13 September, 1996.
Dear Colleague,
1. Reminder of Governors' Annual Commitments. *
(* indicates item that does not apply to independent schools.)
Many chairmen have found it useful to be reminded in this, the first letter of the new school year, of the various duties of the governing body which must, or should, be carried out at the first governing body meeting of the year to prevent difficulties later in the year.
The most important of these are
the election of chairman and vice-chairman
appointments to committees (essential for GM schools, strongly recommended for VA and SA). Particularly important are committees dealing with staff and pupil discipline where there is often no time to hold a governing body meeting to appoint a committee within the timescale for the matter to be heard.
check on the membership. (Does every foundation governor have a Deed of Appointment, is any governor disqualified through non-attendance, have the necessary steps been taken to fill vacancies etc.?)
fix the dates for full governing body meetings and the annual parents' meeting (APM). It is particularly important that major policy decisions which cannot be delegated to committees, such as the approval of the budget, the admissions policy, the school prospectus, the annual report to parents and the post-inspection action plan are taken at meetings of the full governing body.
review and agree the arrangements for the appointment of staff
review and agree the power over expenditure to be delegated to the headteacher.
determine criteria for annual salary review of headteacher.
(Further enquiries to Joan Leith on 0171-798 9005)
Please find enclosed with this bulletin a copy of the newly revised guidance and model procedures on the management of complaints. This replaces the joint diocesan guidance, first issued in January, 1993. Many schools have their own complaints procedure, sometimes based on LEA models, which work effectively. Where this is the case, no further action is needed. Schools which do not have a procedure are strongly urged to consider in what manner complaints are to be dealt with and may wish to adopt the diocesan model as an interim measure.
The guidance contains a section on the definition of a complaint which should be noted
carefully since it includes a useful checklist of other procedures and systems which the
governing body should be confident are in place.
(Further enquiries to Ian Beck on 0171-798 9005)
Please find enclosed a copy of new guidance for governing bodies on the appointment of staff.
The guidance does not deal with the appointment of headteachers. This is available separately
and is supplied to the chairman when a vacancy arises.
(Further enquiries to Joan Leith on 0171-798 9005)
The pattern of bespoke sessions, both evening and whole/half-day sessions, requested by individual schools continues to grow. As a consequence, fewer general sessions are offered this term and all are hosted jointly by the London Diocesan Board for Schools (LDBS) and the WDES.
Governors intending to attend any of these sessions, listed on a separate sheet, are asked to leave a message on the answer phone (0181-906 3321 during office hours only) leaving the session number, their name(s) and the school of which a governor. For some sessions, preliminary papers are issued in advance. If you do not pre-book, please telephone the WDES for confirmation that a place is available at the session.
The area bishops invite all governors, especially foundation governors, to celebrate Mass for
our Catholic schools. The dates and venues are shown on the same sheet as the training
programme. Prior notice of intention to attend is not needed but it is hoped that the majority
of governing bodies will be able to be represented at the Mass.
(Further enquiries to Joan Leith on 0171 798 9005)
A leaflet has recently been published by the Health and Safety Executive giving advice for
schools with contractors on site. It is available, free of charge, from HSE Books, PO Box
1999, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 6FS, Tel 01787 881165, Fax 01787 313995.
The present term of office for foundation governors in voluntary aided and special agreement
schools in diocesan trusteeship ends on 31 August, 1997. All such governors are due to
receive a letter from their area bishop/episcopal vicar which the clerk to each governing body
will be asked to distribute. Your assistance in checking that the correspondence reaches the
appropriate governors and that they respond would be greatly appreciated.
(Further enquiries to Joan Leith on 0171 798 9005).
You will recall that Martin Wake wrote to you in February with details of various schemes set
up by the diocese to enable parishes and schools to purchase supplies and services more
cheaply. Typically, savings of 30-50% can be achieved. The schemes cover the purchase of
gas, photocopiers, fax machines, digital printers, paper & stationery and the purchase, rental
and maintenance of fire equipment.
An enclosure with this bulletin gives further details of each scheme, together with the names of
participating schools and the names of those to be contacted for further particulars.
A reminder to colleagues that there may be vacancies on the following courses;
a. Leadership in Catholic Primary Education.
This course, of six units, touches on the distinctive character of Catholic Primary Education as
reflected in its ethos, religious education, management and legal framework. It is offered to
experienced teachers in primary schools, including those looking towards head or deputy
headship roles.
Venue: St. Gregory's School, Woodfield Road, Ealing.
Dates: Weds. 9, 16, 30 October & 6, 13, 20 November from 5-7pm. (light refreshments
from 4.30).
