Diocese of Chichester Education Department
The Board of Education, based at Church House, Hove, works closely with Church schools which currently educate more than 37,000 children across Sussex. The Board is committed to nurturing the Christian ethos whilst extending a warm welcome to all.
Faith In Action Awards Launch 2025
Wednesday 19 November 2025
FAITH IN ACTION AWARDS LAUNCH
We are delighted to invite you to the official launch of the Faith in Action Awards, a celebration of individuals and communities who are making a meaningful difference through their faith-inspired work. This special event will mark the beginning of an exciting journey to recognise and honour those who put their beliefs into practice to serve others and promote positive change. Join us and be inspired by the vision behind the awards and share how you can get involved.
Diocese of Chichester
RE Subject Leaders' network (online) 2025/26
Thursday 20 November 2025
An opportunity for RE Subject Leaders to meet with one another and the Diocesan RE Officer to update on the current trends and challenges for the leadership of RE in a Church school. Keep up to date with research and feedback from recent SIAMS inspections to inform your own leadership decisions.
SIAMS Ready 2025-26
Between Thursday 15 January 2026 and Thursday 21 May 2026
Ensure you are well informed regarding the expectations of a SIAMS inspection. Review the quality of the evidence in your SIAMS SEF and consider the various aspects of school life that demonstrate how you meet the requirements of the Inspection Questions (IQs). We will discuss having a ‘theologically rooted’ vision and how to know that Christian spirituality pervades your school.
Bring your SEF and at the end of the course there will be an opportunity to specifically discuss and review.
Diocese of Chichester
Climate Action Plan Seminar (online) 2026
Between Monday 19 January 2026 and Wednesday 28 January 2026
Award winning charity Ashden, are continuing to support our schools via their 'Let's Go Zero' campaign to help build climate action plans. We are co-hosting this seminar with them followed up with a workshop. Over twenty of our schools are already on this journey, come join us to start yours.
SIAMS for governors (online) 2025-26
Monday 26 January 2026
Ensure you are properly prepared for your SIAMS inspection. Review the quality of the evidence in your SIAMS SEF and consider the various aspects of the school life that will demonstrate how you are assured through monitoring and meetings that the school is able to meet the expectations of the Inspection Questions (IQs) in your next inspection.
Climate Action Plan Workshop (online) Spring 2026
Tuesday 3 February 2026
Following the introductory seminars on Climate Action Plans provided by the team at the Let’s Go Zero campaign, we are pleased to invite you to join a workshop on building your climate action plan.
To build your school Climate Action Plan (a DfE expectation this year), you will find it most helpful if you come with data on your carbon emissions. If you need help completing the 'Count your Carbon' template, please contact our Net Zero Officer, Brian Kilkelly at brian.kilkelly@chichester.anglican.org
The workshop will take about 90 minutes. By the end you will have a working climate action plan!
RE Leadership 2025-26
Between Thursday 5 February 2026 and Thursday 4 June 2026
RE is considered to be a core subject in a Church school. This course will ensure you are aware of the legal expectations in leading in a Church schools and inform you of key documentation to be considered. Best practice in RE will be discussed including planning, curriculum content, schemes of work, pedagogy and assessment.
Diocese of Chichester
Governance of a Church School (online) 2025-26
Tuesday 3 March 2026
This course will give you the opportunity to take a close look at the expectations and role of governors in a Church school. You will have the opportunity to unravel the mysteries and differences of being either a Voluntary Controlled Church school or a Voluntary Aided Church school, and if you are an academy what that means for you as a governor. As we seek to ensure our schools are places where everyone flourishes, time will be taken to also explore various school structures which may be of interest to your own governing board.
We are delighted this session is to be led by Jenny Barnard-Langston who has a rich breadth of experience in governance of Church schools from working with high performing schools to supporting schools as a member of an Interim Executive Board.
Headteachers' Conference 2026
Friday 6 March 2026
Join with other Church school leaders from across the Diocese for a day to consider topical issues and be refreshed in a beautiful setting with 2 course lunch. Be inspired by a range of speakers and have time to meet with other heads and the whole Diocesan Education team.
