What’s it like for Christians in education?
Across the UK, thousands of Christians work in education in an array of roles. What do their jobs involve and how do they make a difference for God in school? We spoke to four Elim members in education
JEN ALFORD
Headteacher
What is your role and what does it involve?
I’m a head teacher in a small Malvern primary school. My job has many facets but the key one is strategically driving the school forward through our Christian vision – “Nurture the Potential for the Brightest Future” – which is rooted in Matthew 5:14, “You are the light of the world – like a town on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.”
My job is to guide all staff, children and families to reach their brightest potential, equipped with the knowledge that they are unconditionally loved by God, free to take risks, make mistakes and grow in the safety of his forgiveness, ready for the plans and purposes he has for their bright futures.
What do you love about it?
I started my career in a school in Coventry where I moved to marry my husband, and it was here I fell in LOVE with teaching.
I had the privilege of working with some incredibly inspiring team members and a leader who truly made me believe I could make a difference in the lives and futures of little humans. To this day, that belief has not faded. My passion for education grows year on year and, in the midst of a somewhat broken system, I am increasingly convinced of the role educators can play in enhancing the lives of children and families.
I have the great pleasure of investing in 90 little lives and their families; growing them not only academically but holistically through a team of amazing practitioners. Even on the more challenging days, we remember we are here to see them SHINE.
How do you live out your faith and make a difference for God in this role?
Sixteen months ago, I took the role of head, through no desire of my own but through the guiding hand of God. At that time, we had falling numbers, a poor Ofsted grading and a lot of unsatisfied staff.
In my preparation for the role I had a sense of God stirring something deep in me about crafting a new vision, rooted in who we are both locationally and in character.
I had a sense of God saying, “This school can be a beacon of light, a place where hearts can be healed, children find their true value and staff flourish in their roles with renewed vision and purpose.” Then one day, I was sitting in church with our school when the vicar spoke about the verse in Matthew above.
I felt my heart was going to explode and I heard the gentle nudge of the Holy Spirit saying, “Jen that’s what I want you to toil for at Malvern Wells. I want you to build a school on a hilltop that cannot be hidden – not because your academic results trump the nation (although I believe in academic excellence for children to reach their brightest potential), but because of the character of the community and their LOVE for one another and the world they are a part of.
“I want you to build a team (an army) of people who are so invested in this that Malvern Wells becomes known as the school on the hilltop that shines brightly.”
So everything I do is rooted in this vision that was crafted by God for us as a community. It is a daily toil. I get distracted from my core business every day by a plethora of things – finance, dead pigeons on the playground, poorly staff, broken rulers, sickness, you name it – BUT my core business, the reason I get up each and every day and drive to school singing at the top of my lungs “whom then shall I fear?”, is that I have a God-given mission to see everyone reach their brightest potential through his guidance and strength.
CLAIRE JACKSON
Trainee Teacher
What is your role and what does it involve?
I am a trainee teacher and am just coming to the end of my first placement in a mainstream, secular school with approximately 1,200 students. As a trainee, I will be with placement schools for 120 days of the academic year, with the remaining days being university-based or self-led.
The most exciting aspect of this is the amount of people I am getting to meet, from all walks of life.
Firstly, I get to meet so many amazing young people aged from 11-18 as I teach. Secondly, I get to work alongside many teachers and experts from different subjects. I also get to work with fellow trainees and students from within the university setting and also from other universities.
What do you love about it?
I absolutely love working with young people, particularly offering space for them to wrestle with their own thoughts and opinions on faith, religion, ethics and world views.
Teaching brings so many gifts – from witnessing young people grasp something they’ve found challenging or watching them gain the confidence to try something new – and these moments are so precious.
How do you live out your faith and make a difference for God in this role?
Being a Christian in an education setting can be difficult and I ask people to uplift us in prayer. In my first month alone, I faced a number of challenges, angry comments and allegations, particularly from fellow trainees – all because I’m a Christian. I didn’t meet a fellow Christian until I started my first placement more than a month into the course... and I’m teaching religious studies!
