CES News (154)
New Religious Education Directory launched by CES
A new Religious Education (RE) Directory for Catholic schools, colleges and academies in England and Wales has been launched at an event in Westminster.
The directory was introduced at Cathedral View on 25 January by speakers including Dr Margaret Carswell, Senior Lecturer at the Australian Catholic University; Baroness Barran MBE, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Education; the Rt Rev Marcus Stock, Bishop of Leeds and Chairman of the Catholic Education Service (CES); and Paul Barber, CES Director.
Titled To Know You More Clearly the directory sets out the purpose of RE from Early Years Foundation Stage to Year 9 and features a programme of study with a model curriculum, corresponding to the six half-terms of the school year.
The new directory replaces previous editions published in 1996 and 2012, and states that RE is to be taught for at least 10% of curriculum time up to age 16 in Catholic schools and academies, and 5% in sixth forms.
It was drafted by experts including the late Professor Anthony Towey, Head of Theology, Philosophy and History at St Mary’s University; CES Religious Education Adviser Philip Robinson; Senior Policy and Education Adviser Dr Nancy Walbank; and representatives of the Association of Teachers of Catholic Religious Education and the National Board of Religious Inspectors and Advisers.
Based on the constitutions of the Second Vatican Council and rooted in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the objective of the curriculum is religiously literate and engaged young people, with the knowledge, understanding and skills to reflect spiritually, think ethically and theologically, and recognise the demands of religious commitment in everyday life.
In his preface, Bishop Marcus writes: “As well as seeking to assist parents with the education and religious formation of their children, Catholic schools strive also to be of service to society. Religious education plays its part in this endeavour by enabling all pupils to be confident and secure in their religious faith and knowledgeable and respectful of other religions, and so play a crucial role in building a cohesive society.
“This new edition of the Religious Education Directory strives to embody these inspiring objectives.”
Baroness Barran thanked those present and highlighted “the important role Catholic schools, and schools with a religious character more generally, play in giving children a moral compass, guiding them with values that will be integral not only through their school journey, but beyond that into adulthood, into the workforce and into society.”
Other attendees at the launch included Schools Commissioners from the Catholic dioceses; and representatives from the Church of England Education Office; Board of Deputies of British Jews; Religious Education Council; National Association of Standing Advisory Councils of Religious Education; Culham St Gabriels; Catholic Union; and from the London Jesuit Centre.
While nurturing the faith of Catholic pupils, the curriculum prepares all pupils to play their part as critical citizens in a plural and diverse culture. It develops in them a dialogical attitude, through the content that is presented and through the modelling of respectful dialogue in class, a particularly powerful witness in a context where social media has had such a detrimental impact on the civility of public discourse.
Topics covered include the relationship between faith and science; the problem of evil; nature of human freedom; rights of the unborn; plight of refugees and asylum seekers; war and peace.
There is also a focus on the beauty of Catholicism and its influence on culture through art, music, literature, science, and architecture, equipping young people to engage with the Church beyond intellectual remits, and approach the transcendent.
A series of training workshops on the directory and model curriculum for dioceses are also being planned to take place throughout the year.
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI Requiescat in pace
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, speaking shortly after the Requiem Mass in St Peter’s Square for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, described the funeral as in one way “a straightforward celebration of a Funeral Mass,” in another way, a uniquely historical event “of great emotional depth and stature.”
The Requiem Mass, presided over by Benedict’s successor Pope Francis, took place on Thursday morning, 5 January, after almost 200,000 pilgrims had paid their final respects to the Pope Emeritus during a period of his lying in state for the previous three days.
Cardinal Nichols said he was collecting his memories of Pope Benedict during the Mass and considered his last homily before retiring as pope.
In it, Benedict used the image of Jesus asleep in the back of the boat when the storm came on the Sea of Galilee and the disciples were frightened.
The Cardinal repeated Archbishop Georg Gänswein’s recollections:
“He said, Benedict used to say, ‘but now Jesus never sleeps and he’s always with us.’ So during the Mass I was thinking about those things and, quite simply, how lovable Benedict was and therefore thanking God for the gifts that He gave us through him.”
