Welsh college gets top marks for clergy training

Wales’ only clergy training college is “leading the way” and building an international reputation, according to an inspection report published today.

St Michael’s College, Llandaff, is described as an “impressive institution” by the inspectors who spent a year monitoring all aspects of its work. Out of the 13 areas judged, they award the college nine “gold stars” (Confidences) and four “silver” (Confidences with Qualifications).

The 115-year-old college, which trains candidates for ministry in the Anglican and Methodist churches in Wales and beyond, wins praise in all four branches of its work – its residential courses, non-residential courses, chaplaincy centre and ministry development.

The team of inspectors particularly commends the college’s Centre for Chaplaincy Studies, which was set up last June in partnership with Cardiff University and prepares chaplains for counselling and guiding people in a wide range of situations, from patients in hospital to prisoners in jail, to soldiers serving in Afghanistan.

The report says the centre’s strong Master of Theology programme gives St Michael’s a “national and international reputation” and “leads the way to exploring the interface between theological thinking and public policy”.

The college’s ministry development work, meanwhile, is praised as a “commendable example of joined-up thinking and planning” and more advanced than similar programmes in England. Staff are described as “well-motivated and creative under firm but sensitive leadership” who deliver “high quality” teaching which results in “academic achievements out of proportion to the college’s size”.

Inspectors found that the college’s teaching and worship included a breadth of church traditions, saying, “the college now claims with some justification to be an all-party college”.

The Archbishop of Wales, Dr Barry Morgan, said that such a positive report meant clergy who trained in Wales could be confident they were receiving one of the best preparations for their vocation.

"I am delighted with this report on St Michael's," he said. "The college is developing apace and stands comparison with any other theological college in Britain, rightly attracting students from other provinces.

"The Church in Wales is investing in its future and, indeed, has such confidence in it that it has asked the Principal to be its Ministry Officer, overseeing training and support for clergy in their early and later years."

The Principal of St Michael’s College, Rev Canon Dr Peter Sedgwick, said the report shows the college has a secure future.

“This report recognises the enormous changes in the last five years. It is a tremendous and heartening recognition of the staff in transforming the college," he said.

"It shows that this is a college with a very bright future indeed. I am very proud of the staff in what they have achieved in such a short period. We recognise, too, that there are areas for continued development and these are already being addressed as far as possible.”

The report was conducted by a team from the Church of England’s Ministry Division in partnership with the Church in Wales.