WESTMINSTER DIOCESE EDUCATION SERVICE
To: Chairmen of Governing
Bodies of Roman Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Westminster
Cc: Headteachers
June 2001
1 Appointment of Director of RE and Inspection.
The Education Board is delighted to report that Mrs Rita Price has been appointed to the post of Director of RE and Inspection. Rita is currently the RE adviser for secondary schools and colleges and Head of Inspection in the Diocese of Shrewsbury. She takes up her post in this Diocese on 1 September and will be based at Vaughan House.
Following the recently announced changes by the Cardinal to the organisation of the diocese, the Education Board has confirmed the following arrangements:
For the time being all three secondary RE Advisers continue with the schools they currently serve.
However, there are some changes to the allocation of schools to the primary RE advisers. From 1 September,
q Sr Victoria Hummell will serve the schools in the deaneries in the former East Area (Camden, Hackney, Islington and Tower Hamlets LEAs).
q Sr Judith Russi will continue to serve, the deaneries of the old Hertfordshire Area (Hertfordshire LEA).
q Sr Sheila McNamara will serve the schools in the deaneries in the former North Area (Barnet, Brent, Enfield, Haringey and Harrow LEAs).
q Sr Mavis Langmead will serve the schools in the boroughs of Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea, and
q Mrs Kathleen Gilbert will continue to serve the schools in the deaneries in the former West Area (Ealing, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Richmond and Surrey LEAs) together with the schools in Hammersmith and Fulham.
(Further enquiries to Anthony Clark on 020 7798 9006)
3 Documents for Consultation.
Please find enclosed the following documents, which are being circulated in draft form for comment.
q Catholic Life Framework
q RE Framework
q Inspection Framework
These documents will not be finalised and formally adopted until after Rita Price has taken up her post on 1 September. Any comments on the first two documents should be addressed to Anthony Clark and on the inspection framework to Ian Beck, to arrive by Friday 6 July. All three documents are also posted on the Web in the WDES pages. Headteachers are requested to bring the draft documents to any area or deanery meetings they may be attending, for discussion.
4 Streamlining of premises matters for VA schools. *
The DfEE has produced a consultation documentation proposing new arrangements relating to the liabilities and funding for the premises of VA schools. This is available on the DfEE website www.dfee.gov.uk/consultations/va/74.doc Although the document itself is recognised as rather cumbersome, the intention is to make these arrangements much more straightforward, simple and consistent.
The main proposals are:
q both internal and external revenue repairs will be the liability of the LEA. Schools will receive funding for these works via the LEA’s Fair Funding delegated budget
q buildings/parts of buildings which are currently the liability of the LEA, such as the kitchen, medical room, caretaker’s house, will become the governors’ liability, if they are on land in the ownership of the trustee. Funding will be made available, via DfEE grant to make improvements if necessary, over a five year period, funded at the rate of 100%.
q funding for furniture and equipment for new building works will become grant aided, along with the building works, rather than a separate LEA liability
q payment will be made by the DfEE on the receipt of approved invoices, rather than having to claim back after having paid the bill
q governing body contributions to schemes will be at a 10% rate rather than the current 15%
We are asked to provide responses to the DfEE by the 10 August and they expect us to have informed/consulted schools about the proposals.
Our draft response to this will be placed on the WDES website by 29 June.
(If you have any comments or suggestions on this response, please contact Sally Livesey by Monday 23 July. Or e mail slivesey@westminterdiocese.org.uk )
5 Opportunities for In Service Training.
The following popular courses are being offered once again;
A. For Aspiring Headteachers:
A four-day residential course at All Saints Pastoral Centre London Colney, from Tuesday 20 November to Friday 23 November inclusive.
Cost (Full Board) £200
An application form (yellow) is enclosed.
B. For Aspiring Deputy Headteachers:
A four-day residential course at All Saints Pastoral Centre London Colney, from Tuesday 15 January to Friday 18 January inclusive.
