On 23rd
April, 2010, NEDFOS hosted a very successful conference at St Bede’s in York. The conference was aimed at
head teachers, Governors and Diocesan officers, and was attended by 37 delegates.
The
Conference objectives were:
Ø to raise awareness of the forms of collaboration and federation in operation already in our Catholic schools
Ø to identify, evaluate and celebrate good practice;
Ø to participate in action planning to affirm
the contribution made by these schools to community cohesion and invite other schools to experience the
merits of working in partnership
Dame Mary Richardson, a Trustee of the National College
for School Leadership, spoke about the role of the NCSL whose mission is "to inspire new leaders to improve the lives
of children, empower success and shape the future".
She discussed the values, the missing values,
the courses on offer and succession planning, budgeting, and support for serving headteachers.
A booklet called "LAs
and Dioceses working together" will be published shortly. She advised that NEDFOS approach the NCSL to make them aware
of our good practice, as "NEDFOS is making a very important contribution to Catholic education."
Oona Stannard, from the CES, spoke about the four models of collaboration, including executive headteachers
and trusts. Increasing numbers of Catholic schools were collaborating, but there was need for caution as such practices might
not be covered by the Trustees of the Dioceses. There were three criteria to consider
- 1. the ability to sustain
good Catholic provision and make it better
- 2. the ability to sustain good Christian provision and make it better
- 3. our service to the community
There are some examples ‘down South' of executive heads combining
flourishing and failing schools.
There will be enticements to go down the route of Trust schools but it should be remembered
that we are in Trusts already.
"Every Catholic school should be in some form of collaborative working"
Progress reports were made from the various areas of the four Dioceses:
Hull - Sharon Melia-Craven
Sheffield
- Fiona Rigby
Wakefield - Kieron Flood
Barnsley - Peter Davison, Phil Harrison, Marion Curran
Doncaster
- John Greenwood
Durham - Jane Lewin
York - Derek Sutherland
Following an excellent lunch, there was
an open discussion on ‘the road ahead', led by Derek, which was followed by Mass and the exhortation to go
out and celebrate St George's Day with pride and London Pride.
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