A school chaplain starts at Court Fields School this month in a ground-breaking partnership between the school and the church in Wellington.

Anthony Stevens, a qualified and experienced youth worker with Taunton Youth for Christ, will take up the role as the first school chaplain at Court Fields. He will work with staff to help strengthen the pastoral support for students and build stronger links between the school and church community in Wellington. Anthony will be working in the school each week on Thursdays and Fridays.

Bob House, representing the church in Wellington and Wellington One Team, said: “Court Fields is such an important part of our community in Wellington and the church in Wellington is so excited to be more involved in supporting the school in this way.”

Court Fields acting head teacher Polly Matthews said: “I am thrilled that we will be able to work with Taunton Youth for Christ and the church in Wellington as we inaugurate our first school chaplaincy post.

“It is a fantastic example of the close working within our community between Court Fields School and our partners, including the churches and Wellington One Team, and our close working within The Castle Partnership Trust.

“Anthony is a highly skilled and dedicated youth worker, with significant experience supporting young people. He will be an asset to our community, and provide much needed additional mentoring and support for our students, particularly as we respond to the impacts of Covid-19 and the national lockdown.

“We look forward to extending our opportunities for partnership working on other projects within the community, and across the trust in the future.

“I would like to thank Bob House and Ben Thorne in particular for their commitment to this project. I know that this is the culmination of extensive work on their behalf, and we at Court Fields School thank them sincerely for their support.”

The school chaplain is employed by Taunton Youth for Christ, a professional organisation dedicated to working with young people inside and outside schools across the UK.

The Castle Partnership Trust, of which Court Fields is part, has been working with Taunton Youth for Christ for the past 12 years with a school chaplain role at The Castle School, Taunton. The new post at Court Fields is funded by the church in Wellington.