Chaplain
The Chaplain represents the wider Church in and to the School and also, with the Principal, represents the School to the wider Church.
The Chaplain has responsibility for maintaining and developing the Methodist tradition and ethos within the school and will be a main link between the School and the Methodist Church.
The Chaplain has responsibility for seeing that the Christian faith is proclaimed and explained in ways which respect the integrity and intelligence of all, for organising the planning and conduct of some or all services and collective worship, and for encouraging the Christian nurture of individuals whilst respecting the fact that a school community will comprise people of many different faiths and none.
The Chaplain should be seen as a senior member of staff who works alongside the Principal and members of the Senior Management Team, sharing with them a special responsibility for the development of a stimulating and compassionate school community in which individuals are valued and cared for, and where qualities such as honest, tolerance, understanding and commitment are encouraged.
A good working relationship between the Chaplain and the Principal is of crucial importance.
The Chaplain serves the whole school community as listener, enabler, prophet and minister. The Chaplain has a distinctive role in supporting and encouraging other members of staff in the exercise of their pastoral and other responsibilities.
The Chaplain will, at least annually, prepare a report for the Governors of the School on the spiritual well-being of the school, and attend in person when the Governors discuss the report.
The Chaplain will join the events arranged for Methodist School Chaplains throughout the year.
These include, for example: the annual dedication service, the annual Chaplain’s Retreat, the annual Schools’ Conference. In meeting together Chaplains find mutual support, share issues of common concern and benefit from the fellowship and challenge such meetings can provide. MIST’s Pastoral Visitor is always available for support.
Chaplaincy has religious leadership at its heart, not academic teaching and such leadership can be exercised in a range of other ways too including, for example: classroom assistant, learning support, community outreach programmes and engagement in extra-curricular activities (eg. Music, Drama and sport).
Wherever possible, therefore, the School will seek to play to the strengths and experience of the Chaplain and in doing so enhance the Chaplain’s wider role within the whole school community.
However deployed, the Chaplain has to abide by all school rules, procedures and policies.
There are certain responsibilities for the Chaplain which are perhaps less immediately evident.
Although adult members of the community may marry, or bring children to baptism, and although anyone may suffer bereavement, there are likely to be fewer such events than in a circuit.
However, the impact of such events when they do occur is likely to be far stronger than in a circuit, both because of the closeness of the school community and the youthfulness of it.
For many, for example, any experience of bereavement will be their first.
The mix of people a Chaplain will encounter in a school community will in many ways reflect wider society; very few will come from Methodist backgrounds, a significant number will be barely acquainted with the Christian faith and many will follow other faiths and none.
Chaplains are at the leading edge of the church’s mission and in schools will have more direct daily contact with young people than in any other context; they have an important role in telling the Christian (and Methodist) story and walking a Christian life.