Scheduled upcoming meetings of the Lichfield DBE Committee
- 5th March 2025
- 2nd July 2025
- 16th September 2025
- 2nd December 2025
- to promote or assist in the promotion of education in the Diocese that is consistent with the faith and practice of the Church of England;
- to promote or assist in the promotion of religious education and religious worship in schools in the Diocese;
- to promote or assist in the promotion of church schools in the Diocese;
- to promote co-operation between itself and other persons concerned with education in the Diocese
The powers of the DBE are:
- The organisation of church schools (eg, opening/closing schools, acquiring faith designation, change of category, converting to academy status)
- Consent for physical alterations and work to premises for specific categories of church school
- To provide direction to governing bodies and trustees in specific circumstances
- To provide consultation procedures for admission arrangements
- To seek to serve and equip our schools, academies and churches to ensure:
- A generous and excellent Christian education with is both distinctive and inclusive;
- Sustainability and growth;
- Partnership working to transform communities.
- To take seriously their responsibility to ensure high quality:
- Leadership, management and governance;
- Curriculum innovation with ambitious standards;
- Inspirational school buildings and facilities;
- Sustainable community transformation.
- A Commitment to working in partnership with others to:
- Provide world class education that is aspirational and motivational;
- Ensure that every child, young person and adult within the diocesan family receives; every opportunity to flourish and fulfil their God given potential.
- To contribute to the DBE as the ‘foundation body’ which:
- Holds statutory responsibilities;
- Appoints Foundation Governors;
- Offers advice and guidance in relation to significant areas including governance, admissions, Christian distinctiveness and ethos.
Membership of The Board of Education
Board members can be contacted via the Chair at [email protected]
The Revd Preb Michael Metcalf (Chair)
(Bishop’s Appointment)
Michael is a retired Anglican priest previously serving as a vicar and rural dean; Diocesan Director of Education; Senior Lecturer in Religious Studies and RE and OU Tutor. Michael has an MA in Maths and Theology from Cambridge and an MA from Birmingham in research in modern church music. A founder member and treasurer since 1993 of the National Association of SACREs. Michael is married with two adult children with interests including inter-faith engagement, music, bridge and bird watching.
The Venerable Dr Megan Smith
(Bishop’s Appointment)
Megan originally studied medicine, specialising in Paediatric Intensive Care and, following ordination, combined her curacy with medical work in Nottingham, before entering full-time ordained ministry as Vicar of Lenton and chaplain to the University of Nottingham in 2012. Lenton is a vibrant and diverse community, home to university campuses and many people from minority ethnic backgrounds. Her work has seen her build others in discipleship and leadership and working closely with schools and families in the community. Megan’s theological study has included a doctorate looking at the impact on faith when young adults transition to university. Megan was appointed Archdeacon of Stoke-upon-Trent in 2021.
The Revd Iain Baker
(Elected by Synod)
Iain has been Vicar of St Thomas Kidsgrove since 2003. He met and married Jane there and they have two daughters. Iain is passionate about the opportunities Church of England schools offer in enabling Children to have a rounded education of the highest quality while experiencing something of the love of Jesus in their day to day community life. He is delighted to be able to serve on the DBE and would welcome comments and suggestions from anyone in the diocese.
Malcolm Maclean
(Elected by Synod)
Malcolm was elected to Synod in 2021 and elected to serve on the DBE. Since his retirement from a senior Civil Service post he has used those transferrable skills acquired to assist his new mission with the DBE. He is active in his local Deanery and a current Lay Chair for Edgmond & Shifnal. Malcolm also enjoys serving his local CofE Primary school as a Foundation Governor and is Chair of a recently formed Multi Academy Trust in Shropshire.
Revd Alison Morris
(Elected by Synod)
As a previous member of the DBE Alison acquired understanding of its governance structure and its extensive work within a complex network of stakeholders. This together with experience and membership of others groups such as Chair of the Schools Standards and Effectiveness Working Party, member of the Raising Achievement Board, director and trustee of the previous CECET and director and trustee of St. Chad’s Academy Trust all enabled her to have a the wider perspective on the ever changing landscape of education.