The Bishops' Conference of England and Wales website has further details on the life of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, including of his Papal Visit to the UK in 2010, as well as reflections on his funeral, Pope Francis' homily, and prayers prepared by the Liturgy Office.
Rigorous new National Inspection Framework takes effect in Catholic schools
The Catholic Schools Inspectorate (CSI), which brings together the diocesan school inspectors of England and Wales into one body, recently started its inaugural work of inspecting Catholic schools.
It acts under the new National Inspection Framework which was agreed by the Bishops earlier this year.
The CSI and National Inspection Framework have been developed with the support of the Catholic Education Service (CES) and the National Board of Religious Inspectors and Advisors (NBRIA).
Catholic schools have been subject to inspection frameworks set by the Bishops ever since the Catholic dioceses were first restored in 1848.
The CSI and new National Inspection Framework aim to improve the rigour, consistency, objectivity, oversight, and accountability of inspections.
The CSI logo takes as its logo the bishop's crosier, which is a symbol of his pastoral office. Inspection is one of the ways the bishop acts as a 'good shepherd' to his schools.
The different parts of the crosier have traditionally been interpreted in ways that reflect the ways this care will be evident in the inspection process. The curve of the crosier directs the straying back onto the right path; the pointy end prods those who are stuck and prompts them to get moving; and the bar between the two supports all the rest.
Pupils, parents, teachers, inspectors, and generations to come will benefit from the CSI and the new framework which advance the Catholic mission of Catholic schools.
Statement on the Government White Paper
Paul Barber, Director of the Catholic Education Service said: “As the country’s second largest provider of schools and as a long-standing Government partner in the provision of education, we welcome the principles set out in today’s white paper.
“This country has a strong tradition of providing a dual system of both State and Church maintained schools. This approach has for generations provided parents, who are the primary educators of their children, with genuine choice in the education system. We therefore look forward to working with the Government to ensure that the continuation of this dual system is a core part of any future legislation.
“Furthermore, we also look forward to working with our partners in the Department for Education to ensure that the legal structures outlined in the white paper are fit for purpose for England’s 2000 Catholic schools.”
Statement on the incident at the John Fisher School, Purley
“Catholic schools welcome pupils from all backgrounds. This isolated incident has given a false impression of the inclusive nature of Catholic schools.
"Catholic schools are places where all children can flourish and as such have a zero-tolerance approach to LGBT+ discrimination. Nationally the CES has worked closely with schools, dioceses, and charities to produce Catholic inclusivity guidance and resources for schools that have won acclaim from LGBT+ organisations.
"We would encourage Catholic schools to work closely with their diocese to ensure that all Catholic schools can be welcoming and inclusive centres of learning where everyone is respected as a human being made in the image and likeness of God.”
Update: statement from the Archdiocese of Southwark
“At the heart of every Catholic school sits the person of the Lord Jesus Christ and the teachings of the Catholic Church.
"We expect all Catholic schools to remain faithful to the Church’s teaching on the truth and dignity of the human person. This teaching should never give cause to foster a culture of bigotry or intolerance.
"In fact, hatred and discrimination is itself contrary to Church teaching as it fundamentally disrespects the God-given dignity of each human life.
"Any impression that the John Fisher school is anything other than an inclusive centre of learning that allows young people to flourish is deeply regrettable. The Archdiocese acted to ensure the material put in front of the children was age-appropriate.
"We are continuing to work with the John Fisher School moving forward.”
Holy Father receives milestone booklet on Catholic schools in England and Wales
Marking the 175th anniversary of the founding of the Catholic Education Service (CES), Pope Francis has gratefully received a copy of the CES’s latest publication Catholic Schools: Partners in Formation.
The booklet – which includes an overview of Catholic schools in England and Wales – reflects on the distinctive nature of Catholic schools and on why the Church provides them.
It was presented to the Holy Father in the Vatican by CES Director Paul Barber, in his capacity as President of L’Office International Enseignement Catholique (OIEC).
The booklet has already received warm welcome by UK Parliamentarians earlier in the year, at an event which saw the guest of honour, Education Secretary the Rt Hon Nadhim Zahawi, recognise the tremendous value of Catholic education across the country.
The chapters are illustrated with case studies of schools, teachers, parents, and alumni, which offer compelling testimonials of the Catholic ethos in action. In the famous words of Pope Francis, which the case studies testify to, “educating is an act of love; it is like giving life”.
