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Question #1 I’ve heard some rumours about Ofsted coming to inspect my Sunday School; is this true?

A. Many people are aware that schools are inspected by Ofsted (the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills). Ofsted also regulates and inspects many other services, such as childminding, nurseries, fostering and adoption agencies, children’s homes and children’s centres. For a number of years, churches have had to register some activities with Ofsted, whenever they fall within the scope of either the Early Years or Ofsted Childcare Register. The Early Years Register (EYR) is for everyone working with children aged from birth to five, who meet the registration requirements. Additionally, there is the Ofsted Childcare Register (OCR) which is divided into two parts: the compulsory OCR which is for children aged five to seven who are cared for by childminders or through out-ofschools provision. There is also a voluntary OCR, which is for those who are not required to register but may choose to do so. Typically this covers activity-based settings or short-term care, and for children aged eight and over. Most church activities, such as Sunday schools and children’s work, do not need to register with Ofsted as they do not meet the necessary criteria.

Even if a church chooses not to join the voluntary OCR, when planning any activity and producing a safeguarding policy it could benefit from looking at the guidance issued when considering registration. This is because it includes information such as the optimum ratio of adults to children in various age groups, which churches may well wish to adhere to.

Got a question on children’s or families’ ministry to put to our panel of experts? Email us: childrenswork@premier. org.uk or contact us via Facebook: facebook.com/ childrensworkmag or Twitter: @childrenswork  

The government’s consultation on possible changes to the current system ended in January 2016. It looked at educational settings outside formal school activities. It also proposes establishing an entirely new system of registering and inspecting out-of-schools educational provision, if such groups provide more than six hours a week intensive training, tuition or instruction. Significant concerns have been raised about religious freedom here, as the consultation reflects the government’s desire to reduce the risk of young people being radicalised, as part of its broader counter-extremism strategy. The minister for education made it clear this would not include Sunday Schools, or one-week summer camps, though reports from Ofsted have suggested a difference of opinion.

Churches should provide a safe environment for children, including ensuring that the buildings they use are suitable, and that they have undertaken appropriate background checks on those working with children, such as DBS checks. Having a safeguarding policy with clear procedures for working with children (including appropriate sanctions when necessary) is expected not just by Ofsted for registered activities, but also by most church denominations, the Charity Commission and many other organisations.

For more information about best practice or any other aspect of child protection, call CCPAS on 0845 120 4550 or visit ccpas.co.uk.

Simon Bass is CEO of the Churches’ Child Protection Advisory Service (CCPAS)

 

Question #2 How can I do Godly Play with underfives?

A. Whenever I’ve done Godly Play with children who were between 18 months to three years old, it’s been a really different experience to the traditional Godly Play setup. My first time was with a much smaller group and I had been told that the children were raucous: they often ripped books and struggled to sit and listen to a story.

I sat down and got out the pieces. I didn’t use my precious pieces, I used a simpler set which isn’t straight-laced Godly Play. I used ones that could be thrown across the room and that I was happy to leave with them. I said to one of the children, ‘Would you like me to tell you the story?’ They came and sat with me. By the time I was halfway through the story, I had the whole room.

I probably told the story slightly faster than I normally would. I also let them hold the pieces so I couldn’t set it up (I was doing the Holy Family story, which is normally set up in advance). When I put the pieces down, they wanted to hold them and so I let them do that. We’ve used it for our Passover meal when we have one at home. I do the Exodus and resurrection stories.

I had to edit the Easter story for underfives because I can’t leave Jesus dead. I have to say that Jesus came alive again. For me, if you tell them that Jesus is this wonderful person and then you tell them he’s dead and leave it at that, I can’t do that… I’m also not going to be able to come back and finish off the story the next week because we’re doing it as a oneoff. I’ve amalgamated that into one story.

I still manage to maintain the lack of eye contact you get in Godly Play. When I’m doing it with groups that haven’t done it before, I tell them that. I particularly tell the adults because it freaks them out and they think it’s weird. I’ll often say to people, ‘Now I’m going to focus on the story’. With children I usually say: ‘I’m going to tell the story now. I’d really like you to not touch the pieces until the end.’ From age three onwards, I ask them not to touch the pieces until the end.

I’ve done it without eye contact even with younger ones, because they’re so focused on the things that you’re telling the story with, you can do it. It really helps to have a doorkeeper who can come alongside them and help them reengage. In a nursery setting, that’s what adults do all the time. To be honest, the nursery workers were gobsmacked by the reaction from the younger group. I often repeat the story with under-fives because that’s something they are used to. By the time I was halfway through the story at nursery, I had the whole group, and then at least half the group wanted me to tell the story again. We collected all the pieces back in and I gave them back out and told the story again. It was probably because some of them hadn’t heard it before. One of the great things is that you get to tell them stories that are actually new to them. When you’re doing it with older children, lots of them have already heard the stories. But, even at that young age they could cope without the eye contact, which I was surprised by.

Victoria Beech runs GodVenture, inspiring and helping families meet God together at home Godventure.co.uk