That said, every morning on my commute I love having time to worship loudly and pray for the young people. God has certainly been answering me (although at times a little too well!)
One morning I asked for wisdom as to how to manage classroom behaviour better and let’s just say the kids certainly gave me opportunities to practice behaviour management that week! An example of a lesson I have taught is “Belief in God” to Year 7s. I encouraged our young people to explore what they believe, be they a theist, agnostic or atheist.
We had them stand on a physical scale on the ground between 0-10, with zero as an atheist, 10 as a theist and two to nine as agnostic. I was asked by my observing teacher (who is a Muslim) where I stood on this scale. I then shared my testimony, in a school-appropriate way, of how I used to stand with atheists, but am now a theist.
Following this, we had the kids discuss what they personally believed with their classmates, before writing why they believe what they do in each other’s workbooks.
It was so beautiful to witness six young Christians standing confidently in the theist category with beaming faces, sharing why they follow Christ with their classmates who are Muslims, atheists and agnostics. My observing teacher has since asked me many follow-up questions.
There are limitations on how faith is shared in school settings, due to legalities and policies. However, God has no limitations. By giving my every day to him before I start, I am in such a privileged position to shine his light in a space that can often be dark.
GEOFF RICHARDSON
School Governor
What is your role and what does it involve?
I am a governor at the school in the village where I live. It’s a Church of England primary school and as such they have to appoint at least one “foundation governor” whose responsibility is to help preserve the religious character of the school.
I familiarise myself with the RE syllabus and through regular visits ensure that there is a sound Christian foundation to the teaching in the school. The fruits of the Spirit as listed in Galatians 5 are promoted there and they form the basis of the school’s “caring vision”. One fruit or “caring value” is promoted each term within lessons and in collective worship.
In addition to governor monitoring visits, I regularly go into the school to take assemblies, telling a Bible story which illustrates and reinforces the caring value for that term.
What do you love about it?
In the past I have found it all too easy in Christian ministry to spend time only with other Christians, so I love the opportunity to connect with staff, pupils and fellow governors and to feel part of the community. I also love the challenge of engaging with children, some of whom might have no Christian input in their lives.
How do you live out your faith and make a difference for God in this role?
I have been able to come out of the relatively sheltered world of Christian ministry and connect with ordinary folk in the context of something that is so important to everyone – the education of children. The difference I’ve made has been to keep the Christian foundation of the school at the forefront of the governors’ thinking and to help shape its vision to be Christian.
ROB LEWIS
Chaplain
What is your role and what does it involve?
I’m a chaplain at a Church of England school for children aged 11-16 where I have a pastoral role for students and staff. I have other duties too, including heading up the Christian ethos of the school – I’ve written a three-year programme for school assemblies.
Approximately 65 per cent of my time is with the students, with the support I give varying from friendship issues to the most tragic and painful of circumstances in life.
I have also been part of the safeguarding team (I’m Deputy Designated Safeguarding lead) for several years. This involves very sensitive and important work with families and social services.
What do you love about it?
I love working with the students. Their openness and trust in sharing very personal, difficult needs is awesome and it’s a real privilege to be able to support them through these.
How do you live out your faith and make a difference for God in this role?
I write material for school assemblies and also prepare the Christmas and Easter programmes. I also oversee the Youth Alpha programme, because six weeks of Alpha are incorporated into the Year 8 RE curriculum and 2,000 students have completed the first six sessions of this.
For staff, I run three Alpha programmes, take a weekly prayer meeting and hold communion at the start of every term. I’ve teamed up with local church’s youth leaders and attached them to specific year groups in the school.
They also help with assemblies, Youth Alpha and detached youth work during lunch.
Working in school is an ever-changing landscape but I count it a great opportunity to be there and show Christian love and compassion.
Rob retired from his role at Christmas.
This article first appeared in Direction Magazine. For further details, please click here.
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