Church School Distinctiveness Advisor

Are you passionate about supporting Church schools to flourish in their Christian distinctiveness? Do you have a heart for promoting Christian values in education while encouraging inclusivity and respect for other religious traditions? If so, we invite you to apply for the role of Church School Distinctiveness Advisor with The Church of England  Birmingham.

We are looking to appoint a Church School Distinctiveness Advisor to join our Church of England Birmingham Education team.  We are a small team of 3 school facing officers, Sarah Smith (Diocesan Director of Education), Barrie Scott (Deputy Diocesan Director of Education) and our Church School Distinctiveness advisor (might that be you????). We are ably supported by three further team members who provide a range of administrative support to our schools. 

Our team, although having specific areas of responsibility, work closely together supporting one another and running a number of joint training events. We pray together: for each other and for our schools, and seek to help one another out wherever it is needed or possible. 

We have 52 schools spread over the Diocese of Birmingham: 27 in Birmingham Local Authority, 4 in Sandwell , 11 in Solihull, 9 in Warwickshire and in 1 in Worcestershire. As you might imagine, a number of our schools are in densely populated inner-city areas, serving children from a variety of belief backgrounds.  We also serve small rural communities and wealthier suburbs too. We have 3 secondary school schools, the rest are a mixture of all through primary, infant and junior schools.

 Our Church School Distinctiveness Advisor plays a pivotal role in promoting and developing Religious Education (RE), Collective Worship, and the ethos of Church of England schools across the diocese. It involves working closely with headteachers, staff, clergy and governors, providing professional advice, leading  training, and supporting schools in their preparation for Section 48 (SIAMS) inspections.

We recognise the uniqueness of this role and are keen to appoint someone who has a passion for our schools, some experience and understanding of their place in the schools system and some experience of the work that the job will be covering. It may be that you feel you have strengths in some aspects of the job role, but not have had experience of other parts. Do have a conversation with Sarah (DDE), don’t rule yourself out yet!  We are looking for a someone who is willing to engage in learning and personal development.  This is definitely the type of role that you can grow into, there will be support and encouragement all the way.

The education team is part of the wider work of the Church of England Birmingham. We take part in wider team social events, meetings and life of the diocesan central team. The Church of England Birmingham covers an area of nearly 300 square miles and includes parishes in the West Midlands including Birmingham and parts of Solihull, Sandwell, Warwickshire and Worcestershire. This is an area that is young, culturally diverse, creative, dynamic and constantly changing; politically, economically, socially and environmentally. In all these changes, God is at work, inside and outside the church.  

Since 2009, our Transforming Church strategy has been shaping our vision across the Church of England in Birmingham, guiding us to be a more inclusive church that is growing ‘larger, wider, deeper and younger’ – a church that is a transforming presence at the heart of our communities. Transforming Church has its heart in local parishes and in all forms of growth; numerical, spiritual and transformational. 

 We have 182 places of worship with an average weekly attendance of 17,000, from a population of 1.5 million. We work alongside teams supporting parishes, clergy and their congregations, drawing  on the expertise of others in our organisation when needed to provide support with finance, buildings, interfaith relationships, for example. We recognise the role that family, church and school play together and seek to work with colleagues across Church of England Birmingham to support that.    Schools are at the very heart of mission, they are sought after by the general public and provide a unique opportunity for children and young people to encounter the person of Jesus and find out more about God.   

The education team is accountable to the Diocesan Board of Education, who oversee the work and report to Diocesan Synod.  

This is a unique opportunity to have a lasting impact on Church schools within the Diocese of Birmingham, helping them grow and thrive in their Christian mission. The successful applicant  will join a supportive diocesan team dedicated to improving the quality of education in its widest sense, and the spiritual life of schools. 

We are ably supported by the Diocesan Board of Education led by The Very Revd Matt Thompson, Dean of Birmingham Cathedral, and our new Bishop, The Rt Revd Dr Michael Volland. 

To lead the promotion and development of RE, Collective Worship and the ethos and distinctiveness of Church Schools.

1. Church School Distinctiveness

1.1    To provide professional advice and support for headteachers, staff and governors of Church of England schools on matters of RE, Collective worship and other areas of the curriculum where a distinctive Christian viewpoint is needed. This will include:

a)    Promoting Christian values and teaching whilst ensuring that other religious traditions are understood and valued

b)    Supporting schools in identifying and developing their theologically rooted vision statements.

c)    Assisting staff with curriculum review, the formation of syllabi and the selection and production/creation of appropriate classroom materials

d)    To evaluate and ensure that schools have access to, high quality material for RE and Collective worship

e)    Leading training events both bespoke for schools and centrally as needed.

1.2 Lead diocesan engagement with Section 48 inspections in Church of England Schools and academies in particular

a)    Arrange and lead appropriate in-service training. 

b)    Support schools in their preparation for inspections and in school action planning for future development

c)    Analyse outcomes and report to the Collective Worship, RE and Ethos Development (CREED) Sub committee of the Diocesan Board of Education 

d)    Be the named SIAMS contact for the National SIAMS team, and lead on the actions that the role requires

1.3    To be the named officer in attendance and supporting the work of CREED

1.4  To support coordinating the arrangements for the annual  Year 2 and Year 6 leavers Service in Birmingham Cathedral

1.5  As required, to represent the Board on SACRE’s and other committees concerned with RE and Collective worship

1.6 To ensure that the Diocesan partnership with Malawi is kept visible to schools.

2.0 General

2.1 To undertake appropriate professional development and develop professional links with other officers and advisers at local and national level.

2.2 To provide pastoral support to schools when needed

2.3 To support the overall work of the Diocesan Education team, 

2.4 To represent the Diocese on consultative and statutory groups and committees as  required.

2.5 To have responsibility for and carry out such other duties as required by the DDE commensurate with the role.

The successful applicant needs to be able to work within the complexity of education with their diverse context and legal frameworks across the region.

A Genuine Occupational Requirement under the Equality Act 2010 applies to this post, in that the post holder must be a practising Christian.  

Salary: £26 075. Full Time equivalent: £50,218

Hours of Work: 21 hours per week during term-time. Must include Friday morning, but flexibility to be agreed.

Holidays: This post is term time only a paid holiday allowance of 11.5 days annual leave, 3.5 bank holidays and 3 discretionary days is included in the salary and should be taken outside of term-time.

Location: The post holder is based at the offices of the Diocesan Board of Finance in Birmingham, currently at John Cadbury House, 190 Corporation Steet, Birmingham where we hold most of our in-person training events and meet as a team in person on a Friday morning. Hybrid working is permitted and the rest of the week is flexible to be agreed, to a total of 21 hours.  We are out and about visiting schools and work from home and the office as suits our diaries, although there are times when attendance in person at the offices are needed.

Expenses: The Advisor must be able to travel the length and breadth of the diocese and will preferably drive to many engagements. Business car mileage is reimbursed at the diocesan rate, currently 45p per mile within Birmingham diocese and 30p per mile outside the diocese. 

Pension: The post holder is auto enrolled into the Church Workers Pensions Fund (Pension Builder Scheme) into which the Birmingham Diocesan Board of Finance will contribute 12% of salary per annum, which includes death in service benefit of three-times salary. 

If you are committed to making a difference in Church schools and have the skills and experience we’re looking for, we would love to hear from you. 

Do contact Sarah Smith, Director of Education sarahs@cofebirmingham.com for a further conversation.