Paul Barber, CES Director, said: “It was an honour to share the milestone of the 175th anniversary of the CES with the Holy Father, who understands the crucial presence and distinctive nature of Catholic schools. The testimonials contained within this booklet offer a small glimpse into the many good fruits of the Catholic ethos in schools in England and Wales, which we hope he will enjoy reading.”
The Catholic Church is currently the second-largest provider of education in England and Wales, with 2,200 schools, 850,000 pupils and 50,000 members of staff, and four universities. Educating more than a quarter of a million non-Catholics and with a pupil population significantly more ethnically and socially diverse than the national average, Catholic schools maintain their strong track record of being at the service of all.
The booklet concludes with an optimistic outlook for Catholic schools in England and Wales, for their next 175 years of forming well-rounded young people and contributing the highest standard of virtues-based education to the common good.
‘Proud to call you my partner’ – Education Secretary tells Catholic educators
Speaking to a gathering of Catholic educators in Parliament on Wednesday (23 February), the Secretary of State for Education, the Rt Hon Nadim Zahawi MP said he was ‘proud to call’ the Catholic Church a ‘partner’ in the provision of education.
The event was hosted by Conservative MP Mary Robinson and was celebrating the 175th anniversary of the founding of the Catholic Education Service (CES).
To mark the occasion the CES also used the opportunity to launch a new publication entitled Catholic Schools: Partners in Formation. The book gives a brief overview of the history of Catholic education in England and Wales as well as a reflection on why the Church continues to provide Catholic schools with their distinct ethos.
A copy of the book was presented to the Secretary of State by the Rt Rev Marcus Stock, Bishop of Leeds and Chairman of the Catholic Education Service.
The event was attended by more than 100 guests including representatives from Dioceses, Catholic universities, and other Catholic educational institutions.
Also in attendance was Amanda Spielman, Chief inspector of Ofsted, the Children’s Commissioner, Dame Rachel De Souza, representatives from the DfE, MPs (including the Rt Hon Jacob Rees Mogg) and members of the House of Lords.
In his speech to the assembled guests Bishop Marcus Stock said: “When it comes to being partners, the Catholic Church was the first provider of schools in England.
“Today with 2,200 schools, 850,000 pupils and 50,000 members of staff, and four universities, it is the second-largest provider of education in our country. This is an incredible achievement, and represents one of the most successful Government partnerships, in the delivery of such an essential service as education and schooling.”
Responding to the bishop in his speech the Rt Hon Nadim Zahawi MP said: “I am extremely grateful to be given an opportunity to speak to you all in person at this important event to celebrate 175 years of the Catholic Education Service.
“175 years is a significant achievement, so I just want to thank everyone in the room, and of course colleagues here who are so supportive of this extraordinary human endeavour and recognise the incredible valuable work that you do and have done and continue to on behalf of so many young people and staff in school across our country.
“You deserve high praise, since many of your schools serve some of our most diverse and disadvantaged communities where the challenges include reaching out to those families where neither parent may be in work or those for whom English is a second language - as it was for this Secretary of State.”
The Secretary of State concluded his speech by saying, in reference to the Catholic Church’s historic roll as a provider of schools that he was “proud to call [the Church] my partner”.
Pictured are The Rt Rev Marcus Stock, the Rt Hon Nadim Zahawi, and Mr Paul Barber (CES Director)
COP26: Catholic schools and colleges forming the next generation of stewards of God’s creation
By The Right Reverend Marcus Stock, Bishop of Leeds, Chair of the Catholic Education Service, and The Right Reverend Bishop John Arnold, Bishop of Salford, Lead Bishop for the Environment
As we near the end of the first week of the COP26 UN climate summit, two Catholic bishops have issued a statement lauding the action and commitment of Catholic school pupils in their response to the ecological crisis.
Bishop Marcus Stock, Chair of the Catholic Education Service, and Bishop John Arnold, Lead Bishop for the Environment, acknowledge that it is young people that will have to live with the long-term impacts of the climate crisis but, equally, they are at the heart of the Church’s response:
“In Laudato Si’ Pope Francis asks us the key question, ‘What kind of world do we want to leave to those who come after us, to children who are now growing up?’ This is a profound question which gets to the heart of why the environmental crisis matters and the pressing need for us as a global community to reverse climate change.
