WESTMINSTER DIOCESE EDUCATION SERVICE

NB Items marked * do not apply to independent schools

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Anne Kennedy, former head of Our Lady of Muswell Primary School, who died recently in France.

The theme this year is One Race - the Human Race. A support pack has been produced that is ecumenical. The Catholic Association for Racial Justice (CARJ) is of the partners producing it.

The recent WDES publication Times and Seasons: a Collection of Materials for Study, Discussion and Reflection contains short courses of photocopiable leaflets for both adult and children’s groups. It is priced at £4.50, plus £1.00 postage and packing, cheques payable to WRCDT.

A number of schools have responded to the invitation to send in their website addresses so that we can share each others mission statements and histories. Send the address of your website to aclark@westminsterdiocese.org.uk You can look at the website links at http://www.westminsterdiocese.org.uk

The next study day for the CCRS is on the Church on Saturday 18 September 1999 at Vaughan House. The day begins at 10am, ending 4pm. It costs £15.00 for a module but £6.50 for the day only. Registration is possible on the day but advance booking is preferable. Details about the day, essays and useful CCRS materials are available on the RE and Catechesis website http://www.westminsterdiocese.org.uk

Books for South Africa

The organisation 'The book and ten pence appeal' continues to invite schools to collect books together to send to South Africa. The London Ambulance service provides collection points in the capital.

http://homepages.poptel.org.uk/community-heart or phone them on 020 7359 3163.)

A Catholic school in Texas seeks to establish pen friends between its pupils and young people attending Catholic schools in London.

A single copy of the Catholic Education Service model is enclosed for the headteacher.

Miss Flora Mary Wang, a fully qualified Primary school teacher from Taiwan is looking for experience in one of our schools, without pay. She comes with very good recommendations from St Mary’s University College and Roehampton Institute where she has done courses in the last five years.

New legislation affecting all teaching staff appointments in voluntary aided schools comes into force on 1 September 1999. Initial guidance is enclosed with this bulletin. For schools anticipating an appointment to the post of headteacher or deputy headteacher in the autumn term, it is imperative that governing bodies meet this term to agree procedures under the new legislation.

'Exploring the Mass' (for secondary pupils)

A new video together with teacher and pupil books was launched on Thursday 3 June 99. In the video, Bishop Nichols celebrates Mass and Cardinal Hume explains the different parts of the Mass to the KS3 pupils. A special introductory offer from the publishers, CTS, is for a copy of the video, two copies of the teachers' book and thirty copies of the pupils' book, all for £149. It is recommended that secondary schools consider this important resource. Further details are being sent directly to each secondary school by CTS who may be contacted on 020 7640 0042.

All schools will have received notification from the QCA of the consultation on the revised National Curriculum, PSHE and the proposals for Citizenship. You are encouraged to reply. The deadline is the 23 July 1999. There are some important issues involved in some of the proposals and the Chairman of the Education Board, Bishop Nichols, will be writing shortly to each school listing some of the points of concern.

As in past years, the five week twilight course on Leadership in Catholic Education will be offered at Vaughan House starting on 14 September 1999. Each of the five sessions, on Tuesdays,[ weeks 1-3] and Wednesdays [ weeks 4 and5] begins with refreshments at 5.00pm and finishes by 7.30. The cost for the whole course, with refreshments, is £50 . Places are limited to 30. It is planned to run the same course in St Anne’s House, London Colney on Mondays in January 2000 provided there is sufficient demand.

There are still a few places held for this diocese on the inter diocesan course for Aspiring Headteachers in November 1999. Details have already been mailed to schools

Area bishops and episcopal vicars are now sending through lists of foundation governors recommended for appointment to schools in diocesan trusteeship for the new term of office. In some cases it appears that not all of the current foundation governors have returned the February consultation document. In addition there is a minimum number of foundation governors [set out in the instrument of government] who must have a child on the roll of the school on 1 September. Headteachers may wish to consider how the above criterion will be met since there may be a need to recruit more foundation governors from among the parent body.

Deeds of appointment will be issued during August and clerks will then be sent a list of those appointed as foundation governors for the new term

It is likely that under the new regulations, a governor may not be able to undertake service as clerk to the governing body on which s/he serves. There are some [ few] schools where this issue may need to be addressed in preparation for the new term.

We are preparing the for the diocesan Year Book for the year 2000. Enclosed is a form we ask you to complete and return to Greeny Longville in this office by the end of June. Every entry has to be changed for next year, at least as far as the phone and fax numbers are concerned.

The following information regarding legal expenses insurance, which was changed in September 1998, may have been sent to you already by the Finance Department, but repetition will do no harm.

Agent: J. & H. Marsh and McLennan (UK) Ltd,

Policy Number GA11406824

Advice is provided by the Legal Advisory Centre on 01455 251500. You will need to give your name, state that you are part of the Diocese of Westminster and supply the verification number 33787.

The insurers must be notified before starting or continuing any legal proceedings until consent to pay legal expenses has been secured in writing from the insurers. Consent will be given only if there are reasonable prospects of success in pursuing or defending the proceedings and it is reasonable in all the circumstances for legal expenses to be provided.

If the insurer agrees to meet the legal expenses, a representative will be appointed. The will not necessarily be the school’s preferred solicitor.

Governing bodies/headteachers must contact the Legal Advisory Centre before dismissing an employee (including redundancy) or before materially changing the particulars of an employee’s contract.