Cost (Full Board) £200
An application form (pink) is enclosed.
The dioceses of Brentwood, East Anglia, Northampton and Westminster arrange these courses jointly. The financial and administrative arrangements are made by Brentwood on behalf of all four dioceses.
C For all potential leaders of Catholic schools.
A course comprising six evening sessions from 5.00 until 7.30 beginning on Tuesday 18 September and each Tuesday thereafter (excluding half term).
Cost £50.00 (including light refreshments).
An application form is enclosed.
(The WDES contact for these courses is Ian Beck on
0207798 9005 or ibeck@westminsterdiocese.org.uk
)
6 Training Course for Prospective Section 23 Inspectors.
The next course for prospective section 23 inspectors will be held on 18-20 June 2002. Details are not yet available, but potential participants are requested to note the date and to express an interest now, if they wish.
(Contact Marlis Mangatal on 020 7798 9005)
7 CCRS Study Day
The next study day is on Saturday 15 September at Vaughan House. The topic is The Church, and the day will begin at 10am. Prior registration is preferable, but registrations - from 9.30 a.m. - are welcome on the day. The module fee is £15 (£6.50 study day only).
(Contact Moira Wilson on 020 7798 9006 or mwilson@westminsterdiocese.org.uk
)
This excellent new video series from Catholic Evangelisation Services is a change from their previous releases. A wryly-amusing dad, reflecting on the sheer wonder of children, provides material for seven sessions. The subtitle is 'You, your children, and their Catholic Faith'. David Wells with a solid foundation in church teaching and scripture presents insights for reflection and discussion in a group situation, covering both parenting issues and the sacraments. There is a light touch that will reassure parents in all their diversity of situations that they are included.
The notes for the leader together with the very down to earth advice in the first video mean that this series can be safely recommended for use in most situations. Expert animators aren't needed. The practical insights together with the recurring motif of not letting ourselves be brought down by guilt will really help many parents to find both joy and depth in their lives as Catholics. Schools in particular could invite parents to organise a series of weekly sessions using these videos. A sample video can be obtained without charge from the producers – phone 01727 823803. This video is being sent gratis to all primary schools at the request of Anthony Clark.
Seven years ago Toshiba and the
Diocese of Westminster started to work together to provide photocopier and fax
machines at reasonable prices with reliable servicing arrangements for parishes
and schools. If you have not taken advantage of the scheme, do contact Bob
Cunningham of Toshiba if you are considering making a change of either fax
machine or photocopier. There is no pressure or hard sell. (Contact Bob
Cunningham on 0870 3330299. Mobile
07836 287937)
10 Catholic School Leadership Programmes at St Mary’s College.
Please find enclosed
q a covering letter from Dr John Sullivan
q details of the MA in Catholic School Leadership (yellow)
q details of the Post Graduate Certificate in Subject Leadership (blue)
q a timetable for the above (white) and a flier (orange)
q a flier advertising two public lectures on Catholic education.
(Please contact the college as indicated on the papers)
Soil for the Seed leads its readers into the underlying dilemmas facing religious educators and catechists today. Combining the knack of summarising succinctly the differing RE approaches and explaining the issues, Fr Jim Gallagher invites both teachers and parish catechists to a journey of challenge; but it can be undertaken in confidence as their guide is himself determined to illumine how growth in knowledge and faith is achieved in the 21st Century.
(This book is published by
McCrimmons and is available from the bookshop at London Colney at £13. Tel
01727 827612.)
Memorial Mass for
Patrick O’Connell, RIP
A memorial mass is being said for Patrick O’Connell, founder headteacher of St Richard of Chichester School and former deputy director of the WDES, to which his many friends and colleagues are all invited. It is at 5.30pm on Monday 9 July 2001 in Westminster Cathedral and will be followed by a reception at Vaughan House.
(Contact Anthony Clark
on 020 7798 9006)