This Mass is for Primary and Secondary School Head Teachers, Governors, Staff, Pupils and Parents
This is an annual Mass bringing all our school community members together as a diocesan family with the Bishop to celebrate Catholic education.
This year the Mass, in celebration of the Year of Prayer, will focus on the work of schools during the year and we will be joined by members of the Missio Executive Team. We hope that all schools will be represented and will be able to bring with them either a cheque for the money they have raised for Missio or a reminder of the work they did in support of Missio (Mission Together for Primary). We will also be welcoming back into the Cathedral our pilgrimage cross which will have completed its journey around the diocese.
During the Mass, there will be an opportunity for all governors, staff and chaplains to renew their commitment to Catholic Education.
Refreshments will be available in the Apostles Room after the Mass.
A day for Head Teachers and other Senior Leadership Team members
This year 2020 will be the 10th anniversary of Verbum Domini – Pope Benedict XVI’s Apostolic Exhortation on ‘The Word of the Lord’ and the 1,600th anniversary of St. Jerome’s death.
These dates have motivated the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales to make 2020 a year of focus on ‘The God who Speaks’. It will be an opportunity to explore and develop creative ways of engaging with the Bible and to deepen our own understanding and response to the Word of God. This year will be launched officially on the Feast of St Jerome, 30the September 2019, but during the day we will have the opportunity as a group to reflect on this and what it means for our schools.
PLEASE NOTE: If you wish to stay in Ammerdown the night before you will need to contact the centre directly.
During this event the Bishop will commission all pupil members of Chaplaincy Teams (both primary and secondary) for the coming year.
NEW MEMBERS of Chaplaincy Teams will be presented with their badges.
This forum is for SBMs, SBLs and Bursars.
There will be an opportunity to discuss topical issues affecting school business management, as well as support by sharing best practice in school.
Each Forum will be followed by lunch.
Facilitator: Bill McEntee
This training session is the minimum requirement for all newly appointed Foundation Governors to enable them to undertake their roles and responsibilities of governing a Catholic school effectively and appropriately. It will explore what it means to be a Governor of a Catholic school and its distinctive nature.
Non-foundation governors are also encouraged to attend to support them in their role as a member of a Catholic school’s governing body.
Aims of the Training are to:
- provide Governors with a clear understanding of their role and responsibility
- develop Governors’ understanding of how to govern a Catholic school’
- support Governors’ knowledge and understanding of the legal differences of governing a Catholic school and a non-denominational school.
Guest Speakers:
- Dr Carmody TS Grey
- Dr Karen Skinazi
- Dr Yafa Shanneik
This conference will focus on the role of women in religion and the approach of three different faith groups. The conference is being organised with the help of Gavin D’Costa who is the Professor of Catholic Theology at the University of Bristol. Gavin studied under the theologian, John Hick. He was also Joseph McCarthy Professor at the Gregorian University, Rome. He acts as an advisor to the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales and the Anglican Church on matters of interreligious dialogue and theology. He also advised the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, Vatican City.
The three faiths represented at our conference will be Catholicism, Judaism and Islam. Our confirmed speaker for Catholicism will be Dr Carmody TS Grey, many of you will have read her work in the Tablet and she is Assistant Professor in Catholic Theology at Durham University. Dr Yafa Shanneik is a lecturer of Islamic studies at Birmingham University and Dr Karen Skinazi is a senior lecturer at the University of Bristol.
Charge is £50 per school (for up to 8 students. Subsequent pupils will be charged at £5 per head).
The Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies (CCRS) is managed and awarded by the Board of Religious Studies on behalf of the Bishops’ Conference.
It was introduced in 1991 to replace its predecessors, The Catholic Teachers’ Certificate and the Certificate in Religious Education. Any teacher who is, or who wishes to be involved in Catholic Education may apply for the course.
The certificate is normally acquired over two years with a maximum of five years’ study. The diocese will offer four modules a year on a two-year cycle. Each year will consist of three core modules and a specialist module. You may choose to do four modules per year to complete the course over two years or you may space it out over a longer period if you wish. Once you begin the first module you must complete within five years. This academic year will consist of eight days in total, four days in school time and four on a Saturday.
You must attend each module and successfully complete an assignment. In this year we will consider:
- The Old Testament
- New Testament
- The Person of Jesus
- Theology of Inclusion
The Catholic Certificate in Religious Studies (CCRS) is managed and awarded by the Board of Religious Studies on behalf of the Bishops’ Conference.
It was introduced in 1991 to replace its predecessors, The Catholic Teachers’ Certificate and the Certificate in Religious Education. Any teacher who is, or who wishes to be involved in Catholic Education may apply for the course.
The certificate is normally acquired over two years with a maximum of five years’ study. The diocese will offer four modules a year on a two-year cycle. Each year will consist of three core modules and a specialist module. You may choose to do four modules per year to complete the course over two years or you may space it out over a longer period if you wish. Once you begin the first module you must complete within five years. This academic year will consist of eight days in total, four days in school time and four on a Saturday.
You must attend each module and successfully complete an assignment. In this year we will consider:
- The Old Testament
- New Testament
- The Person of Jesus
- Theology of Inclusion
Day One of Three
This course is for those who have been teaching RE for 2 to 5 years, and primary RE Coordinators who have not yet completed this course.
Day One – Revelation – Teaching RE in a Catholic School
Day Two – Celebration – Sacramental life and prayer in a Catholic School
Day Three – Life of Christ – The distinctive nature of the school
(the fourth theme of Church will span across all three days)
A programme designed to develop and support teachers in their theological and practical RE knowledge. The course takes the four major documents of Vatican II, as outlined in the ‘Revised Curriculum Directory’ and considers their implication both for teaching and the life of the school. It aims to be practical as well as enhance subject knowledge. The course is suitable for primary staff and for secondary teachers, teaching in RE, who may not hold a formal qualification in RE or, who may wish to deepen their understanding of Catholic thought and theology.
For Clerks to Governors of Catholic Schools
This session is to support both new and experienced clerks in their role.
The training aims to:
- provide an understanding of the purpose of Catholic education;
- understand the role of the foundation governors;
- understand the legislation relating to managing a faith based school and support the clerking of a governing body of a Catholic school.
There is an expectation that all clerks will regularly undertake this training.