FlourishED National 2027

Deeply Christian, Serving the Common Good - Celebrating 10 years of the Church of England Vision for Education

Friday, 5 February 2027

I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full – John 10:10

Programme Overview

In 2016, at our first National Conference, we launched the Church of England’s Vision for Education. Ten years on, this vision continues to inspire and equip dioceses, trusts, schools, leaders and children across the country to flourish - something to truly celebrate!

We invite you to join us for FlourishED National on Friday 5th February 2027 at SAINT Church in Hackney for a day of celebration, reflection and inspiration. With keynotes and workshops to stretch and challenge our thinking, we’ll join together to hear stories of the vision’s impact over the last decade, and we’ll look ahead to the next chapter with hope and ambition for the class of 2040.

We’re delighted to welcome the Archbishop of Canterbury who will lead a special service of commissioning, alongside keynotes from Schools Minister Geogria Gould and Richard Kueh, Chief Education Officer, CAM Academy Trust.

Our workshops will be delivered in partnership with Diocese and school leaders, and shaped around our three core workstreams - Developing Leaders, Shaping Policy (focusing on RE) and Growing Faith. They are designed for reflection, collaboration and challenge.

We hope you will join us as we celebrate a decade of a vision rooted in wisdom, hope, community and dignity and as we consider together what it means to be Deeply Christian, Serving the Common Good for the next generation.

Keynote Speakers

Archbishop Sarah

Archbishop Sarah is the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury. Born in Woking in 1962, she became a Christian at the age of 16. Before being ordained, she worked as a nurse in the National Health Service, specialising in cancer treatment.

At the age of 37, she became Chief Nursing Officer for England, the youngest person ever to be appointed to the post. She was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of her outstanding contribution to nursing. In 2001, she was ordained and served her curacy in the Diocese of Southwark, initially as a self-supporting minister, before leaving her government post in 2004. 

She was installed as Canon Treasurer at Salisbury Cathedral in 2012 and three years later became Bishop of Crediton in the Diocese of Exeter. In 2018, she was installed as the 133rd Bishop of London at St Paul’s Cathedral, an office she held until being confirmed as Archbishop of Canterbury in January 2026.

Dr Richard Kueh - Chief Education Officer, CAM Academy Trust and former HMI national lead for religious education

Dr Richard Kueh is Chief Education Officer of CAM Academy Trust, a family of 18 schools across Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire. A former senior civil servant, Richard was a specialist adviser and HMI national lead for religious education in England. He wrote his Cambridge doctorate in the field of philosophical hermeneutics, has written widely on RE, and, most-recently, was appointed as co-lead drafter for the proposed national curriculum for RE, following the government’s curriculum and assessment review.

Georgia Gould OBE MP

Georgia Gould was appointed Minister of State (Minister for School Standards) at the Department for Education on 6 September 2025.

She was previously Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office between 9 July 2024 and 6 September 2025.

Georgia was elected as the MP for Queen’s Park and Maida Vale in July 2024.

Workshop Streams

We're excited to bring you a range of different workshops during our conference, with speakers to be announced shortly – watch this space!

  
                Workshop Stream #1 Developing Leaders - ‘Rooted in Place, Shaping the Story, Driven by serving the Common Good’
            
                Rooted in Place with Ed Vainker and Del Planter: 

                What changes when leaders see themselves as responsible for the flourishing of a place, not just an organisation?
            
                Shaping Place with Beryce Nixon and Sean Harris and hosted by Carolyn Roberts:

                What becomes possible when leaders really know and shape the story of the place they serve?
            
                Workshop Stream #2 Shaping Policy – Hopeful RE
            
                Communities as signs of hope with Panel Chair Bishop Jonathan Frost:

                What is the role of meaningful faith-based dialogue within the RE classroom, and how can it act as a sign of hope to our local and national communities?
            
                Dignity which restores hope with Lousia Smith, Rev. Craig Huxley-Jones and Krystian McInnis and Panel Chair Sarah Smith

                What are the characteristics of an RE classroom which centres the dignity of all pupils and what is the impact on ensuring a hope-filled future for the most vulnerable, marginalised and disadvantaged?
            
