WESTMINSTER DIOCESE EDUCATION SERVICE
To: Chairmen of Governing
Bodies of Roman Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Westminster
Cc: Headteachers
September 2001
1. Diocesan Reorganisation
As you know, a number of changes are underway both in the Diocese as a whole and within the WDES. Within the next few weeks, Bishop Stack, the Chairman of the Education Board will be writing to all schools and parishes about these changes. There are, however, some immediate administrative points to note.
With immediate effect, Anthony Clark, Director of the Department of Lifelong Learning and Catechesis, will be based at Westminster House, Hendon, where he can be contacted on 020 8202 3611.
Moira Wilson, Youth Contact, will move to Hendon in October. For the time being, Moira remains at Vaughan House.
Rita Price, Director of Religious Education and Inspection, has now taken up her post and is located at Vaughan House, Tel. 020 7798 9006. Rita’s secretary is Margaret Sheldon.
Please be reminded that,
as notified in bulletin 04/01, there are some changes among the advisers this
term and some changes to their places of working. We particularly welcome Sister Sheila McNamara to the advisory
service. Sr Sheila will be based at
Westminster House, Hendon.
Paul Uden is recovering
from a knee operation and will not be back until 1 October. We hope he will soon recover.
2. Governing Body Minutes. *
The WDES is grateful to those schools which supply copies of the minutes of governing body meetings. Whilst this cannot be relied upon as a means of communication, it is a useful way for officers to keep in touch with developments in schools.
Schools which do not currently supply copies of their governing body minutes are warmly encouraged to do so. They should be sent to Vaughan House and marked for the attention of Paul Barber. Preferably, they should be sent electronically to pbarber@westminsterdiocese.org.uk Please do not sent additional copies to other officers. In particular, schools that have formerly sent copies to the pastoral area offices are requested to discontinue doing so with immediate effect.
3. Procedures for the Appointment of Foundation Governors.
Please find enclosed a letter describing new procedures for appointing foundation governors, made necessary by changes in the diocesan administration and recent child protection legislation. Several important functions formerly carried out in the pastoral areas will now be managed centrally. These include most procedures connected with the appointment of foundation governors. In some parts of the diocese, a local adviser on foundation governor appointments is still be available to be consulted – contact details are contained in the letter.
(Enquiries to Paul Barber on
020 7798 9005 or pbarber@westminsterdiocese.org.uk
Please find enclosed a document which provides a brief summary of the current position under the Diocesan Insurance Scheme as regards aided schools. The document has been prepared by John Rogers, the Catholic Church Insurance Manager, in response to recent queries which he has received, and merits a wider audience.
Enquiries to Paul Barber on
020 7798 9005 or pbarber@westminsterdiocese.org.uk
)
5. Consultation group for Headteachers of Church Schools in the
London Area.
Please find enclosed (for headteachers) a flier advertising an opportunity for an ecumenical group of headteachers of Church schools in London to reflect on their role and on the way their own spiritual experience informs their task.
(Further information from Jane
Reed, Institute of Education on 020 7612 6098).
6. London Borough of Richmond upon Thames: Home to School
Travel *
A member of Richmond Council has pointed out that parents resident in Richmond and neighbouring areas applying for places in Richmond Catholic schools seem to have been given incorrect or misleading advice, allegedly by schools, regarding Richmond’s home to school travel policy. This has caused some difficulty and even embarrassment when parents have not been able to claim a benefit to which they thought they were entitled.
Parents who wish to seek guidance regarding the provision of financial assistance with home-school travel should be advised to contact Richmond Education Department, Pupil and Student Support Section on 020 8891 7587 to check out the correct position.
7. Liturgy Office for INSET.
Fr Allen Morris, the secretary to the
Westminster Liturgy Commission, has written to say that the commission has been
discussing how it can best support schools in establishing good practice in
their liturgical celebrations. The Commission can provide personnel to lead
INSET days.
(Contact Fr
Allen Morris at 44 Ashchurch Grove, London W12 9BU for further information. His
phone number is 020 8743 5196 and his email is liturgyprof@lineone.net )
8. Ealing SACRE.
There is currently a vacancy for a Catholic representative on the Ealing Standing Advisory Committee for Religious Education (SACRE). The level of commitment would be to attend meetings of the SACRE which are held three times a year, one in each term. This is a valuable service and network. Anyone needing more information or wishing to be considered for appointment is invited to contact Rita Price on 020 7798 9006.
As a result of a number of proposed changes in the management responsibility for VA school premises and continuing developments in asset management planning, schools may find it helpful to attend training/information/question and answer sessions which the diocese intends to hold during the coming autumn and spring terms.
The intention is to hold a simple basic presentation as a starter, which is then likely to lead into a question and answer session from which hopefully all would benefit. This will be a general session, rather than a response to specific premises and accommodation issues for particular schools.
In order to benefit a number of schools in an area and make the session more productive, it is suggested that one school would act as a host should there be a sufficient number of expressions of interest in a particular area. The sessions would commence in the early evening and will be open to heads, deputies or other members of staff, governors and site managers as appropriate.
If you are
interested in attending such a session, please complete the enclosed form and
return to Sally Livesey as indicated on the form.
The Good Counsel Network Chastity Team has approached the Cardinal, who requests that the following text be made available to schools:
‘The Good Counsel Network Chastity
Team provides speaker presentations to teach the radical message of purity in
heart, mind and deed. Our positive
presentations build real self-esteem by forming young people in the truth about
chastity, encouraging them to find freedom in a life of purity and respect for
the human person. We teach human sexuality in terms of the Marriage Gift of
Life and Love and explain the physical, emotional and spiritual consequences of
sex outside marriage. Our programme
fulfils many of the requirements of the DfEE Sex and Relationship Education
Guidance in the light of Archbishop Nichols’ statement on this document and the
CES response. There is no charge for
this service’.
(For more information, or to book a speaker please contact Ruth Ashfield, 01622 765175 ruth@goodcounselnetwork.freeserve.co.uk )
11. In
Service Training for Teachers.
Vacancies remain on the following courses;
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
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
Please
contact the Diocese of Brentwood on 01277 265284 if you are interested in
either of these courses.
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).
Please
note that the venue for this course has been changed from Vaughan House to Hendon
in an attempt to make it accessible to a larger audience. At the moment, the response has been limited
and the course will not take place unless there are sufficient participants to
make it worthwhile for all concerened.
(Please contact Ian Beck on 020 7798 9005 or
e mail ibeck@westminsterdiocese.org.uk
as soon as possible if you are interested in this course.)
12. Graduate Teacher
Training Programme (GTTP)
Schools willing to take part in this scheme are requested to
let Sister Doreen Casey know. There
were several enquiries at the end of the summer term.
(Please
contact Sr. Doreen on 020 7798 9007).
13. Ukana Maternity
Hospital Project.
Ukana is a small rural town in Enugu State, Eastern
Nigeria. It is a poor area dependent
upon subsistence agriculture. The
infant mortality rate is high, due to the lack of pre-natal care or labour ward
facility. Many poor people cannot
afford the cost of travel to the larger centres where such care can be
provided. An appeal has been launched
to raise money to provide a maternity facility for this community. In the UK, it is being promoted by Mrs V.
Ekeowa, a senior teacher at St Monica’s Primary School in Hoxton. The Mayor of Islington supports the appeal
and the treasurer is Mr Sean Flood, headteacher of Our Lady and St Joseph’s
School in Kingsland.
(If
you would like more information or make a donation, please contact Vicky Ekeowa
at St Monica’s on 020 7739 5824)
End