WESTMINSTER DIOCESE EDUCATION SERVICE

 5 September 2000

NB Items marked * do not apply to independent schools

As you know from previous bulletins, correspondence and consultation meetings, the WDES is undergoing a process of review and re-organisation. In Bulletin 04/00 we indicated that interviews for the post of Education Officer were to be held at the end of July.

As a result of those interviews, we are delighted to announce that the post has been filled by Mr Paul Barber. Many of you will know of Paul from his current role as Legal Officer at the Catholic Education Service (CES) and may have benefited from his expert advice.

Paul takes up his new post on 1 November and from that date will be available to advise schools in the Diocese of Westminster on a wide range of issues. In particular, he will be dealing with the work of governing bodies, the admission and exclusion of pupils, the appointment and dismissal of staff and matters of concern to parents.

With some modifications, Paul will be taking on the position occupied until the end of July by Mrs Joan Leith. Joan has now officially retired but has very kindly agreed to continue on an occasional basis to see through current projects in which she has been deeply involved, particularly, the annual conference for secondary headteachers and the courses for aspiring head and deputy headteachers. She will also be involved from time to time in assisting governing bodies with headteacher and deputy headteacher appointments.

A separate letter will be sent to schools shortly detailing the arrangements for celebrating Joan's years of devoted service to Catholic education in this diocese and beyond.

Regrettably, it has not yet proved possible to recruit to the post of Principal Adviser. The post will be re-advertised shortly with a view to making an appointment for January 2001. As previously announced, with effect from 31 August 2000, Patrick Topp has relinquished the post he has held since 1994 as Head of the Inspection Unit within the Schools Administration Department of the WDES. Until such times as a successor is appointed, Ian Beck will cover Patrick's duties in an acting capacity. Ian will also assume responsibility for in service training courses scheduled for the spring term 2001 and beyond. Anthony Clark will continue to be responsible for religious education and catechesis until the end of the autumn term.

Sr. Mavis Langmead RJM will be a member, part time, of the RE Advisory Service. In the period to Christmas 2000, she will concentrate especially on assisting schools in the North Area with the introduction of the second edition of Here I Am. However she is not the RE Adviser for the North Area and any requests or problems should be referred to Anthony Clark in the first instance.

Patrick Topp's secretary in the Inspection Unit, Mrs Carol Campbell-Goulborne will be taking maternity leave for up to one year with effect from 1 September. Miss Marlis Mangatal will replace her on a temporary basis.

With effect from 1 September, the Schools Administration Department of the WDES will be known as the Department of Schools, and will continue under the direction of Tony Mackersie. Ian Beck, who is designated as Deputy Director, will support Tony in all aspects of the work of the Department

The Department of RE and Catechesis continues with its existing remit until the new Principal Adviser is in post, whereupon it will be re-named the Department of Lifelong Learning and Catechesis, under the Direction of Anthony Clark.

A summary of the proposed structure from January 2001 is shown on the last page of this bulletin and we shall be working towards this position as the current term progresses.

The following temporary arrangements are in place for the Autumn Term 2000:

Pope Paul, Potters Bar Mrs Helen Woodhouse

St Paul: Cheshunt, Mrs Wendy Sims *

St Dominic Junior, Homerton Mrs Marie Hogg *

Sacred Heart, Ruislip Mrs Jenny Mordy *

Our Lady of Grace Junior, Dollis Hill Mr Adrian Wright *

Blessed John Roche, Tower Hamlets Mr Philip Jakszta *

St George, City of Westminster Lady Marie Stubbs *

St Edmund, Millwall Mr Keith Homewood *

St Edmund, Whitton Mrs Ann Watts *

O L of the Assumption, Bethnal Green Mr Richard Pickering *

St Teresa, Finchley Miss Elaine Carr *

St Mary, Ponders End Miss Margaret Conway *

St Albert the Great, Hemel Hempstead Mrs Kathleen Snape *

The following advice has been issued before, but bears repetition.

