Chaplaincy
Our school chaplain is Fr Joe Roberts.
The role of chaplain is to strengthen the already considerable links between the school and St Peter’s Church. Fr Joe serves all pupils, staff and parents, whether a committed Christian, Atheist, Agnostic or of a different faith.
Fr Joe focuses on lending additional pastoral and well-being support for all and is available to listen and talk to staff, pupils and their families and to offer prayer (if requested). The chaplain works alongside senior leaders and staff to nurture faith and spiritual growth through creative action and prayer, following the school's core values, to enable every child and adult to flourish academically, emotionally and spiritually.
Fr Joe is in school once a week (usually Wednesdays) and, when not undertaking a specific duty, spends time going around to classrooms, staff areas, the dining room and break/lunch spaces, making himself available to all.
Chaplain's role
The role of the chaplain is varied but consists of the following elements:
Pastoral
Caring for the needs of the whole school community. The chaplain is available for everyone, not just Christian staff or pupils.
Spiritual
Leading the spiritual life of the community and upholding the school’s Christian ethos.
Liturgical
Leading prayer and worship, preparing resources for collective worship.
Educational
Participating in teaching about Christianity in some RE lessons.
Prophetic
Speaking truth and promoting Christian values.
Alongside his role as school chaplain, Fr Joe leads acts of worship alongside the Fr Stuart (the Rector) and Chloe (the Parish Intern). He is a member of the federation's governing body, Assistant Priest at St Peter's and Vicar of Holy Trinity in Potten End. Fr Joe has a passion for children's and families work, the pastoral care of all, the care of God's creation and a Christian approach to living. He wrote his MA dissertation on a virtue approach to video gaming. Fr Joe is married to Jaime and has two children. He enjoys walking, cycling, history, sci-fi and playing on the xbox.
Contact
If you would like to get in contact with Fr Joe, please email joe.roberts@castlefederation.org
