Offering the school as a resource to the church
If you are working in partnership with a church, your school has much that could be of benefit to a local church. There are many opportunities for churches and schools to share resources. Usually a school will require the resources when a church doesn't and vice versa. Consider what your school has to offer to the local church community and discuss it with the church leaders.
- The school site: some churches meet regularly in school buildings, rather than having a church building of their own. This has the advantage of the church having access to some of the school's sometimes state-of-the-art plant and equipment by hiring the premises. The school obviously gains financially through the arrangement, but is also able to put something back into the local community in this way. Sports halls, playing fields and so on can be offered for church activities, out of school hours or during weekends and school holidays for picnics and church holiday club activities.
- Expertise: by their very nature, school staff are experts in teaching and learning and the use of modern technology to support that. Churches are also communities of teaching and learning, and many church leaders would welcome the opportunity to learn from school teachers about ways to improve and enhance the teaching and learning in their church.
- Pupil power: consider whether there are church events which your pupils could join in with as extra 'person power'. This could include pupils helping with church activities as part of their community involvement or advertising church events within school or to the parent community via the school newsletter or website.