If any school is threatened with legal action of any kind, the first step should be to take advice from the legal department of the maintaining local authority. The local authority has a duty to meet legal costs incurred by governing bodies and is required to state in its scheme of delegation how these will be met. Given that the local authority is required to meet the costs, it is axiomatic that the governing body should normally follow its advice in every detail. If there are exceptional circumstances where the governing body feels it cannot or should not follow the line recommended by the LEA, advice should be sought from the WDES.

In some circumstances, the local authority may specify that the costs are met out of the schools budget share, but there should be no distinction between Catholic schools and any other, except in matters relating to property.

In order to ensure that school governing bodies are fully protected, not least from the minority of local authorities which do not provide the kind of support to which schools are entitled, the Catholic Church has in place a contingency policy with First Assist, part of the Sun Alliance Group.

Schools are strongly advised to notify First Assist of any potential risk at the same time as the LEA is notified. The expectation is that the LEA will take lead responsibility, but if there is a problem, the contingency policy can be activated. First Assist is most reluctant to come to the aid of schools unless the company has been notified of the risk at the outset and given the opportunity to advise.

The contact details are:

Legal Expenses Claims Department.

First Assist Group Ltd.

Marshall's Court

Marshall's Road

Sutton Surrey SM1 4DU

Tel. 020 8652 1313

Quote policy no. GA11406824.

The insurers will issue a claim form, which will need to be completed and, on receipt of that form, they will advise what further steps should be taken. When returning the completed form to the insurers, it is necessary to state that the matter has been referred to the LEA's legal department and the notification to the insurers is merely precautionary, to comply with the policy conditions on notification of potential claims.

It is important to stress again that the policy with First Assist is not duplication or a substitute for the arrangements, which should be made by the maintaining LEA. It is a safeguard to protect schools in cases where the LEA defaults or delays.

In case of particular difficulty, schools may contact John Rogers, the Insurance Manager of the Catholic Church Insurance Association, on Tel/Fax number 01296 422030 or e mail jrogers@ccia.freeserve.co.uk

It is of course open to governing bodies to instruct their own solicitors but, in those circumstances, there can be no guarantee that either the LEA or First Assist would meet any consequential costs or damages.

a. The Bible through Art (£24.95) and Assemblies from the Gallery (£15.95) are both by Margaret Cooling of the Stapleford Centre. Orders to 01603 612914. The later contains OHP transparencies of the picture for each assembly. Further details at www.scm-canterburypress.co.uk

b. Jesus Rap - a CD and a book of music. Written in Australia, these 'rap' style hymns for 9-14 year olds are popular in Catholic schools and have an imprimator from the Bishop of Parramatta in NSW. Contact Louise at All Saints Bookshop 01727 827612.

Enclosed is an order form for Christians Aware Christmas cards. For further details contact Christians Aware, 2 Saxby Street, Leicester LE2 0ND.

Please note the following important procedural changes:

Changes in the procedure for electing the chairman and vice chairman of the governing body came into effect on 1 April 2000 and will affect all governing bodies in the first meeting of the new academic year.

The clerk to the governing body must now invite nominations for the positions of chairman and vice chairman in advance of the first meeting of the school year. The names of those nominated must be printed on the agenda. Only if there are no nominations may governors be nominated at the meeting. Individual governors may nominate themselves. There is no need to be nominated and/or seconded by another governor. Governors who are employed to work at the school are not eligible for election to these positions. If the positions are contested, election must be by secret ballot. (Regulation 29 of the Education (School Government)(England) Regulations 1999).

It is no longer permissible for a member of the school staff to be present at meetings considering the appointment of his or her successor. For this purpose, the appointment of a teacher as an acting headteacher counts as if it were a substantial appointment. (Regulation 9 of the Education (School Government) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2000).

The next annual conference for all those in youth ministry will be held at London Colney on Saturday 3 February 2001, not 23 Feb as said in previous bulletin.

