Christians at Work - October 2008

Peter Gardner: "The privilege of headship in a church school".

‘I know the plans I have for you , says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.’  Jeremiah 29 v 11

Peter Gardner has been the headteacher at Leckhampton  C. E. Primary School since 1986. In his talk, his focus was not on the day-to-day life of a primary school, but on his own personal journey of faith, how God has called him throughout his life and how his faith brings him to his vision for the school and for encouraging every child within the school to fulfil his or her potential.

Peter began by issuing three challenges to everyone in the audience:

For each of us to reflect on our own journey through life;

                        to think about how God is calling each of us;

to feel challenged about the way we can contribute to building a future for our young people.

Drawing on Biblical texts, Peter took us through his own personal journey, his childhood, his increasing awareness of God’s closeness and then through difficulties in his circumstances which challenged his outlook on life and his faith. Emerging with greater determination, Peter then went on to teacher training in York, embarked on a career in teaching and married Christine. Along the way, he encountered an inspirational headteacher at a school in Yate, who encouraged him to believe that everyone can make a difference, and faced further challenges to his self-confidence as a teacher at a school in Bristol, which led to greater humility.  Peter then became headteacher at Hartpury Primary School and after seven years there he came as headteacher to Leckhampton.   Peter emphasised that his personal experiences have enabled him to understand and empathise with the kind of situations any child can face as they grow up.

 Peter then explained his concept of what makes a Church school special, and of how a school can help each child to grow in terms of spiritual development – to explore the inner dimension of human life and what goes beyond the material. Using photographs of the life of Leckhampton School, he explained many different ways in which this spiritual growth can take place, both within the curriculum and through many activities and events which all enrich the children’s lives and deepen their understanding.

By being part of the school, a child develops a sense of belonging to a community.  A child’s natural inquisitiveness at their environment and the world around them, and their curiosity about nature and science, can foster a sense of awe and wonder. Through the curriculum, children explore the beliefs of others while developing the knowledge of their own beliefs and values. In the midst of all this, it is important to allow space for silence and time for reflection in busy lives.  

 Events such as the choir singing in Tewkesbury Abbey contribute to a sense of transcendence and a sense of God’s closeness.  Children are naturally creative, and art works such as the school murals epitomise the importance of every individual’s contribution coming together to make the whole. The celebration of sporting and other achievements can encourage self-knowledge and self-worth.

We have to face with sensitivity the need to respond to suffering and death, through Remembrance and finding out about the work of charities.   

Through all this, the Church can offer support to the school and through its witness can work to build a future for each child.

In response to a question, Peter outlined some of the issues which are facing schools as we look to the future.

The talk concluded with a video about the work of COPA, a charity which the school has supported for a long time, which has established schools in the Dominican Republic. This reinforced Peter’s message that it is possible for us to make a difference in building a future for each child, whatever the circumstances.

All in all, this was an inspirational presentation, with challenges for us all.

This meeting was a ‘first’ for Christians at Work, as it took place away from the Cottages  - and indeed at the speaker’s own workplace!  We had an opportunity to admire the school murals before the meeting. Thanks to the school for organising a most rewarding evening.

Anne Gale

Christians at Work visit to Prinknash

With his usual efficiency, Roy had organised the CAW trip to Prinknash, together with lifts and so on, several weeks in advance.  With his usual common sense, he then emailed me a couple of days before the event to remind me what I was doing, when and with whom, so that I actually turned up.

These plans having gone like clockwork, the four cars bearing the St Peter’s pilgrims met promptly in the car park at Prinknash to be met by Father Abbot.  He escorted us to the laity chapel in the small abbey.  To avoid confusion on this point, perhaps I should explain.  The community at Prinknash have recently moved from their former home in the new Abbey building back to their former, former home in St Peter’s Grange, the older abbey building. Thus their new accommodation is the old abbey and their old accommodation was the new abbey.  I hope that that’s cleared that up.  Father Abbot very sensibly called them the big and small abbeys.

The Laity Chapel in the small abbey sits at right angles to the nave of the main chapel, facing across to a Lady Chapel.  The Laity Chapel itself is beautiful; simply furnished and decorated with fascinating images of the stations of the cross.  Originally painted by Brother Louis, in ochre-brown onto the cream walls, they are full of movement and life, blending into one another and moving the story from palace to courtyard to hillside to tomb.  Although they are very small, I hope that the pictures here give an idea of the originals.

We had a few minutes to meditate on these pictures, to pray or simply to sit in the incense scented peace as we waited for the community to finish their chapter meeting and for Compline to begin. The sound of sandaled feet and a few coughs, peace once again and then gentle singing from the community that had assembled out of our sight in the main chapel. Members of the community took turns to cantor different parts of the service as it flowed around us in a glorious mixture of voices, music and latin phrases.  It was a valuable lesson that however inadequate my O level latin (completely inadequate, in fact), faithful prayer doesn’t need translation.  At the end of the main service the brothers moved up to the Lady chapel and we saw them briefly for the first time. After the service we were again collected by Father Abbot and taken on a gentle hike through the darkness to the guest wing where he kindly gave us an overview of the history of the community and their recent moves, and then answered our questions.  It was good to hear that several ‘nibblers’ are exploring the possibilities of joining the community.  After a return trek across the wilds of Gloucestershire to the car park, we were on our way home. This was my first visit to Prinknash for a service and I was so pleased to be invited by CAW.  The atmosphere during the service was prayer-filled and peaceful and offered a wonderful end to a hectic week.  Thanks to all involved in the visit, especially to the car-drivers and Roy for organising us all.

Anne Dowdeswell            

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