Simon Says ...

Now the Report of Proceedings from the July Synod is available online, I reproduce these two extracts from the question time when I asked two supplementary questions.   As ever, this is about transparency in relation to what happens at Synod. The first relates to Safeguarding, and to the difference in cycles between DBS checks and training requirements.   I have been involved in working out a Diocesan training schedule for Safeguarding and we have found that it misses a trick to combine the two cycles making record keeping (and hence reminders and up to date training and checks) simpler. 35. Revd Canon Jenny Tomlinson (Chelmsford) asked the Chair of the House of Bishops:  Can it be confirmed whether or not DBS checks are in future to be required every three rather than five years; and, if they are, what is the estimated cost to the whole Church, and benefit, of such a change? The Bishop of Durham (Rt Revd Paul Butler) replied as Chair of the Joint Safe...

It was a great pleasure to spend tea-time of my day off yesterday at a service of blessing for a new school building. There were awards - Head Teachers gold certificates for the staff closely involved and for the contractors. I am the proud bearer of a Values in Practice pencil, given to Governors who had been involved in the project for putting our values into practice. Bristol City Council are to be congratulated for being the first (and probably now the only) authority to get all their secondary schools through the Building Schools for the Future programme. I have to say that whatever political capital is being made about BSF, my experience of it has been very positive. We have a fantastic new building, on budget and on time, despite some real difficulties with the site. Skanska , the contractor are to be also to be thanked for making the building process as easy as possible. This is, of course, not the end. The school move into the new building over half-term, and then the ...