The Diocesan Board of Education

The Diocesan Board of Education (DBE) is a statutory body with particular functions and responsibilities for church schools, RE and Collective Worship and education in the diocese more widely.

Our work reflects our national commitment to the Church of England’s vision for education ‘Deeply Christian, Serving the Common Good’.  Our Church schools and academies are open to all and are inclusive, supporting and encouraging those of Christian faith, other faiths and those of no faith.

The Diocesan Board of Education meets four times a year and sets policy and strategy which the Education team implements. It has an agreed policy on academies and small schools, two major issues facing all dioceses.  These are available to view:

DBE Academy Strategy (September 2021) | PDF

DBE Small Schools Strategy (September 2018) | PDF

The Church of England Education Office publishes resources and reports for school leaders, diocesan educations teams and others in the education sector.  The latest reports are:

Embracing Change: Rural and Small Schools (March 2018) | PDF

Vision for Education: Deeply Christian, Serving the Common Good  (Autumn 2016) | PDF

Challenging Homophobic Bullying - Valuing All God's Children  (Summer 2019) | PDF

The DBE has to give consent to church schools which wish to become academies. Typically schools join or form a Multi Academy Trust (MAT). At present there are three stand-alone academies, a Diocesan MAT and four local church school-led MATs in this Diocese. 

The DBE ratifies the appointment of all foundation governors, of which there are just under 300.  Please visit our Foundation Governors page here | Weblink.

DBE Members

Download a full list of current members of the Diocesan Board of Education:

DBE membership | PDF

The current Board was elected/nominated/co-opted for a three-year period from January 2019 to December 2021.  Due to the DBE Measure 2021, this three year period has been extended by one year to December 2022.

Meeting dates

The DBE meets at least four times a year and members are also invited to join specific courses, conferences and occasional joint-sessions with other Dioceses or the Local Authority.

Future meetings in 2022 are planned for:

Tuesday 13 September 2022 @ 4.00pm
Tuesday 22 November 2022 @ 1.30pm

Agendas will be posted here one week prior to the meeting. Meetings normally take place at the St Nicholas Centre, Cutler Street, Ipswich IP1 1UQ although due to the current situation have been taking place online.

Previous Meetings 

May 2022 | Agenda | PDF | Minutes - fo follow

February 2022 | Agenda | PDF | Minutes | PDF 

November 2021 - Agenda | PDF | Minutes | PDF

September 2021 - Agenda | PDF | Minutes | PDF

May 2021 - Agenda | PDF | Minutes | PDF

February 2021 -  Agenda | PDF | Minutes | PDF

November 2020 - Agenda | PDF | Minutes | PDF

September 2020 - Agenda | PDF | Minutes | PDF

May 2020: Agenda | PDF | Minutes | PDF

February 2020: Agenda | PDF | Minutes | PDF

Older papers are available on request - please email Jacqui Studd.