The Bishop of Ely has accepted an invitation from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York to be the lead bishop for education.

The Rt Rev Stephen Conway’s role will include chairing the Church of England’s national board of education and the National Society Council as well as negotiating with government departments and ministers.

He will take up the post in the autumn succeeding the Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Revd John Pritchard, who is retiring at the end of October.

Bishop Stephen has become familiar with the church’s increasing role in education in the Diocese of Ely, where several schools – including St Mary’s in Ely and St Andrew’s in Soham – are under church sponsorship.

The diocese is currently consulting with many of its schools about converting to academies and becoming part of a multi-academy trust.

Bishop Stephen said: “It is an immense privilege to be asked to take on this role, especially as education continues to be such a key issue in our society. “The Church of England has a deep commitment to education going back 200 years, and today some one million children are taught in more than 4,700 Church of England schools across the country.

“I am committed to ensuring that we serve whole communities by providing education of the highest quality within the context of Christian belief and practice. I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure that continues to happen.”