Wednesday 11th September saw nearly 150 delegates attend the Board of Education’s Annual Conference. The theme of the conference was ‘Disrupting Disadvantage’ based on Matthew 19:14, ‘Let the children come to me … do not hinder them.’
The day began with a Eucharist and Commissioning Service. Bishop John preached on 1 Samuel 17 – David and Goliath, reminding us that however inadequate we may feel God is our strength. Using the text for the day he also encouraged us to be child-like: laughing more, being honest enough to cry and having the curiosity of a child.
Mark Russell, CEO of The Children’s Society, spoke passionately about how we must do all that we can to improve the wellbeing (happiness) of our young people and shared some disturbing data about how young people themselves are feeling about a wide range of issues. He affirmed the work that our 119 schools and academies are doing to help remove disadvantage.
Dr Sarah Holmes from Liverpool Hope University shared with us about how schools, working with churches and families are well placed to help remove spiritual disadvantage, she left delegates with a whole raft of helpful resources so that schools can enrich the tremendous work that they are already undertaking.
The day concluded with a powerful, entertaining and thought-provoking talk by Huw Thomas. Huw is a former primary school head and current Diocesan Director of Education in Sheffield. Through anecdote and theology, he challenged us to take the Church of England Vision for Education seriously and further develop the spiritual lives of our pupils.
Interweaving throughout the conference was the thread of challenging the notion that ‘we are what we are and that’s our lot’. Church of England Schools, working with families and churches, are brilliantly well placed to make a real difference not only to the lives of the young people they serve but to their wider communities too.
Please pray throughout this academic year for our 119 Church schools that serve 35,000 children and young people. Pray for energy for staff and wisdom for leaders but especially for the pupils who are growing up in a rapidly changing, and often challenging, world.
