Church School Leadership Postgraduate Certficate

The Postgraduate Certificate in Church School Leadership offers a unique opportunity nationally to gain a professional qualification in Church school leadership. The course is designed for those who have responsibility for leading and managing in the context of a Church School. It is designed not only for those currently in leadership positions but also for those aspiring to leadership, teachers, educationalists and other professionals involved in any of the various management roles within a school. The course has been fully endorsed by the Church of England’s National Society for Promoting Religious Education and will be delivered by University staff with support from other experts in the field.

Who is it for?
The course is open to graduates or the equivalent who are qualified teachers, or others who carry a professional responsibility for teaching, learning and professional development.
Normally applicants should be in-post, ideally within a Church school. However, applications will be considered from those who are interested in leading and managing in  Church schools.

Module details:

Leading and Managing in Church Schools (MEDD4028 )This module focuses on the distinctive nature of  leadership and management within Church schools. The module encourages participants to  reflect critically on the unique characteristics of the Church school, with its integral links to local church and community. It examines the concepts of spirituality, collaboration, change and resource management and their impact on the leadership of individuals, teams and organisations.  It recognises that people are the most important resource in most organisations. Particular emphasis will be given to the concept of spiritual leadership and the development of value-based approaches to leading and managing in Church schools. Participants will have the opportunity to develop skills and qualities that can be applied within their own educational contexts to enhance and support decision making and leadership practice.

Organisational Improvement through Action Research (MEDD4022 )
This module requires participants to examine the context of the school as both a formal organisation (in terms of systems, structures, standards and procedures) and, arguably more importantly, to consider the informal aspects of organisation (in terms of cultures, values, beliefs, attitudes, leaderships styles and behaviours). This is a mixed-mode module with a limited amount of formal tutor input. Participants will be encouraged to identify and focus on an area for ‘improvement’ within their organisation.

Negotiated Learning (MEDD4007)

This module will take the form of an independent action research project.  The project follows on from the previous modules and allows participants  to  implement and evaluate the proposal  identified in the second module.(Individual or group seminars and tutorials by arrangement0.

Where and how will I be taught?
The course will be taught at the University of Worcester but there is an intention to offer teaching at conveniently located local centres. if group sizes allow. All sessions are designed to take a practice-based approach that incorporates peer group and tutor-facilitated discussions and observations, practical activities, case studies and group led presentations. Your face-to-face learning will be supported with a dedicated area in a virtual learning environment (VLE), either Blackboard or Moodle, which will facilitate and extend networking and group collaboration.

How much will it cost?
Each 20 credit module costs £430.

Taking your study further
The Postgraduate Certificate in Church School Leadership  is worth 60 masters credits , equivalent to one third of a Masters degree.  These credits are recognised by other universities and can be transferred into suitable Masters awards. If you would like to find out more about continuing your studies with the University of Worcester please contact Alison Clarke, CPD Coordinator for the Institute of Education, by emailing a.clarke@worc.ac.uk