School Chaplains

School chaplaincy is a distinctive and vital ministry in our schools. Our 161 schools are varied and diverse communities which are served by chaplains who seek to minister to the students, their families and staff. Many chaplains are ordained Anglican ministers, parish priests and curates also provide chaplaincy support to their local schools and some of our schools employ lay chaplains or are supported by chaplaincy teams.

The role of the chaplain is varied but their job consists of the following elements:

Pastoral: Caring for the needs of the whole school community. The chaplain is available for everyone, not just Christian staff or pupils.

Liturgical: Leading prayer and worship, preparing resources for collective worship.

Spiritual: Leading the spiritual life of the community and upholding the school’s Christian ethos.

Pedagogic: Teaching about the Christian faith (some chaplains also teach RE lessons).

Prophetic: Speaking truth and promoting Christian values.

Missional: Commending the Christian faith, supporting faith development and working with the local church and other faith communities.

Further reading: School Chaplaincy – The Church of England has been providing and supporting schools for centuries through the work of school chaplains – discover more via The Church of England website here

Appointing Chaplains in Schools