“Ultimately our young people are the future, and it is they that will have to live with the long-term ramifications of the ecological crisis. However, it is also the young who can have the most impact in delivering the changes we need to address the climate emergency. That is why one of the most striking elements of the public’s response to the climate and ecological crisis, especially in the run up to the COP 26, is that it has been energised by the participation of children and young people.
Contemplative, active and prayerful response
“It has been really encouraging to see hundreds of thousands of young Catholics across the country get involved with projects that care for our common home, especially in our network of Catholic schools. We know that our pupils care passionately about this topic and many schools have embedded Pope Francis’ words and intentions from Laudato Si’ and Fratelli Tutti into their wider school curriculum.
"In this way, the response to the ecological crisis by our young people can be both contemplative and active, but also rooted in prayer and in the teachings of the Church.
“Fundamental to Catholic education is the principle of the formation of the whole person and therefore it is right that Catholic schools are forming the next generation of the stewards of God’s creation.”
Leading a culture of teacher excellence
By Nigel Genders, Chief Education Officer, Church of England and Paul Barber, Director, Catholic Education Service
Today the Government announces its partner providers for the reformed suite of National Professional Qualifications (NPQ) for teachers and education leaders which launches in the autumn. We are delighted that, among nine national providers, is a new partnership between the Church of England and Catholic Education Service.
The new frameworks for NPQs is an expansive vision for the whole education sector, and we are pleased that the Government has recognised the strengths of our shared vision for children and adults to flourish, and we are enormously excited to be working together at a pivotal moment across the education sector.
Together the Catholic Church and Church of England, run more than a third of all the country’s schools and play a particularly rich role in the wider education landscape. Our delivery of these qualifications will be across all parts of the country, from Northumberland to Cornwall, from Herefordshire to East Anglia. We will be working with a fantastic range of delivery partners – Teaching School Hubs, Multi Academy Trusts and high performing schools – in each region, and we look forward to welcoming many thousands of teachers and leaders onto the suite of NPQ programmes in the coming years.
And our offer is not just for our own schools, but for everyone, with a particular focus on ensuring that rural school leaders can access and benefit from the programmes. At a local level, this will mean exciting new partnerships between schools, MATs and other networks. At a national level, it will enable us to play our full role in investing heavily in the thing we know the evidence shows makes the biggest difference – our core purpose as leaders – leading a culture of teacher excellence.
The new NPQ frameworks are built from a rich, evidence-informed understanding of what works in school leadership, and they create a clear pathway for teachers’ formation over their whole careers. The coherence and clarity of the national roll-out of the Early Career Framework (ECF) reforms, the re-shaping of the Senior Leadership (NPQSL), Headship (NPQH) and Executive Leadership (NPQEL) programmes, and the creation of new specialist qualifications for aspiring school leaders can give us real confidence about a professional development entitlement that works for leaders in all schools – small and large, primary and secondary, rural and urban.
This is a step-change in leadership thinking, which is not seeking simply a more productive workforce, or a deeper academic understanding of research literature. Rather, it is calling back educational leaders to our core purpose – leading a culture of teacher excellence.
Providing these NPQ programmes across the country gives us a unique opportunity to place teacher excellence at the heart of our recovery from the challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic. This central focus on culture will be key to our delivery, and on every course, every leader will be working closely with an expert coach to explore and plan how to apply knowledge effectively into a variety of contexts.
Whether teaching a mixed-age class in a small rural primary school, or leading a large MAT across a region or nation, our first call in educational leadership is to put teaching first. Although there are many other aspects of our roles, these can sometimes cloud or distract us from this core purpose – to secure the very best teaching experience for every child in our care. And that means leadership built on authenticity, integrity and a renewed sense of vision and purpose.
In 2016, the Church of England published its Vision for Education, articulating a focus on Wisdom, Knowledge & Skills, Hope & Aspiration, Community & Living Well Together and Dignity & Respect. Putting this vision into practice starts with leaders who build a culture of teacher excellence. Similarly, in 2018 the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales commissioned the Formatio initiative to support the development and formation of leaders in Catholic schools. As such it should come as no surprise as to why we are so pleased to be playing our part in the new NPQ landscape.