As a parish priest she brings to this role the real experience of working with schools within a parish. Alison values the vital relationship between churches and schools and recognises the need for churches to engage and connect between all schools in a parish and not only church schools.
David Smith
(Elected by Synod)
David is principal of Walsall Blue Coat Church of England Academy, previously head of mathematics at a Catholic school and a deputy head at a community school. A committed and practicing Anglican and advocate of the considerable benefits of faith schools. It has been a privilege to lead an excellent team of staff who are committed to improving child’s lives and life chances for the last eight years, which has been acknowledge in very positive reports from both Ofsted and SIAMs, with the SIAMs report noting that: “Blue Coat Academy is a beacon of Christian distinctiveness serving its families and local community with humility, energy and integrity. Reviewed, revised and biblically rooted, the Christian vision is deeply embedded and shapes policies, plans, decisions and actions. It empowers the transforming of lives and life chances of all within the academy and extends outwards to the local community.” David has served as a co-opted member of the LDBE for three years, offering insight and experience of working in schools for thirty years. He has enjoyed serving as a Bishop’s Adviser in both stages of the Discernment process for the last three years.
Susan Bowyer
(co-opted)
As a practising Christian Susan have been committed to Christian education for 24 years, 18 as a senior leader in a range of individual settings and most recently as a headteacher undertaking the Executive Leader NPQ. She currently lead in a VA school but has previously worked as part of a team to take schools through to academisation. Acting as a maintained schools’ representative on the Stoke-on-Trent Schools Forum, has brought a consultative role with decision-making powers on local authority proposals. Further strategic challenge has been experienced through leading on the DFE Sustainability agenda across a partnership of schools. To be carbon zero by 2050 has ensured our need to plan for our estates, people and culture, whilst incorporating an ongoing budget to meet this.
The Revd Simon Douglas
(co-opted)
Simon has been involved in education for 30 years, both in and out of the classroom, including at local authority level. He has spent 20 years in school governance, servicing local schools as well as growing federation of schools as they transition to Multi Academy Trusts, Simon has also served as director in a mixed MAT and currently serves on 2 local governing boards, as part of diverse MATs.
Sara Goddard
(co-opted)
Sara have worked in the Lichfield Diocese for twenty-four years. She has been Principal of Kingsland Church of England Academy for the last twelve years, a large primary school in Stoke-on-Trent. Kingsland is part of St. Bart’s Multi Academy Trust, twenty-two schools, where she leads Christian Distinctiveness, SIAMS and Religious Education for the trust. Sara is also governor at a local primary school and a Church of England High School and a SIAMS inspector on behalf of the Church of England. Attending worship weekly Sara has a heart for seeing our young people and families flourish.
John Heath
(co-opted)
In his professional life John trained in architecture at the Stoke, School of Architecture and worked at the Staffordshire County Architects Department as architect lead in teams providing a wide spectrum of projects including schools, old folks homes, day centres, magistrates courts, fire stations etc. For the past 30+ years he has built an architect and planning practice, designing and administrating a large range of both small and large projects for many clients with their unique requirements. Now “almost” retired; John is finishing-off a couple of ongoing projects as well as serving as governor at Christ Church Middle School/Academy for 25+ years and now Chair for 10+years. Having served for 2 years as a co-opted member of the Barchester Committee John has now been elected as their Chair.
Revd Treena Larkin
(co-opted)
Treena served as a school governor from 2010-2018 and was involved in the initial stages as the school became the St Bart’s Multi-academy Trust. She then became the Director of this Multi-academy trust until starting theological training. Treena am passionate that the vision for church school education is distinctively Christian and is effective in providing the highest possible provision of education. As a priest she brings w that experience of working closely with schools and the parish. She was also part of the team of governors involved in a SIAMS inspection which supported the school in achieving an Outstanding grade. Passionate that all children have a voice and are enabled to flourish within their education, Treena seeks education in which all children might see role models who look like themselves both within the school environment and the wider world. She seeks an education that consistently thinks about how the full breath of diversity needs to be recognised and embraced at every level of the education for our children. As a member of the Lichfield Diocese Racial justice and inclusion group and a board member of the newly formed Regional racial justice group, Treena feels she brings valuable experience that could support the DBE committee.
