Education CommitteeWritten evidence submitted by Rev’d Andrew Rumsey, on behalf of the Governing Body of St Mary’s Junior School, Oxted, Surrey

The Governing Body of St Mary’s Junior School, Oxted welcomes the invitation to respond to the Government’s Inquiry into the role of school governing bodies.

Our main concern in responding regards the relationship between governing bodies and other partners. We simply wish to highlight the pivotal role played by Diocesan Boards of Education as partner organisations in the running of Church of England Schools. As there are nearly 5,000 Church of England schools nationally, we were somewhat surprised to find no mention of Diocesan Boards in the introduction to the Inquiry, which mentions unions and academy sponsors as examples of partner bodies.

We would ask that the Inquiry takes into full account the distinctive and beneficial role that Diocesan Boards of Education play, in partnership with local authorities, in providing both practical support and spiritual guidance for school Governing Bodies.

January 2013