Cost: £60, all inclusive.
b. Preparation for Headship/Deputy Headship.
The four dioceses of the eastern province offer two, four-day residential, courses for those
aspiring to headship or deputy headship of Catholic schools.
For those aspiring to headship; 25-28 November, 1996
For those aspiring to deputy headship; 27-30 January, 1997.
Both are held at the All Saints Pastoral Centre, London Colney and the inclusive cost of each is
£165.
(Further details from Joan Leith on 0171-798 9005)
It may be helpful to remind headteachers and chairmen of governors that the Bishop requires
to be represented at the appointment of deputy headteachers and head or co-ordinators of RE.
The diocesan job description, available from the Schools Administration Department is
required to be used for these appointments.
As soon as such a vacancy is known, please make contact as follows;
a) for primary deputy headship or co-ordinator of RE, with the area primary RE adviser
b) for secondary deputy headship, with Joan Leith
c) for head of RE or specialist RE teacher, with the area secondary RE adviser.
(Further information from Joan Leith on 0171 798 9005)
Chairmen and headteachers are reminded of an employer's statutory duty to supply newly appointed employees with a contract of employment, together with a statement of written particulars, within two months of the date of appointment.
Given that the CES is shortly to publish a revised contract of employment for teaching staff, it might be prudent for governing bodies to delay issuing contracts to newly appointed staff on existing forms and await the revised documentation which will meet the requirements of all current employment legislation.
Revised contractual documentation is also being prepared by the CES for other categories of
employees in VA and GM schools but will be available later in the year.
(Enquiries to Tony Mackersie, on 0171 798 9005.)
Section 6 of the Act makes provision for the governing body of a grant maintained school 'to borrow such sums as the governing body think fit and, in connection with such borrowing, to grant a new mortgage, charge or other security over any land or property of the governing body'.
Regrettably, this new legislation confers only limited power on the governing body of a
denominational grant maintained school (formerly voluntary aided or special agreement) where
it is likely that most of the buildings and land remain vested in the trustee.
Given this restriction on borrowing, the governing bodies of diocesan grant maintained schools
are encouraged to discuss the financing of potential capital developments as early as possible
with the diocesan Financial Secretary.
(Further enquiries to Tony Mackersie on 0171 798 9005).
The other major element of this act concerns the introduction of the nursery voucher scheme.
Given the very wide variety of policy and practice in the LEAs covered by the diocese with
regard to the timing of admissions, the definition of nursery and the funding for pupils under
five, it is not possible at this stage to do anything other than advise on a LEA by LEA basis.
The Schools Administration Department would be very pleased to receive information about
how this question is being addressed in the different parts of the diocese since to date, only the
two county authorities have provided information and requested views.
(Further enquiries to Ian Beck on 0171 798 9005)
The Secretary to the Bishops' Conference Committee for International Justice and Peace has
enquired whether one or two of our primary or infant schools might receive a group of Finnish
students who are training to work with under-fives. The visit would be for no more than 1-2
hours on any day between 11 and 15 November.
(Any school willing to assist is requested to contact Tony Mackersie on 0171-798 9005)
A teacher of English in Golling, Austria, is looking for an exchange with a group of year 9
pupils from an English secondary school. For the purposes of claiming grant, any response to
this must come by the end of September, at the latest.
(Ian Beck, on 0171-798 9005 has some further information, or write to Beatrix Ainedter,
Wasserfallstrasse 181, 5440 Golling, Austria.)
In the first weeks of September the new programme Walk With Me was published and
launched. It is a parish programme for catholic children not in catholic schools. Its structure
has elements in common with Here I Am. There is an occasion towards the end of each term
when all the children of a parish could come together for a joint celebration of a topic which is
common to both programmes. Those schools who are this September in Year A in the cycle of
the 'whole school' approach (Approach 1) to Here I Am will find the topics are the same year
by year.
(For further information contact your Primary RE Adviser or Anthony Clark at 0171 798
9006.)
The next CCRS study day is on Saturday 18th January 1997 at Vaughan House, 46 Francis
Street. the topic is The New Testament - Unit 2. It begins at 10am and new students enrol by
attending - no previous booking is required.
(For further information contact Moira Wilson on 0171 798 9006.)
The Board of Religious Studies of the Bishops Conference has published a guidance booklet
on the structure and approach of the certificate. The certificate is aimed at giving a basic
understanding of our catholic teachings and beliefs. It is open to teachers, catechists, youth
workers and all who need a deeper understanding of our tradition. Headteachers play a crucial
role in encouraging staff members to enrol for the certificate. A copy of the booklet is enclosed
for each headteacher to help them in this role.
