Bulletin / Academy Update July 13^th 2011

Dear Parent / Carer

At our meeting with our parents last night it was suggested that emailing information directly to parents / carers might also be helpful.

This bulletin is to keep you up to date with the discussions which are taking place concerning Catholic Voluntary Academy status. Hopefully you will be aware of the developments so far from our website.

The situation so far:

1)    At their meeting of 25th May, Bishop John and the Diocesan Trustees agreed in principle to Diocesan schools becoming Academies. Bishop John and the Trustees stated that they would like to encourage Diocesan schools to apply for conversion to Catholic Voluntary Academy status, subject to arrangements to be established by the Diocese. These arrangements will include a supplemental academy agreement which will encompass key principles for Catholic education within the Diocese.

2)    Bishop John asked the Schools’ Department to organise a consultation meeting of Priests, Trustees, Chairs of Governors and Headteachers within the Diocese. These meetings have now taken place.

3)    Following these meetings, information was placed on our website on 23rd June which explained that ”Following a great deal of careful research and consideration, on Thursday 25th May, Bishop John asked that a letter be sent to all Diocesan schools to encourage them to consider conversion to Catholic Voluntary Academy status.

4)     Staff received information on Catholic Voluntary Academy Status and a meeting for staff to provide further information and the opportunity for discussion took place on Monday 27th June.  Staff raised no objections once their concerns had been responded to.

5)    An extraordinary meeting of the Governing Body of Notre Dame High School, took place on Monday 11th July to consider Bishop John’s letter, discuss issues around conversion and to plan any subsequent consultation with staff, parents and our local family of schools (primary schools which feed into Notre Dame High School). At this meeting the views of staff were reported to the Governors, together with any information received from parents /cares. The Governors were, and continue to be, keen to receive views from all stakeholders, especially parents / carers, as they reflect on the appropriateness of Catholic Voluntary Academy status for our school. They are due to meet again to discuss their reflections in September.

6)    Information has been made available to you, our parents and students, via our website (click here), and a meeting to provide further information and the opportunity of discussion, was arranged for Tuesday 12th July at 5.30pm, in the school. Areas of concern expressed at the meeting, together with the responses given, have been included in the FAQs.

7)    In addition there were opportunities to engage in discussion by phone (times were indicated on the website). You are also able to contribute your views via our website. If you would prefer to discuss in person, please indicate this and we will make opportunities available. Please respond via email or letter to Mr Martin or Mrs Willis.

8)    Meetings with our family of schools are taking place.

9)    The Governors will then be able to consider the views of all our stakeholders when considering our response to Bishop John’s letter and any decision about applying to become a Catholic Voluntary Academy.

I hope you find this update useful and will take the opportunity to read the information referred to and contribute your views via the “Email Us”. We have found that those comments we have received from parents, who have mentioned that they have read this information, tend to be positive towards the move to Catholic Voluntary Academy status.

Yours sincerely