The Diocese of York includes some 122 Church of England Schools and Academies, served by the York Diocesan Board of Education and its team of support staff and advisers.
Over the summer of 2024 there has been a significant turnover of staff within the team: Education Director Andrew Smith and Board Chair Bishop Paul Ferguson both stepped down, as did Claire Graham-Brown and Philippa Smith who had also worked closely with schools and multi-academy trusts.
This term has seen Katherine Starkie arrive as an Education Adviser, and George Edmond as Assistant Director (Governance and School Organisation). Additional school advisory support is being provided by Sue Bland and Katherine Humpleby for the current academic year, while Paul Bramley, an experienced former church school headteacher, is serving as part-time interim Director of Education until Christmas.
Following a national recruitment process, Mrs Mari Palmer has been appointed as the next Diocesan Director of Education, and will take up her new role at the beginning of the Spring Term. Mari has served as Headteacher of Settrington All Saints’ Church of England Primary School for the last ten years, establishing and leading its designation as North Yorkshire Coast Research School. As a Research School, Settrington takes a role in supporting a school-led system as part of a committed and growing network across the region, working collaboratively with other research schools and system leaders to support the use of evidence-based practice in schools, with a particular interest in supporting disadvantage in small schools.
Mari has experience as a Multi Academy Trust trustee and has participated in national projects with the Education Endowment Foundation, as well as serving on her local Parochial Church Council and coaching a girls’ Under-12s football team.
Bishop of Whitby Barry Hill, as the Diocese of York’s Lead Bishop for Growing Younger and more Diverse, has a particular focus on work with schools and has become Chair of the Diocesan Board of Education. Having participated in the interview process, he said, “I am delighted that Mari Palmer has accepted God’s call to be the new Diocesan Director of Education. Mari brings considerable experience both as a headteacher and in supporting other, often smaller, schools and their staff as Director of the North Yorkshire Coast Research School. Her passion to see young people flourish through developing partnerships between schools, churches and households will be a huge blessing to us as a diocese as we seek to see more young people growing as leaders across our communities and churches, and all know the fullness of life Jesus offers.
“May we hold Mari, the schools of the diocese and the education team in our prayers.”