(For further information contact Moira Wilson on 0171 798 9006.)
This set of videos on the early church in Rome together with the gospel stories will be shown
on national TV, starting at Christmas and ending at Easter. It is aimed at KS2 but may also be
useful for parts of KS3. The exact times of showing and the availability of the videos for retail
are not yet finalised. The RE advisers will have the information as it becomes available. As
well as being an RE resource, it could prove a useful reference point for the daily Acts of
Worship, as many of the pupils may have watched it with their parents the previous weekend.
(For further information contact your RE Adviser or Anthony Clark on 0171 798 9006.)
This GCSE text book published by Heinemann has been the subject of controversy in the
Catholic press over the past months. A statement by Bishop Peter Smith on 15th July
concludes
' Provided the erratum mentioned above is put in place, my judgement is that this book can continue to be used under the guidance of competent teachers as one of the resources for the GCSE syllabus.'The full text of the statement is published in Briefing (15 August 96, Vol 26, Issue 8).
The Heads of RE conference is from Wednesday evening 6th November to Friday afternoon
8th November 1996.
The two days for the RE Coordinator meetings are Tuesday 10th June
97 at Vaughan House and Friday 13th June at London Colney. The days are identical and
coordinators come on the day where the date or place suits them.
(For further information contact your RE Adviser or Anthony Clark at 0171 798 9006.)
An afternoon in-service session offered in conjunction with the London Diocesan Board for
Schools is on Tuesday 8th October 1996. It is on Practical and Experiential Approaches to
RE and is led by Anne Lovelace. It is at Vaughan House and begins at 2pm.
(For further details and application, phone 0171 932 1100.)
Mrs Judy Wood has been appointed Administrative Assistant in the Dept of RE and
Catechesis. It is a fixed term contract for one year which may be extended to two. The
appointment is related to the assumption by the Director of the role of secondary RE Adviser
to the schools in the Central and West Areas of the Diocese.
(Judy Wood is contacted on 0171 798 9006)
During the month of August Sr Paula became unwell and will not be able to return to her role
of keeping the WDES accounts. Since the beginning of the 1980s Sr Paula has done invaluable
and sterling work keeping the service accounts. This is not the place to state our full
appreciation - that will be done on a more appropriate occasion.
In the meanwhile any returns
which are addressed to her should be sent in the ordinary way and we will be making
arrangements at this end to reorganise the work. (AC)
Enclosed is a leaflet from CHAS - Catholic Housing Aid Society. Schools regularly approach
CHAS for information about homelessness and housing and the resources listed are their
response. These resources are useful both for Acts of Worship as well as in RE.
(For further information contact Chris Cole at CHAS on 0171 723 7273.)
The sudden death of Rabbi Hugo Gryn has been felt in far wider circles than just those of the
Jewish community. He offered great support and initiative on mutual understanding and
tolerance among the world faiths. He played an important role on the national RE Council
where whole community RE issues are discussed. May he rest in peace. (AC)
Headteachers and governors are asked to give priority as circumstances allow to staff
participation in diocesan conferences The continuing formation of our Catholic schools and
their staff is supported by these conferences. The dates are as follows
Primary headteachers*
Wed 7 May-Thurs 8 May, 1997
Wed 6 May-Thurs 7 May, 1998
Primary deputy headteachers*
Tues 4 Feb-Wed 5 Feb, 1997
Tues 3 Feb-Wed 4 Feb, 1998
Primary RE Co-ordinators*
Tues 10 June, 1997 (Vaughan House)
Fri 12 June, 1997 (London Colney)
Secondary headteachers**
Thurs, 26 Sep-Fri 27 Sep 1996
Thurs 25 Sep-Fri 26 Sep, 1997
Secondary deputy headteachers**
Tues 4 Mar-Wed 5 Mar, 1997
Tues 3 Mar-Wed 4 Mar, 1998
Secondary heads of RE Departments*
Wed 6 Nov-Fri 8 Nov, 1996
Wed 5 Nov-Fri 7 Nov, 1997
* For further information, contact Anthony Clark on 0171 798 9006
** For further information contact Joan Leith on 0171 798 9005
A notice of interest to all past students of the College is enclosed for headteachers only, who
are requested to display it as they see fit.
(Further information from Sr. Victoria on 0171 987 1706.)
On behalf of the staff of the WDES, we offer you every good wish and blessing for the coming school year.
Mr Tony Mackersie (Director of Schools Administration Dept)
Mr Anthony Clark (Director of RE and Catechesis Dept)
Last Updated: 22 September 1996