This year is the first year where national GCSE results have been published including the gender subtotals. Here is the table of the percentages of those achieving A* to C in both Religious Studies and English.

RS English

The next CCRS study day is on Saturday 23 September 2000 at Vaughan House. The topic is the Old Testament, and the session will begin at 10am. For teachers or catechists looking for an introductory understanding of Catholic teaching, this is an excellent point to commence the CCRS programme. Prior registration is preferable, but registrations - from 9.30 am - are welcome on the day. Module fee is £15 (£6.50 study day only).

It is still be possible for teachers interested in the Twilight Course on Leadership in Catholic Education to enrol before the first session, which is on Tuesday 19 September. Details and application forms were sent to school last term and further copies may be obtained by contacting Greeny Longville on 020 7798 9005 Those who are already booked for this course will receive full details of the arrangements and programme in the week beginning Monday 11 September

Please note that it may be possible to repeat this course at a location in Hertfordshire, probably St Anne's House, in the spring term. This is dependent on there being sufficient demand; you may recall that, last year plans to repeat the course were abandoned due to lack of demand. If there is any interest in this, please contact either Ian Beck or Sister Judith as soon as possible, since a decision will need to be made by the end of October at the latest.

Places are also still available on the four-day residential courses for Aspiring Headteachers (21-24 November 2000) or for Aspiring Deputy Headteachers (16-19 January 2001) which are jointly organised by the dioceses Westminster, Brentwood, Northampton and East Anglia.

A sufficient number of affirmative replies were received at the end of last term to enable the booking of the hotel to proceed. There are a few places still available. Letters have already been sent to all primary headteachers, either confirming their booking or offering the further few places to those who haven't booked and might wish to come. The conference will run from lunchtime Wednesday 7 March 2001 to lunchtime on Friday 9 March at the Sandbanks Hotel, Poole, Dorset. The conference planning group will circulate further details and a draft timetable in early October. (For further information, contact Anthony Clark on 020 7798 9006.)

The NBRIA document containing the levels of Attainment in RE for use in Catholic schools has now been published. Details are enclosed on its cost and how to obtain it. Schools are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the levels and use them as appropriate. A useful guide on using the levels is to be found in the booklet published by the QCA entitled 'Religious Education: non-statutory guidance on RE' It has already been sent to most if not all schools by the DfEE and is also available via the web. Look for the link in the diocesan RE website.

This booklet is also published by Matthew James Publications Ltd and mentioned on the enclosed flyer. It is aimed at providing the content for the recently approved CCRS unit on Sex and Relationship Education unit of the CCRS, or be used at the basis for an inservice course on Sex and Relationship Education in a primary or secondary school. It includes sections on The Guidance of the Teaching Office of the Church, Christian Moral teaching, and Monitoring EPR in Catholic schools. (For further information, contact Anthony Clark on 020 7798 9006.)

The Heads of RE conference (secondary teachers) is at London Colney from Thursday 9^th November 2000 to Friday 10^th at London Colney. A day on 16 - 19 RE, with resources being shared for both general 6^th form RE and AS/A level Religious Studies is offered to all secondary RE teachers at London Colney on Tuesday 23 January 2001.

A description of the events that took place in Rome for World Youth Day on Sunday 20 August is given in the Stop Press section of the RE and Catechesis webpage. It includes the full text of the Pope's homily. Click on RE and Catechesis on the diocesan homepage at http://www.westminsterdiocese.org.uk

The number of schools with websites is continuing to grow. A number are including links to their Ofsted inspection report and giving the text of their own Section 23 report. Schools are invited to send the address of their website to aclark@westminsterdiocese.org.uk The websites that are already up and running can be found on the diocesan homepage - see above.

Tony Mackersie, Director. Diocesan schools commissioner.

David Squires Education Officer Property and building issues

Sr. Doreen Casey Teacher appointments; Liaison with initial teacher trainers.

Greeny Longville Secretary to Tony Mackersie.

Marlis Mangatal Administration: School inspections, conferences and courses.