Registered Charity Number 233699

WDES Bulletin 7/98

December 1998

You are advised that the long awaited revised procedures are now available on application to the CES at a cost of 60p per copy. All schools in diocesan trusteeship are asked to use these procedures. Governing bodies, should at the earliest opportunity, formally adopt the procedures and notify all employees accordingly.

Current employment legislation requires the employer (governing body) to serve a copy of the procedures on all employees. For newly appointed employees this should be served at the same time as the contract of employment is issued.

Following several recent enquiries concerning the procedure to be used at appeal hearings, it is confirmed that an appeal hearing should not normally be a rehearing of the case, but should confine itself to the specific issues contained in the grounds of appeal.

The DfEE issued its latest guidance note to all schools on 10 September 1998. If any school failed to receive this important communication, additional copies are available on application to this service. Your attention is drawn in particular to the item covered at the second bullet point on page 2 of the guidance.

The next study day for the CCRS is on the New Testament on Saturday 16 January 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.

The Columban Fathers approached the diocese to circulate the following information to our schools. CEC (Cultural Exchange with China) is an organisation with its main office in Hong Kong (AITECE), under the auspices of the Columban/Mill Hill Missionary programmes. It requires suitably qualified men/women to teach English in China. Teachers/experts in other fields are also required.

Three sets of leaflets have been produced by an ecumenical group (WDES and Christians Aware) and are now available to help us celebrate and deepen our awareness of the significance of Advent and Christmas. These draw on a number of seasonal traditions and current issues. Two of the sets are suitable for Primary children, while the Adult set would interest Secondary students. A poster is enclosed.

On Wednesday 9 December 1998 Monica Brown is offering a Workshop on Spirituality and Ministry for those who work with children in RE and liturgy. It will take place at Vaughan House from 9.30am to 3.30pm. There are a few remaining places, but time is short. Please telephone Margaret Sheldon immediately to book a place. (£10).

The Catholic Bishops' Conferences of England & Wales, Ireland and Scotland have jointly published this book. Its subtitle is 'A teaching document on the Eucharist in the life of the Church, and the establishment of general norms on sacramental sharing.' It is in four parts. The first part is an introduction, the second part is on our Catholic Faith in the Church and the Eucharist, the third part is on the pains of division and the fourth part on general norms on sharing. It is recommended that each school should have a copy in its resources.

The representative group planning the conference has met twice. His Eminence Cardinal Hume will be spending the first morning of the conference in dialogue with us about preparing for the Holy Year. The conference begins at 9.30 am on Thursday 11 March 1999 and ends mid-afternoon on Friday 12 March. Further details and booking forms will be circulated in the New Year.

The theme of this conference is Assisting the vision and leadership partnership between head and deputy. It begins at 9.30am on Monday 8 February 1999 and ends mid-afternoon on Tuesday 9 February. The booking form and final details will be circulated in the first week of January to all primary Deputy Heads.

The theme of the day will concern Judaism, and will refer to its place in the RE Curriculum Directory. Further details will be sent out in April 1999. The day is offered twice and will be the same at each venue. It is offered at Maria Assumpta Centre in Kensington on Tuesday 15 June 1999 and at All Saints, London Colney on Wednesday 16 June 1999.

All local authorities should by now have commenced a consultation exercise with governing bodies on the DfEE proposals for revision of the existing scheme of financial delegation of school budgets. WDES is available to give guidance and assistance where it is perceived that Catholic schools might be disadvantaged by local proposals. This is probably best done initially in the local Catholic forums of schools, which exist in all LEAs. It is very important that grant maintained schools are involved in these discussions.

Sr Mary McGrath is retiring from her post of Primary RE Adviser in the North Area at the end of December.

The date of Education Sunday next year is Sunday 31 January 1999. The theme is Education Changes. There are no further details at this stage, but schools may wish to start planning activities for the week starting 25 January 1999 leading up to Education Sunday.

