School chaplaincy - a personal view

When I took up the post 3 years ago, the George Ward School had never had a person in this role and it was difficult to know what my role exactly was.

Initial introduction to the school was made with the Headteacher. Then, through being in the school, getting to know the staff and building relationships of trust, more and more opportunities have been given.

I have been linking in with the RE curriculum and taking part in lessons, where I have been asked to give a Christian perspective on various subjects, including:

• Year 8- Death and dying, and how a Christian funeral is conducted
• Year 9- The life and ministry of Jesus, his death and resurrection; racism, capital punishment.
• Year 10- Abortion, including participating in a Big Issues panel which was quite a challenge, not least because Ofsted were present!
• AS/A2- Theodicy- the problem of evil- Augustine and Irenaeus
• Spiritual/religious experience- the Toronto blessing; the Bible as revelation.

I was assigned to a Year 7 tutor group which enabled me to get to know a group of students in a different way of relating to them other than through class work.

Taking Collective Worship- from Year 8 to Sixth Form, with one of the assistant heads- was one of the most challenging experiences.

Another key area I have been involved in is pastoral support of staff and students. This means providing a confidential listening ear. Under the auspices of the reading programme I am able to support two students pastorally. To develop this further, I was sent on a restorative justice training course with 3 staff members.

Now that the new school build is complete, George Ward School is no more and Melksham Oak Community School has been ‘born’ in its place.

I regard it as a huge privilege that I have been welcomed into the school; I am there by grace and I feel greatly blessed. It is extremely rewarding work.

If you're interested in becoming a school chaplain, do get in touch with Derek Holloway:
derek.holloway@salisbury.anglican.org