Education Service
Bulletin
1/03 February 2003
We were very sorry to hear of the death of Bishop Philip Harvey who
was the Chairman of the Education Board of the Diocese from 1989 to 1994. May
he rest in peace.
Accompanying this Bulletin you will find the
promised updated guidance on admissions in accordance with the revised Code of
Practice on Admissions which was published by the DfES on 31st
January. Further instalments of this advice will be issued during the course of
the year, and a consolidated version will be issued in the Summer.
There has also been some misleading press coverage
in the last few weeks. Enclosed is a statement on admissions which attempts to
clarify the facts surrounding the debate. For advice on Admissions,
contact Maureen Roe on 020 7798 9005 or email maureenroe@rcdow.org.uk
There are still some difficulties with the funding
of religious education for post 16 students by the Learning and Skills Council.
Much of this is to do with the requirement by the LSC for general religious
education to be accredited by an external body. During this interim period
there is also some conflicting advice coming from different local learning and
skills councils across the country. This is frustrating for heads but there is
much activity trying to resolve the funding issues and trying to help people
understand the nature and purpose of religious education within our post 16
provision. Nationally, there are two specifications taking shape which will be
submitted to the bishops and to the awarding bodies. Also, the Maryvale
certificate is recognised as an accredited course. Meanwhile, will heads of
post 16 students please reply to the questions sent out on 5 February 2003.
(Contact Rita Price on 0207 798 9006 or
email ritaprice@rcdow.org.uk )
Reminder:
Please let Liz Duffy know about any impending senior appointments, to ensure
that you are offered every possible support. Contact Liz on 0207 798 9005 or
email elizabethduffy@rcdow.org.uk Accompanying
this Bulletin is a request for feedback, or future concerns, about
making such appointments to senior posts and any ideas you may have for
extending or clarifying the help we can give to governing bodies (and
Headteachers in the case of appointing Deputy Heads) at such important moments
in a school’s life. We are asking for comments and ideas and would also welcome
warnings of the pitfalls into which colleagues or fellow governors may fall! Please
return your yellow questionnaire and comments to Liz Duffy by March 7 so
that they can be incorporated into revised and updated guidance. Many thanks.
Governing Body Minutes
Schools are requested to send a copy of the
minutes of governing body meetings to the Department of Schools. These form an
extremely useful tool for determining the issues on which schools require
support from the Department. Please send them to Maureen Roe, or, even better, e-mail them to
maureenroe@rcdow.co.uk.
Inspection Dates and Documents: reminder
Please will you contact Rita Price as soon as you
have a window or actual dates for your inspection. She will then inform other
colleagues in the service. As you know, the time line is very short for the
Catholic arrangements to be put in place. Also, please will you tell Rita any
dates you may have agreed with Section
10 inspectors regarding plans for parents’ meetings or meetings with staff and
governors before and after the inspection. If at all possible, please negotiate
them with us. (Contact Rita Price on 020 7798 9006 or email ritaprice@rcdow.org.uk )
Membership Admission Forums and Schools Forums*
Local education
authorities are setting up the new statutory Admission Forums. In view of the
important functions of these new statutory bodies, the diocese has requested
the full complement of three members on each of these bodies. This will enable
an officer from the Department of Schools to attend, as well as leaving room
for two other, local representatives. Willing volunteers are sought, and names
should be forwarded to Paul Barber. This role would be particularly suitable
for governors with experience of admissions as well as constituting good
in-service training. Schools are also encouraged to put forward candidates for
the places on the Forum reserved for voluntary aided schools.
In some local education
authorities we are also still looking for governors willing to serve on the
Schools Forum, to ensure that the voice of voluntary aided sector is heard when
important decisions are being made about school finances. (Contact Paul
Barber on 020 7798 9005 or e-mail paulbarber@rcdow.org.uk.)
Citizenship Materials – Recommended Publication
In Bulletin 6/01,
details were given of a most useful publication
by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace entitled The Social Agenda of the Catholic Church: A
Collection of Magisterial Texts. This is a systematic compilation of
texts on the social teaching of the Church arranged by subject matter. It has
now been re-published by Burns and Oates, ISBN 0 8264 6573 0 (Original Vatican
publication: ISBN 88 209 2920 1). Back numbers of bulletins may be accessed
through the Education Service web page at www.westminsterdiocese.org.uk/education.html
National Marriage
week is from the 9th – 16th February 2002. The final day
coincides with Education Sunday and a special mass celebrating marriage is
being offered in the Cathedral at 5.30pm on Sunday 16th. For further
details go to www.nmw.org.uk (Contact Anthony
Clark: 020 8202 3611, e-mail: anthonyclark@rcdow.org.uk).
The next study day for the CCRS is on Saturday 10th May
2003 at Vaughan House, starting at 10am. The Module is on Jesus Christ. Extra
tutorials centres have been set up, one in East London and one in West London.