A study day for secondary school teachers organised by the Catholic Bishops' Committee for Catholic-Jewish relations is offered on 18 May 1999 at the West London Synagogue. Contributors include Bishop Henderson, Rabbi Lionel Blue, Fr Robert Murray SJ, Sr Clare Jardine, Sr Margaret Shepherd and Clive Lawton. A leaflet is enclosed for every secondary school.

Many schools have enquired as to when further details on the new constitutional arrangements for governing bodies will be published. It is understood that the relevant Education (School Government) Regulations will be made very shortly by the Secretary of State.

Advice on the provisions of the model instrument for a voluntary aided school in the new framework will be forthcoming from this service very early in the New Year. This advice will be accompanied by further information on the procedures to be followed with regard to the appointment of foundation governors to governing bodies

from 1 September 1999. Understandably, this information will only apply to schools in diocesan trusteeship or to those schools in the trusteeship of a religious order that have requested the diocese to administer the appointment of foundation governors.

Given that there will be a requirement for there to be an increase by one in the number of foundation governors who are also parents, it would be very helpful if every school were to identify from those currently appointed as foundation governors, those governors who are also parents of pupils who will be on roll on 1 September 1999.

A new publication bringing together the teaching of the Church has been published recently by Gracewing, edited by Fr Michael Hayes and Liam Gearon. It is specifically aimed as a foundation text for students following the Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies (CCRS). It would be a useful resource for a staffroom. It costs £20.00 postage and packing free.

Primary schools in the following authorities have yet to agree representation on the local Early Years Development Partnership.

CAMDEN HACKNEY HARINGEY HOUNSLOW TOWER HAMLETS

CITY OF WESTMINSTER

Would primary school headteachers in each of the above authority areas please agree the nomination of a representative and inform Tony Mackersie as soon as possible.

The Bishops Conference of England and Wales has recently published Valuing Difference: people with disabilities in the life and mission of the Church. It is recommended that each school obtain at least one copy. The cost is £2.00 each for 1 - 9 copies, £1.50 each for 10 - 49 copies and £1 each for more than 50. Postage and packing is £1 per order whatever the number ordered.

1 Information on the next cycle of inter-diocesan courses [for aspiring heads in November and aspiring deputies in January] will be sent to in schools early in the New Year. This advance information is issued so that provision for teachers whose experience and circumstances indicate their suitability for such in-service can be included in the school budget planning. Each course is a four-day residential at All Saints Pastoral Centre, London Colney and costs £180. Headteachers of small schools of under 200 pupils please make early contact if there is a strong candidate for either course since some financial help may be available to ease the cost to the school.

2 Leadership in Catholic Education: Diocesan Twilight Course at London Colney

This course of five evening sessions was run in Vaughan House in September/ October 1998 and is again offered at Saint Anne’s House, All Saints Pastoral Centre on Tuesday evenings from 12 January–9 February 1999, inclusive. Course content includes the nature and purpose of Catholic education, the legal framework that supports it, the provision and monitoring of RE and raising standards of school performance.

The course should prove helpful to any teacher intending to develop a career in Catholic education and especially for those for whom the next step is likely to be headship or deputy headship

Information and application forms are now in all secondary schools. The theme this year is Setting Targets, Raising Standards and Improving Performance. Key speakers this year include Martyn Cribb, Senior Adviser, Schools Standards and Effectiveness Unit and Bishop Nichols, chairman of the Diocesan Education Board.

The Summer Term, 1999 Programme is attached. Please note that the programme is circulated to headteachers and chairs only. We are grateful for the effort made to bring the programme to the attention of other governors. We are pleased and encouraged to report that the average attendance at these sessions has more than doubled over the last year.

You will recall from Bishop Nichol’s letter of 2 April 1998 that all schools in diocesan trusteeship were requested to appoint a technical consultant to advise on premises issues. The Schools Administration Department now wishes to determine which consultant has been appointed by each school.

Please contact Carol Campbell by any convenient means to pass on this information:

In this time of Advent, as we prepare for the celebration of the nativity of Our Lord, we wish each of you all the blessings of the Christmas season.