Creating and sustaining such a culture means we can fully realise our vision for education for every child, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Through pursuing excellence in teaching and working together for the common good, we will be enacting social justice for every community.
Welsh Government risks ‘losing the trust of the Catholic community’, CES tells Senedd
The Catholic Education Service has made it clear to the Welsh Government that they risk ‘losing the trust of the Catholic community’ in Wales if they continue with their planned changes to Religious Education in Catholic schools.
Angela Keller, CES Wales Adviser, made these comments while giving evidence to the Senedd’s Children, Young People and Education Committee as it scrutinises the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Bill.
The Bill has caused alarm among Catholic educators because it penalises Catholic schools, placing additional and unreasonable legal requirements on them that no other schools have to satisfy, specifically forcing them to teach an additional (secular) RE curriculum.
The proposed legislation seeks to change the name of RE to Religion Values and Ethics, something that all those on the evidence panel (which included representatives from the Church in Wales, the RE teaching profession and local government) strongly disagreed with.
In their evidence, the CES highlighted a ‘lack of trust’ between the Welsh Government and Catholic schools, and that the Bill gave the distinct impression to the Catholic community that these changes were needed because something was wrong with Catholic RE in the first place.
The CES also echoed the concerns of all 84 Catholic headteachers in Wales who wrote a joint letter to the First Minister highlighting the damaging impact these proposals would have on Catholic schools.
The evidence session provided the opportunity for the CES to make the case for parents as the primary educators of their children and insisted that the Catholic community would resist the Bill’s proposals to remove parents’ right of withdrawal from both RE and Relationship and Sex Education.
The extreme unfairness of the new proposals, that would allow a non-Catholic parent the right to demand secular RE for their child in a Catholic school, but would not allow a Catholic parent the right to ask for Catholic RE to be given to their child in a secular school, were also pointed out.
After the evidence session (which took place on Thursday 15 October) CES Wales Adviser Angela Keller commented: “Everyone giving evidence represented either a State partner or a member of the RE profession, and each one of us said the Welsh Government was going in the wrong direction.
“It’s hurtful that the Welsh Government appears to see Catholic schools as the problem because we teach Catholic RE. The Welsh Government needs to start trusting Catholic schools and the professionals who work extremely hard in them.”
Notes to Editors
- Further information about the Children, Young People and Education Committee evidence session can be found here: https://business.senedd.wales/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=443&MId=6544&Ver=4
- The Catholic Church is Wales comprises of three dioceses; the Diocese of Wrexham, the Diocese of Menevia and the Archdiocese of Cardiff. Collectively they have an estimated Catholic population of over 200,000 people
- There are 84 Catholic schools in Wales, all of which are Voluntary Aided Schools
- Welsh Catholic schools educate almost 28,000 pupils and employ more than 1500 teachers
- 54% of pupils in Welsh Catholic schools are of the Catholic faith
- On 5 May 2020, The Welsh Government opened its ‘Curriculum for Wales: Religion, values and ethics’ consultation. This consultation followed on from a previous consultation (entitled ‘Ensuring Access to the Full Curriculum’) which asked respondents to comment on a number of proposals, including a change of name for Religious Education and the intention to rescind the parental right of withdrawal from the subject in the new curriculum.
- Many teachers and leaders in Catholic schools across Wales responded to that consultation to oppose the changes, viewing it as an assault on parental rights and on the academic rigour of Religious Education in Catholic schools
- According to the Welsh Government’s own consultation analysis, opposition to its proposals came from across the whole sector https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/consultations/2020-01/full-report-ensuring-access-to-the-full-curriculum.pdf
- Despite fervent opposition the Welsh Government has moved to introduce these changes to rename Religious Education to Religion, Values and Ethics in the new curriculum
- Concerns have also been raised over the lack of due process and transparency as the Government may publish the Bill before it considers responses to the RVE consultation
- The letter from every catholic headteacher to the First Minister can be found here: https://www.catholiceducation.org.uk/component/k2/item/1003692-catholic-school-heads-unite-to-oppose-re-changes
ENDS