We are looking forward to welcoming our speakers:
• The Bishop of Chichester, Rt Revd Dr Martin Warner
• Patrick Regan, OBE is founder and director of Brighter Days which provides wellbeing and resilience training to address the evolving demands of the modern workplace
• Philip Jinadu is a director of Care for the Family which is a national charity promoting strong family life and supporting those facing family difficulties
• Sheridan Voysey is a writer, speaker and broadcaster with a keen interest on what makes life deeply worthwhile. He is the founder of the Friendship Lab which is the first non-profit organisation dedicated to helping adults to make their friendships thrive.
Ashdown Park Hotel
RE Subject Leaders network (in person) Summer 2026
Thursday 16 April 2026
An opportunity for RE Subject Leaders to meet with one another and the Diocesan RE Officer to update on the current trends and challenges for the leadership of RE in a Church school. Keep up to date with research and feedback from recent SIAMS inspections to inform your own leadership decisions.
Diocese of Chichester
Collective Worship and Spirituality 2025-26
Thursday 23 April 2026
Collective Worship can be the ‘heartbeat ‘of your school. Discover how to make worship the best part of every school day for all members of your school. From planning inspirational and invitational worship times, to selecting hymns. There will be ideas on delivering exciting transformational concepts in worship with your school. Ideas on how to use feedback and evaluation to continually improve worship and keep it fresh!
Diocese of Chichester
SIAMS for Governors (in person) Summer 2026
Thursday 30 April 2026
Ensure you are properly prepared for your SIAMS inspection. Review the quality of the evidence in your SIAMS SEF and consider the various aspects of the school life that will demonstrate how you are assured through monitoring and meetings that the school is able to meet the expectations of the Inspection Questions (IQs) in your next inspection.
Diocese of Chichester
Faith In Action Awards launch (online) 2025
Friday 7 November 2025
FAITH IN ACTION AWARDS LAUNCH
We are delighted to invite you to the official launch of the Faith in Action Awards, a celebration of individuals and communities who are making a meaningful difference through their faith-inspired work. This special event will mark the beginning of an exciting journey to recognise and honour those who put their beliefs into practice to serve others and promote positive change. Join us and be inspired by the vision behind the awards and share how you can get involved.
Land & Building Management for CofE schools (online) 2025
Thursday 23 October 2025
For headteachers, school business managers and governors of Church schools focussing on:
• permissions required for capital works;
• bidding for SCA capital funding for SCA for VA schools;
• and Net Zero in Church schools
Climate Action Plan Workshop (online) Autumn 2025
Monday 20 October 2025
Following the introductory seminars on Climate Action Plans provided by the team at the Let’s Go Zero campaign, we are pleased to invite you to join a workshop on building your climate action plan.
To build your school Climate Action Plan (a DfE expectation this year), you will find it most helpful if you come with data on your carbon emissions. If you need help completing the 'Count your Carbon' template, please contact our Net Zero Officer, Brian Kilkelly at brian.kilkelly@chichester.anglican.org
The workshop will take about 90 minutes. By the end you will have a working climate action plan!
Heads & Governors' Briefing (online) 2025
Thursday 16 October 2025
This on-line Briefing is a magazine style presentation to ensure you are kept up to date on recent changes in education and information that will be helpful to you in leading your Church school. A range of short inputs from a range of people will enable you to keep up to speed with the ever- changing world of education in a Church school!
Climate Action Plan Seminar (online) Autumn 2025
Between Wednesday 24 September 2025 and Thursday 2 October 2025
Award winning charity Ashden, are continuing to support our schools via their 'Let's Go Zero' campaign to help build climate action plans. We are co-hosting this seminar with them followed up with a workshop on October 20th. Over twenty of our schools are already on this journey, come join us to start yours.
Engaging Worship 2025
Between Tuesday 10 June 2025 and Thursday 25 September 2025
Engaging Worship
FOR: Headteachers, RE Leads & Collective Worship co-ordinators
What would it look like for your children and staff to have a “walk around faith” in the school? How can the worshipping environment you create shape and inspire the ethos of the whole school (especially in relation to SIAMS) . . .
Come and get practical ideas and top tips for creative and engaging worship for whole school and classroom - with proven tools that will inspire and encourage and give you confidence. Come with a willingness to join in.
Schools Diocese of Chichester