Schools Engagement

Developing a relationship with the any schools in your parish is a fantastic way to share love and faith with children, young people and families in your community. The relationship between church and school is one of the key relationships of the Growing Faith movement. There are so many different ways you could engage and support your local school practically. The Mission Toolkit contains lots of suggestions for engaging with schools.

Simple ways to love and bless your local school

1. Pray for the school

This is the simplest but also most important step when blessing your local school. Some different approaches include:

Praying for the schools by name during intercessions, at church prayer meetings
Prayer walking around the parish or schools.
Asking God how you could bless the school community.
Asking members of the school community what you could be praying for.
Pray for Schools is a website with lots of ideas and they have produced a great resource 10 Ways to Pray For Schools Poster.

2. Bless the school through gifts and encouragement

This can be as simple as sending in edible treats with a card saying how grateful you are for all that the school staff do and saying you are praying for them.

This could be on a termly or seasonal basis. For example at Christmas, you could send a hamper with food, tea, coffee and hot chocolate.
If it is a secondary school, it may be appropriate to spread gifts across departments. Aiming to send chocolates to each department over the course of the academic year is an example that has worked in the past.
Providing refreshments for INSET (teacher training) days.

3. Being there for the school during difficult times

If the school happens to have an inspection this is an ideal time to send them a gift of love and encouragement.
If there is a tragedy or crisis in the school community offer support, whether it is practical, pastoral or just telling the school you are praying for them.