Research
Growing Faith research projects further our understanding of growing faith in the intersections between household, schools, and churches. Find out more about the Growing Faith research projects.
Research opportunities 2027
Early Years
Are you involved in working with Early Years children or practitioners in a school, nursery, church, or community group as a practitioner, adviser or academic?
Would you like to carry out a small-scale piece of local research with the Growing Faith Foundation that could benefit children across the country?
The Growing Faith Foundation is investigating the big question:
How can Early Years practitioners and families in church, school and home work together, transforming the lives of children and changing the culture of the Church of England?
This opens up many areas you may be interested in, for example:
Early Years children’s spiritual flourishing in your nursery or school or church
Under-5s’ faith development in work church, school and home
How church toddler group and the local nursery can work with the local school to support children in the transition to primary school
How church and school can work in partnership with parents to support worship in school and church for reception or nursery children
How a shared Forest Church/ Forest school space benefits families
How church community can work with local nurseries or reception classes to support early intervention needs of families
Or something else?
Do any of these questions matter to you? Or do you have a question of your own? Could you hold a small-scale local Growing Faith research project to find the answer? Download the application guidance below.
Our apologies that some material is currently absent from this page. We will be returning it as soon as possible.
In the meantime, if you have specific questions, please contact gff@nse.org.uk
Research reports 2024
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What happens to children’s faith if you invest in their spiritual leaders? A fascinating project from Leicester Diocese, where teachers’ spirituality is given the chance to grow.
Report
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A fun-filled intergenerational cross-church/school experiment in Peterborough Diocese, giving older people the chance to work alongside younger ones, with everyone gaining skills in wellbeing.
Report
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In York and Durham Dioceses, very young children were asked about their concept of holiness, with some fascinating findings.
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This small-scale study drew out the joys and difficulties of trying to be an intergenerational worshipping community in an ordinary parish setting.
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In Durham Diocese, the researchers asked to what extent can children become spiritual leaders and agents of change?
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Research like this project in Canterbury Diocese builds on in-depth interviews to grow mutuality in mission between the key stakeholders in a church/school relationship.
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In a project spanning the country, researchers from Liverpool Hope University look into the joys and difficulties of practising faith at home in Christian families.
Mid-project report | Summary of research findings and recommendations
Produced by Dr. Sarah Holmes (lead researcher) for the Kitchen Table Project.
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A project in Ely Diocese examines the impact of a model of hybrid intergenerational church, including Forest Church, on the faith development of children within it.
Report | Project presentation
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The quiet bubble of children’s prayer lives at school, home and in the great outdoors was respectfully observed in this project from Hereford Diocese. Possibly the only existing evidence of prayer happening on horseback…
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Are children’s voices being heard and if so, what difference does that make to the worshipping community? A project from Manchester Diocese looks at practice in school and church.
Full report | Summary report | Video
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In Guildford Diocese, the team gathered fascinating insights into what helps children grow spiritually, listening to children, teachers and parents.
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This study from Blackburn Diocese listened to hundreds of children at that crossover point between primary and secondary school to hear how their faith develops during that time.
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School chaplains are key players in the relationship between home, school, and church: how effective are they and what makes them even more effective in their ministry?
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About this resource
This report was produced as part of a Growing Faith research project and reflects thinking and practice at the time it was written (January 2023). It is shared here as a reference resource to support reflection, learning and conversation.The document is intended for digital use. If you have any questions about this resource, please contact edumarketing@churchofengland.org.
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Unfortunately, this project could not be brought to completion, but the team behind this research, (as well as all of us here at the Growing Faith Foundation), learnt some fascinating lessons along the way.
Research Digest 2024
Please find different ways of accessing the research. The Research Digest provides summaries and reflections on the projects. The individual chapters are available separately. There are ‘at a glance’ overviews of each project’s findings. You will also find the 2024 research on chaplaincy: ‘Encountering the Christian Story’.
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Chapter 1 - The Child at the Centre or the Centre of the Child
Chapter 2 - The Child in Church
Chapter 3 - The Child in the Intersection between Church and School
Chapter 4 - Empowering Parents
Chapter 5 - Hearing the Voice of Children
Prefer to hear from the researchers themselves? Listen to our podcast.
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