Christian Leadership

Developing, Empowering and Inspiring Christian Leaders

DBE Services wants to support and encourage Christian leaders in our church schools to feel affirmed in their role as spiritual leaders of the school, and to be able to live out their Christian values in school leadership.

We therefore run two courses to inspire current leaders and those aspiring to leadership to blend and weave together their Christian and leadership journeys.

Courses Led By

David Thorpe

with support from colleagues across the region

Cost for 2026/27

£850 +VAT – Early Bird payment up to 30/9/26

£1,000 + VAT from 1/10/26

to include two full-day conferences, an overnight residential at a 4* hotel, school visits, on-line support, and a Cathedral celebration service with lunch.

Aspiring to Leadership Course: £500

To Book

Contact individual Diocesan Teams

(See Below)

The Christian Leadership Programme is year-long programme brings together heads and deputies from both primary and secondary Church of England schools from across five dioceses to journey together through a series of residential conferences, school visits and retreats, and through journalling and study, to help them reflect and build on their own Christian leadership in their school context

The course ends with a Commissioning and Celebration Service in one of the regions cathedrals.

The aims of the course are:

to develop a clear, coherent vision for the leadership of church schools
to explore the calling of Christian leadership in church schools
to affirm the role of spiritual leadership in school, community and beyond
to develop an appreciation of excellence, distinctiveness and inclusivity in church schools
to explore ways in which church schools can provide, 'Life in all its fullness' for children, families and all members of the school community
to meet the needs of the new church school leaders, in the spirit of the new SIAMS schedule 2021 to ensure that all ‘have access to regular high-quality professional development and continuing professional development (CPD)

Registering on Christian Leadership and Aspiring to Leadership Courses

To enquire about a place on the course please contact your individual diocesan teams. Places are limited and there maybe a waiting-list in operation.

To register for the 2026-27 Christian Leadership Course please click here.

Aspiring to Leadership Course – starting November 2026

As part of our suite of courses to help navigate a career pathway in church school education, DBE Services runs an ‘Aspiring to Leadership’ Course. The next cohort start in November 2026 with all in-person sessions in Blackburn but supplemented by on-line sessions throughout the year. An Information Flyer about this course can be found here.

To register for an Expression of Interest on the 2026-27 Aspiring to Leadership Course please see the Flyer above, or contact David Thorpe, and then use the form if you click here