Participants can register on the day but prior registration is appreciated. (Contact
Moira Wilson on 020 8202 3611 or by e-mail moirawilson@rcdow.org.uk )
A review of the Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies is being
undertaken by Fr Peter Humfrey, the National Adviser at the CES. The present
format has been in place since 1992 and it is time to see if it is still
suitable and if any changes are needed. The background and the questionnaire is
available online from the CES website under the National Adviser. You are encouraged to submit your views. Go
to www.cesew.org.uk or contact Moira Wilson
(on 020 8202 3611 or by e-mail moirawilson@rcdow.org.uk
)
Headteachers will find enclosed with this bulletin
a letter and list of potential recruits for our Catholic Schools. Maureen Roe
would appreciate any ideas for ways in which she can further support schools in
this crucial area. Also, increasingly, we are getting requests from
people who are keen to obtain QTS status, mainly through the Graduate Trainee
route or other Initial Teacher Training Routes, which are school based. It
would be helpful to have details of any schools which can provide such training.
(Contact Maureen Roe on 0207 798 9005or by e-mail maureenroe@rcdow.org.uk )
For your information, the CES has contacted all
University Chaplains giving the background to Catholic Education Vacancies
Online - www.ces.eteach.com - which was launched in November 2002. The
Chaplains are asked to encourage Catholic students to utilise this new service
when seeking their first appointment in a Catholic school. All chaplains have
been sent two copies of the Catholic Education Vacancies Online (e-teach)
posters for local use.
Over 30% of Catholic schools across the country joined e-teach in the
first phase. As you are aware, e-teach provides a medium to promote each
diocese in England and Wales, with Catholic school vacancies listed by diocese
rather than the maintaining LEA. The potential for Catholic education is
significant. Over half of all new graduates obtain their first appointment via
online recruitment. Catholic schools can post their vacancies immediately. An
aspiring Catholic teacher can post his/her CV, emphasising their wish to teach
in a Catholic school. Schools can then sift a summary of the individual CVs
against an identified vacancy.
During the initial promotion of this service earlier last year,
e-teach generously offered Catholic schools immediate access to their
recruitment facilities in advance of contract details being finalised. Many of
our schools made use of this opportunity. Unfortunately, while some schools
exercised this discretion they then did not follow it up with confirmation that
they either wished or did not wish to join the Catholic e-teach initiative.
E-teach is therefore seeking clarification through the CES of each school’s
position.(Please contact Aidan Shanahan on 02079014880 to confirm your
intentions)If Aidan is not given an understanding of a school’s position,
that school will be invoiced at the full commercial rate, for services provided
for the period July 2002 to January 2002.There are 14 of our schools to which this
applies.
Most of the primary schools are well underway in the self-evaluation
of the prayer life of the school. We hope to share some of this work at the
primary heads’ conference in April. Meanwhile, the secondary schools and
colleges are asked to begin the same process as soon as they can so that there
is time to reflect on prayer during the late Spring and Summer. This will
connect well later too with the diocesan ‘At your Word, Lord’ development which
begins in the Autumn. We hope that both initiatives will help us to journey
together in ways of prayers and with our young people.
Religious education programmes: development
The advisers are continuing to support development
in religious education across each key stage. We are conscious of the higher
standards expected of pupils generally by the end of Key Stage 2 and the impact
of this on Key Stage 3. Rita Price has asked the advisers to support,
particularly, the transfer to Key Stage
3 so that religious education is supported as a foundation subject. There is
much encouraging work to share in religious education at primary and secondary
level. Thank you also to all the primary headteachers and staff who have worked
so hard to develop the revised ‘Here
I Am’ and its most recent resources.
If any school would like any extra time and help with the programme, Rita has
agreed for three advisers to give extra help across the diocese during this
early period for some schools. Please contact her directly if you would like
extra adviser time in school. (Rita
Price 020 7798 9006 or ritaprice@rcdow.org.uk
) Thank you.
Good
News Slot
Congratulations to the following schools who have
been listed in the latest Chief Inspector’s Annual Report (published on
February 5) as particularly successful schools with outstanding inspection
reports:
q The Oratory Primary School, Kensington
q St Francis of Assisi Primary, Notting Hill
q St Mary Primary, North Kensington
q St Aloysius Infant School, Camden
q St Augustine’s Primary, Hammersmith
q St Francis de Sales Infant School, Tottenham
q St Mary’s Priory Junior, South Tottenham
q Cardinal Pole, Hackney
q The Cardinal Vaughan, Kensington
q St Charles Sixth Form College, North Kensington
Congratulations to the following schools who were
awarded prizes by The London Children’s Flower Society and brought some of the
beauty of nature to their school:
q The Cavendish School, Camden
q Larmenier and Sacred Heart Primary, Hammersmith
q
Pope John Primary
School, Hammersmith
q
English Martyrs
Primary School, Tower Hamlets
q
St Vincent de
Paul Primary School, Westminster
q
Westminster
Cathedral Primary School
Please keep the good
news rolling in.
Vaughan
House • 46 Francis Street • London • SW1P 1QN • Tel: 020 7798 9005 Fax: 020
7798 9013
E-mail:
greenylongville@rcdow.org.uk • Registered
Charity No. 233699