21 January, 1998.    (Asterisk denotes item does not apply to Catholic independent schools)

1.  Deputy Primary Heads Conference

The theme of the conference this year is Developing our Celebrating Community. It
starts at 9.30am on Tuesday 3 February 1998 and ends at 3.30 on Wednesday 4
February 1998. The deadline for applications is Monday 26 January 1998. Details and
application forms were sent in the mailing before Christmas.
(For further details contact Anthony Clark on 0171 798 9006.)

2. Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies (CCRS) Study Day

The next study day for the CCRS is on Morality on Saturday 9th May 1998 at
Vaughan House. The day will be led by Julie Clague from St Mary's College,
Strawberry Hill.   The day begins at 10am, ending 4pm. The subsequent module is on
the Old Testament on 19th September 1998 . It costs £15.00 for a module but £6.50
for the day only. Registration is possible on the day but booking in advance is
preferable.
(Contact Moira Wilson on 0171 798 9006 for further details and booking form.)

3. The Storykeepers

The producer of The Storykeepers, Brian Brown, informed us two days before
Christmas that ITV had decided to screen the episodes of The Storykeepers again,
every Sunday morning until the end of February 1998. They are being shown in all ITV
regions each Sunday morning, either at 9.45 am or 10.15 am.
(The phone number to order copies of any of the videos or accompanying books is
01202 665432.)


4. Worth Abbey

Worth Abbey is offering a weekend exploring the Easter Mysteries from Thursday 9th
April to Sunday 12th April, Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday. Reflection and
discussion on the theme of The Church : Dying and Rising will be led by Fr
Christopher Jamison OSB and Dr Auster Ivereigh.
(For further details and application forms apply to The Easter Secretary, 01342
710304.)

5. UK Net Year

This year has been declared the year of promotion for schools to get onto the internet.
The body promoting it is UK NetYear who may be contacted at their website at
http://www.uknetyear.org/  . At this address schools can ask for a free book and CD
Rom about IT in schools.   To help our schools connect with each other, there is a list
of the email and website addresses of schools on the diocesan page at
http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/wdes/  .
(If any school has been omitted, please do contact Anthony Clark by phone on 0171
798 9006 or by email at wdes@dial.pipex.com   UK net year may be contacted on
01753 604082.)

6. Education Sunday

Each school will  have received by now the newsletter and information sheets from the
Catholic Education Service (CES) concerning Education Sunday on 8th February
1998. The theme is Timeless Stories and more details are available from the CES on
0171 828 7604.

7. Children's books for South Africa

The Community HEART trust runs the Book and Ten Pence Project. It aims to send
one million children's book to South Africa and collect the £100,000 needed to pay for
the shipping costs by the year 2000. (headteacher's mailing only - enclosure - an
information sheet and poster)
(For further details contact Denis Goldberg on 0171 704 6752.)

8. SPEC - Morning Worship

On ITV on Sunday 8th February the work of SPEC at All Saints Pastoral Centre will
feature as a part of the Morning Worship programme which begins at 10.30 am
approx.
(For further details contact SPEC on 01727 828888.)

9.  Early Years Development Partnership.   *

Tony Mackersie wrote to all primary headteachers (with the exception of those in
Hertfordshire) on 25 November, 1997 suggesting the means by which we could secure,
at local level, representation on the Early Years Development Partnership.  To date,
we have received nominations from our schools in eight local authorities and have
informed the relevant directors of education, as appropriate.

May we ask that schools in the following local authority areas respond to my invitation
to nominate a representative otherwise we will lose the opportunity afforded us by the
Secretary of State for representation in the planning of early years provision.  Please
disregard this request if you have recently done so.

Brent  Camden  Enfield  Hackney
Haringey Hounslow  Richmond Tower Hamlets
Westminster

(Please contact Tony Mackersie on 0171 798 9005)

10.  St. Mary's Primary School, Canterbury Road, London, NW6.

Please note that the former St. Mary's Infant and Junior Schools in Brent were
amalgamated to form a single primary school on the same site, with effect from 1
January, 1998.  The headteacher of the new school is Paul Campbell, formerly
headteacher of the Junior School.  This decision was announced after the printing of
the 1998 Westminster Year Book and you may wish to alter this entry accordingly.

11.  Other Senior Appointments.

We are pleased to announce the following appointments.

Westminster, St. Mary of the Angels,
Mrs Helen Connolly, formerly headteacher of St Robert Southwell, Brent.

Brent, St Joseph Infant,
Mrs Pamela Gibney, formerly acting headteacher at the school.

Brent, St Margaret Clitherow,
Mrs Ewa McSperrin, formerly deputy headteacher, St. Joseph, Ealing.

Brent, St. Robert Southwell,
Mr Ben Cassidy, formerly deputy headteacher at the same school.

St. Mary, Hammersmith & Fulham,
Mrs Caroline Allen, formerly deputy headteacher at the school.

Harrow, Sacred Heart High,
Mrs Mary Waplington, formerly acting headteacher at the school.

Hillingdon, St Bernadette,
Mr Mike McDermott, formerly headteacher, St Philip Howard, Hatfield.

Hertfordshire, St Thomas More,
Mrs Mary Hewitson, formerly deputy headteacher at St Vincent de Paul.

Hertfordshire, St. Philip Howard,
Mrs Nuala Pawley, formerly deputy headteacher at the school.

Hertfordshire, St Augustine,
Mrs Jill Ormondroyd, formerly Key Stage 2 co-ordinator, Holy Cross School, Harlow.

The following headteacher vacancies remain unfilled following one or more
advertisements;
Ealing, Our Lady of the Visitation.
Hackney, St Monica.
Hammersmith & Fulham, Sacred Heart Junior.
Islington, St Joan of Arc.
Islington, Our Lady of the Sacred Heart.
Hertfordshire, St Catherine of Siena.

The following headships have been advertised recently, or are about to be advertised;
City of Westminster, St Edward
Camden, Our Lady's
Tower Hamlets, St Mary & St Michael Junior
Hertfordshire, John F. Kennedy.

12.  Reminder; School Admissions and Catholicity.  *

Many thanks to those who have returned the questionnaire circulated on 10 December.
May I remind the others that the requested return date is the beginning of the coming
half-term.
(Further enquiries to Tony Mackersie on 0171 798 9005)

13.  WDES Response to Queries.

May we request that telephone callers to the WDES, who are unable to speak to the
person sought, always leave a message to say that they have called, either with the
person answering the telephone or on the answer phone, even where a call back is not
required.  This will help us to monitor how quickly we respond to your enquiries and
help us to respond to the allegation, sometimes laid against us, that calls are not
returned.

Yours sincerely,

Tony Mackersie                                Anthony Clark

Director,                                          Director
Schools Administration Department   RE & Catechesis Department