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The Affiliated Schools’ Scheme

Affiliated schools in the Diocese of York

Affiliated school status builds on existing relationships and good community practice. It makes a statement to parents and the wider community about a school’s values and aspirations. It speaks of teamwork and interdependence. It gives the school access to the wider community of the Diocese that many have found enriching to school life.

What is an Affiliated School?

An Affiliated School is one where the school, parish and the wider diocese have entered into an informal, time-limited partnership for the benefit of the school and its community. A requirement of affiliation is that the school includes a clear statement of its commitment to Christian values, in line with the Diocesan ethos statement (see section 1a below), in its statement of aims or mission statement. Affiliation is only appropriate where there is already a good and productive working relationship between a school and its local church.

What are the benefits of affiliation?

Every school is unique and there are many reasons why a school might wish to consider affiliation. Diocesan-affiliated schools in other parts of the country have indicated their views of some of the benefits as follows:

• It makes a statement about the school’s emphasis on Christian values, and the importance of worship and spiritual life for the school community. This sends a clear message to parents and the wider community, and will be noted by an Ofsted inspection team.
• It is a recognition that the school values the development of body, mind and spirit and that a spiritual dimension is part of the essence of being human.
• It strengthens existing positive links between the school, the local Anglican church and those of other denominations. It recognises a positive and beneficial relationship between the headteacher and the local clergy/ministers and encourages further development of such links.
• It is a tangible recognition of shared spiritual values between school and church whilst also recognising the distinctive contribution of people of other faiths or no faith.
• It is seen as significant for the local parish church. The clergy and congregation will welcome the desire of a school to be more closely linked and will seek to build the relationship sensitively.
• It benefits the school by inclusion in the network of Diocesan Church Schools, with access to the curriculum resources, advice, support and training available through the Diocesan Education Team.
• Secondary schools affiliating to the Diocese thereby provide a smoother progression from church primary to church-linked secondary education.
• Should the school wish, advice and support may be offered to the school during the headteacher recruitment process, though not for the final interview itself.

What affiliation is not

• It does not give the Diocese any power or influence in the school’s executive functions.
• It does not give the Church the right to promote Christianity within the school.
• It does not provide access to additional funding.
• It is not a means of seeking to poach pupils from other schools.

In line with other dioceses in England, the York Diocesan Board of Education now offers affiliated status to schools who, would like to be more closely associated with their local Anglican Church and the wider community of the Diocese. Affiliation is open to schools in both the primary and secondary phase.

Detailed guidance on the affiliation process may be found in the ‘Guidance notes for the establishment of Affiliated Schools within the Diocese of York’.