                Workshop Stream #3 Growing Faith - Growing Faith Together Across Church, School and Home
            
                Enabling Life in All Its Fullness with Lee Moscato and the Growing Faith Foundation

                How can Growing Faith turn the vision for education into a reality of ‘life in all its fullness’?
            
                Dignity through participation

                How do we amplify the voices of children and young people to build Flourishing Communities?

Speakers

Bishop Jonathan

The Rt Revd Dr Jonathan Frost Bishop of Portsmouth since January 2022. Jonathan took up this post having previously being Dean of York and Suffragan Bishop of Southampton. Jonathan was ordained priest in 1994 and served his curacy in Nottingham before becoming Rector of Ash in the Diocese of Guildford. In 2002 he became chaplain to the University of Surrey and a Residentiary Canon at Guildford Cathedral, and from 2007- 2010 he was the Bishop of Guildford’s advisor for Interfaith Relations. In February 2024 he was appointed Lead Bishop for Education and Chair of the National Society Council. Jonathan is married to Christine and has three adult children. He is lifelong Fulham Football Club fan. 

Sarah Shreeve

Sarah is Head of Education Policy for the NSE, where she leads the development and implementation of policy shaping the Church’s education strategy. She is responsible for securing and strengthening the Church’s statutory education provision, working closely with parliamentarians, government departments, dioceses and sector partners. Her remit also includes policy engagement across early years, further, and higher education, including relationships with Anglican foundation universities and FE colleges.

Before joining the Church of England, Sarah was Head of Early Years and Primary at Teach First, where she led the design and development of teacher training programmes. A qualified primary teacher and experienced school leader, she taught in early years, primary and specialist settings in Portsmouth, Hampshire and Hamburg, Germany, before moving into teacher education and national policy work.

Sarah is completing a Doctorate in Education (EdD) at Brunel University, researching the experiences of neurodiverse teachers. She is passionate about social justice and the role of education in enabling children and young people to flourish.

Reve Craig Huxley Jones

Craig is the Canon Precentor and Director of Congregational Development at Gloucester Cathedral, Chair of Trustees of the Diocese of Gloucester Academies Trust and Co-Chair of the National Precentors' Conference. Before moving to Gloucester, Craig spent 18 years in education, teaching theology, philosophy and ethics.  In 2007 he moved to Benenden School where held a variety of pastoral roles including Deputy Housemaster and Head of Year, before his appointment as Chaplain in 2012, when he partnered with a local Church of England Secondary Academy, supporting and advising on their chaplaincy provision. In 2019, he was appointed Senior Chaplain of Christ's Hospital, the country's leading charitable school and largest bursary charity, where he transformed the provision for bereavement care and sub-clinical pastoral support. He also advised the lead bishop for chaplains in the Diocese of Chichester on chaplaincy provision in education, forming the first Chapter of Education Chaplains.

Louisa Jane Smith

I’m Louisa Jane Smith, host of the RE Podcast. I’ve been an RE teacher for 25 years and am currently an RE consultant for the Harris Federation which comprises of 59 schools in London and Essex. I have served as a member of the NATRE exec and am now on the AREIAC exec as the Eastern Region AREIAC lead.

Lee Moscato Bio

Lee has been teaching for over 25 years and prior to teaching, he started his career in schools as a teaching assistant. 

He’s been a class teacher across primary ages, a senior leader, headteacher and is now the Diocesan Director of Education (DDE) in the Diocese of Truro.

It was during his time working as a teacher and later the headteacher at a Church of England school in Cornwall that he found he learned more and more about his own calling and faith.  Working in a CofE school led to an opportunity to work in the diocesan education team and when the role of DDE came up, he knew this was a role he had to apply for.

He sees the opportunity to bring his love of schools and teaching together with his own faith as a gift from God and brings his passion and experience to his role as DDE and as a member of the Bishop’s Leadership Team.