Three South Yorkshire Catholic High Schools became the first Catholic Voluntary Academies in the Diocese of Hallam on 1st July. The governors of All Saints and Notre Dame, both Sheffield, and St Bernard’s, Rotherham, received the consent of the Bishop and Trustees of the Diocese of Hallam to change the status of their schools.

It is only recently that it has been possible for Catholic schools to convert to academy status. This followed lengthy and detailed negotiations between the Catholic Education Service of England and Wales and the Department for Education to ensure that safeguards were in place to protect the religious character and ethos of Catholic schools.

The Diocese of Hallam is developing a collaborative partnership model of working across all of its schools. This will ensure that every school is a member of a close group of schools. Catholic schools which become Catholic Voluntary Academies make a commitment to working in partnership not only with other Catholic schools but also other local schools for the common good and the benefit of all children.