Catholic teachers working in non-Catholic schools are being invited to attend a course run by the Diocesan Education Service entitled “Towards Leadership of a Catholic Primary or Secondary School”. The course will help teachers discover whether they are being called to a senior role in Catholic education.
The course, which will take place on Saturday 13 October is aimed at all subject leaders, middle managers and assistant head teachers from non-Catholic schools. It is intended to introduce teachers to the special expectations and requirements of teaching within a faith setting.
The course will focus on Catholic ethos, Catholic leadership responsibilities and career development paths. It will enable candidates to learn more about moving into Catholic education and discern whether this is the right path for them.
Diocesan Education Service deputy director Josephine Lewis works closely with school governors recruiting senior staff. Josephine will lead the course and hopes to provide candidates with a deeper insight into spiritual leadership. She says it is hard to understand spiritual leadership without an example to follow and the course will suggest a model for future leaders.
Exploring the model of spiritual leadership, Josephine said: “Jesus Christ the teacher is at the heart of the Catholic ethos. He provides the example of virtues that Catholic leaders need to follow and model for others.
“Teachers must be servant leaders, the sort of people who help other staff as well as pupils to flourish”.
This view has also been expressed by Marian Doyle, deputy head teacher at Sacred Heart High School for girls in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Sacred Heart was a highly regarded member of the former government’s Training Schools initiative and is now working in collaboration with Pope John Roman Catholic Primary School and the Local Authority and the diocese to apply for Teaching School Status.
Marian said: “Just as Jesus came to serve, so we are here to serve and support colleagues, pupils and their parents in ensuring young people receive an outstanding education.
“A head teacher needs to understand the moral purpose of education. By building and maintaining loving relationships as done by Jesus in the Gospel, education can equate to transformation.
“We are not here to champion ourselves. Young people must be shown the respect and kindness at the heart of the Catholic ethos. Pupils need to see these qualities embodied by their teachers who share a common purpose, for the common good.” Marian said.
“Towards Leadership of Catholic Primary or Secondary School” will take place from 9.30am-3.30pm on Saturday 13 October at Vaughan House, 46 Francis Street, London, SW1P 1QN.
Applications to attend should be submitted with a cheque for £50 made payable to ‘WRCDT’, to Margaret Theissl at:
Westminster House, Watford Way, Hendon, NW4 4TY by
5 October. Tel: 020 8457 6531/Fax: 020 8203 8278.
