeit slowly, we wait to hear the outcome of this team’s efforts to secure a Church School for the present and future children of Waterlooville.

Fr Mike Sheffield