The Diocese of St Albans Service Level Agreement

Delivering Educational Services to Church Schools

The Board of Education’s Service Level Agreement delivers educational services to church schools by

  • Supporting school effectiveness, improvement and Christian distinctiveness
  • Offer schools a service which complements the training and development offered by local authorities
  • Providing creative, bespoke solutions to schools’ needs
  • Utilising the expertise of highly skilled educational consultants

The 2023-24 SLA offer

Why subscribe to the diocesan SLA?

Once again, for this coming year, we have maintained the high standards of the core offer available to schools when they join the SLA and we believe that this makes membership a highly attractive and cost-effective method of supporting school effectiveness.

The Diocesan Service Level Agreement is a key pathway through which the Board of Education and the Schools Team can tailor support and training to meet schools’ individual needs. A team of over 25 independent educational consultants helps deliver this.

Where governors or staff unable to attend centralised training courses, we will endeavour to offer the same training in individual or clusters of local schools.

Bishop Alan’s message of commendation

I am delighted to commend to you the Diocese of St Albans Service Level Agreement –
Delivering Educational Services to Church Schools. This scheme continues to help support church schools in a time when education is changing rapidly.

In the Diocese we have a set of priorities under the heading Living God’s Love. We have been inviting people, parishes, schools and chaplaincies
– to journey deeper into God
– to go out in partnership
– to bring transformation to communities
– to make new disciples

This programme has run for a number of years and we are now taking it forward with renewed energy.
Church schools have always encouraged young people to journey deeper into God – an offer open to young people of all faiths and none. For Christian young people, church schools can help them as they learn more about God.


Church schools have also always had a key role in local communities, and many have played a significant part in helping transform the community in which they are based. The Church of England is the leading national provider of academies and we seek to build on our family of schools across all phases and age ranges, whether they be academies or a local authority voluntary aided or controlled school. Many of our schools are in areas of social deprivation as the church recognises that opportunity is for all and seeks to support, develop and encourage all its young people whatever their background. Working with all faiths and none, our schools have sought to be centres for community growth and have
worked at bringing people together.


Above all, church schools are not only places where we aim to provide a first-class education in each local community but also where we have a holistic approach to every child so that they can develop to their full potential.


I am happy to commend this service to you, as it will offer support to those responsible for taking church schools into the future. We want to ensure that they continue to provide an excellent education for the young people of this Diocese.


The Right Revd Dr Alan Smith
Bishop of St Albans

Comprehensive information on services provided and terms and conditions are available to download below:

Information for diocesan maintained schools and standalone academies.

Information for schools in diocesan multi-academy trusts.

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Contact the Schools Team regarding the SLA

To discuss any aspect of the Service Level Agreement or request support under its terms, please contact Ruth Garman by email to rgarman@stalbans.anglican.org or by calling 01727 818 168.