Around 100 ordinands are usually preparing for ordination at Queen’s.  About 50 ordinands are undertaking “college style” training, with their formation and study focused on weekdays. Some live at Queen's, which will become their home for between one and three years. Some will spend significant time during the week at Queen's but will return home for weekends. Some will commute daily.

About 50 ordinands are undertaking a Course style training, with their formation and study focused on residential weekends, Easter schools and evening classes.

Each sponsoring church has its own rules and procedures that govern the length of training in these different pathways, and we work closely with the churches to shape the most appropriate pathway for you. In whichever mode you train the fact that Queen’s operates as a single institution means that you draw on the resources and expertise of the whole Foundation, and that you learn and worship with others who are on different pathways but who are engaged in a common journey. For example. much teaching is shared in common, especially on Tuesday evening when nearly all ministerial candidates will be present. All belong equally to the Foundation, and share its common life, worship and educational programmes as much as they are able. All enjoy the benefits of meeting, learning and praying with others who share the Foundation's life – especially ministers and lay leaders sponsored by the wider world church to engage in mission studies in the Foundation.

1. Programmes focusing on day-time study on weekdays (College style)

This formational pathway is shaped around weekday learning on the campus, and it can be followed full-time or part-time. Within this pathway there are six formational building blocks which provide the context for the taught programmes. 

• A formational day (Monday).  All ministerial candidates on this pathway are required to be present each Monday in term time in the Autumn and Spring terms.  On this day three significant formational events take place:

• A community/discipleship meeting which involves all those who share the life of the campus during the week, comprising ministerial candidates, mission students and some independent students on full-time programmes. 
• A formational programme which is specific to a year group of ministerial candidates (other students have their own, but separate programmes which are appropriate to their vocation and training).
• A skills programme, which equips students with a range of skills needed for their learning and formation. 

This day focuses on formation, with the three elements addressing different aspects of a minister's development – often summarised as being, knowing and doing. It provides a common point in the week, an anchor, which establishes the unity of the group.  This is crucial, given the variety of programmes that people will be following in the remainder of the week. In order to help the integration, consolidation and evaluation of this formational process everyone is required to keep a learning journal (which is also used for the formal assessment for the three formational programmes in the afternoon).

• Daily prayer and worship.  Each day has provision for two types of daily prayer:
• corporate gathered worship (called Foundation Worship), usually at midday (except on Tuesday when Foundation Worship is at 5.00 pm).  All ministerial students who are present on the campus are expected to attend daily prayer. 
• Individual or shared prayer.  This may take a variety of patterns and will be at a variety of times.  It may gather Anglicans and others who are expected to develop patterns of saying a daily office; it may be more personal and focus on an individual's daily devotions. 

• Shared meals.  Eating together is a key part of community life especially when most meals take place after Foundation worship.  Meals bring the wider community together, involving others resident on campus, administrative staff, and invited guests.

• Daily taught classes which take place from Monday to Thursday.  Most students will be required to be in classes on campus on Tuesday afternoon and evening, and all day Wednesday and Thursday.  Friday is a non-teaching day to enable personal study or work in a local or link church.

• Work based learning in your home church.  If you are full-time ministerial candidate you are required to give 1 - 2 sessions per week plus Sunday for work in your home church. The expectations for this work are set and agreed in discussion with the home church minister.  The practice and experience gained in leading worship and preaching in the local church feed into your worship portfolio.  This portfolio, which is compiled over the duration of your training, includes feedback from ministers, members of the congregation, self-appraisal and tutor appraisal.  It provides not only a reflective tool but also evidence of ministerial development and competence.

• Placements are an essential part of ministerial education and preparation for ordained ministry.  Full-time candidates do a 10 week placement in the summer term, with one day per week on campus for taught modules and reflective seminars.  The placement is church based (including fresh expressions), in a church of the same denomination as the candidate.  Some also do an attachment which widens ministerial experience by a placement in a ministerial/mission context beyond the congregation. This may be in chaplaincy settings or it may be in work-based environments. For those training for three years there is a particular opportunity for more substantial placement experience, including a one term residential placement in Handsworth (in Birmingham), and one term placements in the wider world church. 

• Personal tutorial oversight and support.  You are allocated a personal tutor whose task is to focus on the formation of the ministerial candidate.  This enables the personal tutor to take the lead in preparing the end of year summative report which goes to the relevant people and bodies in your sponsoring church.

2. Programmes focusing on residential weekends and evening classes

This formational pathway is shaped around residential weekends and week long periods of residence, together with weekly classes. Within this pathway there are six formational building blocks which provide the context for the taught programmes. 

 

 

 

• Six residential weekends each year.  These residential events gather a year group and are normally held on campus.  These relatively brief periods of residence provide deep opportunities for the integration of heart, mind and hands, or being, knowing and doing.  Each weekend contains three formational components:
• A community meeting and small reflection groups (normally on a Friday evening). 
• Shared worship throughout the weekend
• Meals and time for relaxation

The weekends focus on formation. In order to help the integration, consolidation and evaluation of this formational process everyone is required to keep a learning journal (which is also used for the formal assessment for the taught programmes).

• An annual Easter School.  The first Easter school is only for the first year group and includes an experience of the Triduum (Maunday Thursday to Easter Sunday).  The second and third Easter Schools are shared by those in their second and third years.
• Weekly evening classes on a Tuesday evening, from 6.45 – 9.30.  These classes cover a broad range of biblical and theological disciplines, and are preceded by a meal (from 6.00) and Foundation Worship (from 5.00).  Wherever possible ministerial candidates on this pathway are encouraged to attend Foundation Worship.
• Work based learning in your home church.  The expectations for this work (which for most is very limited) are set and agreed in discussion with the home church minister.
• Placements and attachments.  A church based (including fresh expressions) placement, in a church of your denomination, is undertaken in the second year.  In the third year you do an attachment that widens the experience of mission and ministry in contexts beyond the congregation.  This may be in chaplaincy settings or it may be in work-based environments where there is potential for effective oversight. 
• Personal tutorial oversight and support.  You are allocated a personal tutor whose task is to focus on your ministerial formation.  This enables the personal tutor to take the lead in preparing the end of year summative report which goes to the relevant people and bodies in your sponsoring church.

If you are available on a weekday you can make use of day-time programmes as an alternative to Tuesday evenings if you have suitable prior learning. Or you can take modules from day-time programmes to supplement Tuesday evenings, providing a broader and more extensive engagement with the Christian theological tradition.