The Schools Service provides a ‘pack’ with detailed guidance on the appointment of senior staff in diocesan schools. This must be used in all appointments of headteachers and deputy headteachers.
Liaising with the Diocese on Senior Appointments
Two essential procedural points are that: (1) dates for the appointment process must be negotiated with the Schools Service in order to enable a diocesan officer to attend; and that (2) the Schools Office must be informed when an offer of appointment has been formally confirmed, so that records can be updated, other schools can be informed through the Bulletin and arrangements can be made for the diocesan induction of the successful candidate.
When posts become vacant or lie unfilled after an unsuccessful recruitment activity, or where there are long term absences, officers of the Schools Service work closely with the governors and the LA to provide interim arrangements. Every effort is made to engage temporary senior staff who are experienced as leaders in Catholic schools. The Director of the Schools Service should be approached as soon as it becomes apparent that there may be a need for temporary arrangements. It is important that the chair of governors approaches the Director before exploring interim arrangements with others or asking the LA to do so.
Diocesan Induction, Mentoring and Pastoral Care for Senior Staff
The Schools Service has a programme of preparation for primary deputy and headship posts. For secondary schools, there is access to inter-diocesan courses. There are arrangements for mentoring of new headteachers and headship induction activities. Occasionally, secondments to other schools are possible. There are regular meetings of headteachers and of coordinators and heads of religious education. Officers of the Schools Service provide pastoral support in appropriate cases. Confidential counselling is also available.
Making Senior Appointments
The Diocese has issued detailed guidance on the appointment of heads, deputies and coordinators of RE. The guidance covers preparation for the appointment, advertising, shortlisting, the priest’s reference, organising selection activities, decision making and feedback to candidates.
The school operates under the trusteeship of the diocese. It follows that the trustees must have the opportunity to ensure that the governors appoint only persons who can realistically undertake to uphold the purposes of the diocesan trust deed. The diocesan officers must be put in a position to advise the foundation governors as to how they can best carry out their responsibilities to the Bishop, who has appointed them to the governing body.
The Bishops of England and Wales have decreed that posts of these designations must be reserved for practising Catholics (‘Memorandum on the appointment of teachers to Catholic schools: a Guide for Governors’: CES, January 2000). The right to make such a reservation is recognised in law. The diocesan officers must be put in a position to advise the governors on the evidence as to whether the candidates meet the bishops’ requirement.
Potential applicants who wish to have advice on whether they satisfy the Bishops’ requirement should consult the Chancellor of the Diocese at Bishop’s House, HoveIf the need arises during the selection process, the diocesan officer may also consult with the Chancellor on the application of the requirement to individual cases. Although diocesan officers may know a candidate applying from within the diocese, they do not research the personal backgrounds of candidates.
The governors must not appoint candidates who do not meet regulatory requirements (qualifications, health, physical capacity, misconduct or criminal record).
When appointing a headteacher, the governors will not be able to delegate significant tasks to, or be advised by, the current headteacher, as in the case of other appointments. The roles of the diocese and the LA become correspondingly greater. It is strongly recommended that the governors arrange a training session at the start of the process, so that they may begin with a common understanding of the nature of the appointment process, of their own role and of the role of advisers. The dates for such training will need to be negotiated early with the Schools Service and the LA.
In the appointment of heads/co-ordinators of religious education, the diocese will be represented wherever possible by an officer or adviser with specialist knowledge of the management and teaching of religious education. This is not a charged service.
LAs may offer optional ‘buy in’ advisory or support services for the appointment of deputy heads and other posts. The diocese recommends that schools use this service where available for deputy head appointments, as it complements the personnel support package that most schools receive from their LA.
The legal position is different in the case of independent schools which are not under the trusteeship of the Diocese. However, the diocese would always wish to be represented at the appointment of heads, deputies, heads/co-ordinators of religious education and chaplains, on a basis to be agreed with individual schools.
