Catholic Education Service response to Education Select Committee Report ‘Life lessons: PSHE and SRE in schools’
Press Statement – 17 February 2015
Relationship & Sex Education (RSE) is essential for young people to learn about the nature of marriage, family life and relationships, taught in an age appropriate way. In Catholic schools RSE must be taught in the context of Church teaching and with the full consultation and involvement of parents.
The Catholic Education Service (CES) submitted written evidence to the Education Select Committee inquiry on PSHE and SRE and were called to give oral evidence. We are pleased that our comments are shown within many of the Committee’s recommendations.
We welcome the Committee’s support for the role of parents in RSE. This is shown in their recommendations that all schools should be required to run a regular consultation with parents on the school’s RSE provision and that the parental right to withdraw their child from elements of RSE should be retained.
We welcome the Committee’s emphasis on relationships within RSE. The CES will continue to highlight the importance of teaching RSE within a context which considers Church teaching, parents’ wishes and the culture of the community that the school serves. We believe in subsidiarity and that Governing Bodies should be able to decide what resources are most appropriate for the school.
We also welcome funding of continuous professional development for teachers and Ofsted’s oversight of the subject. We congratulate The John Henry Newman Catholic School, a secondary comprehensive school in Stevenage, as the best practice example used by the Committee to illustrate what outstanding RSE looks like.
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Currently, Catholic schools, like all other schools in England, are required to produce a written policy following the guidance issued by the Department for Education on Sex and Relationship Education (SRE).
Education Select Committee’s Report can be found here: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmselect/cmeduc/145/14502.htm
A summary of the Education Selection Committee’s report can be found here: http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/education-committee/news/pshe-sre-report/
More information can be found on Ofsted’s website about The John Henry Newman Catholic School as providers of outstanding sex and relationships education in a Catholic context https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/outstanding-sex-and-relationships-education-in-a-catholic-context
Catholic schools make up 10% of the national total of maintained schools. There are 2156 Catholic schools in England educating 816,007 pupils and employing 47,986 teachers.
Saint Paul’s Gardeners Raise Funds to Develop Their School Garden
Press Release - February 2015
The children from the Green Fingers Club at Saint Paul's High School in Wythenshawe are passionate about developing their new school garden and have been out and about raising money to fund this development.
This week a group of the enthusiastic pupils gave up their Saturday to “bag pack” at a local supermarket to raise money to support the creation of the Gifted Garden and Outdoor Classroom.
Mrs Angie Holland, who organized and supervised the fund raising, said: “The children freely gave up their spare time and were very enthusiastic about helping the shoppers. I was very impressed; they were fantastic ambassadors for Saint Paul’s.”
Mrs Cathie Halbert, who isleading the projectand helped alongside the pupils, said: “The pupils are dedicated to the creation of a beautiful garden which everyone at the school and in the local community can share. They are rightly proud of the work they have done so far and are looking forward to developing the garden further. We have already been impressed by the range of fruit and vegetables which they have grown. We are pleased to see that this is having a positive impact on their food habits and attitudes encouraging more healthy food choices.
We are bonding well as we work together to overcome our fear of creepy crawlies! I have been really impressed by the way the pupils ‘get stuck in’ to the grubby tasks with as much gusto as the high profile tasks. The year groups are spreading as we have now have Years 7-10 involved now. It’s a great way for the pupils to mix socially as well as in a work environment.”
“The garden will offer many benefits to the school including hands-on, experiential learning opportunities in a wide array of disciplines such as science, nutrition, maths and the arts,” explained Mrs Fiona Minshall, Head Teacher at Saint Paul’s. “Already, whilst working in the garden, we can see the pupils developing skills such as the communication of knowledge or emotions which will help them be more successful in school.”
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Notes for Editors
- Saint Paul’s received congratulations from the Rt Hon David Laws MP Minister of State for Schools when they were recognised as one of the 100 most improved schools in the country.
- At the last Ofsted inspection of the school, the following comments were made by the inspectors: “Good teaching enables students to make good progress and achieve well. Relationships between teachers and students are strong. They result in good behaviour.”
The report stated that the school is “enabling students to learn effectively and make good progress. Attainment is rising rapidly as a result. Achievement for all students, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those with English as an additional language, is good.”
- The Ofsted report is reinforced by the preceding inspection of the school by the Diocese of Shrewsbury under the guidance of the Bishop of Shrewsbury. The Diocese report stated “Saint Paul’s is a good Catholic school. The Head and Senior Leadership Team have a clear vision ….. an outstanding feature of the school is the pastoral care of students and the support of staff.”
- On 1st April, 2013 Saint Paul’s Catholic High School joined with St Anthony’s Catholic Primary School and St John Fisher and Thomas More Catholic Primary School to form the Wythenshawe Catholic Academy Trust (MAT – Multi Trust Academy). St Elizabeth's Catholic Primary School later joined the Trust.
- Saint Paul’s was the first school in Manchester to be awarded Engineering College status.
- The work of Saint Paul’s drama teacher, Ms Ellie Brookes, was recognised with her winning the much coveted North West Teacher of the Year Award. Also Head of Humanities at Saint Paul’s, Ms Ursula Gallagher, gained third place in the Outstanding New Teacher of the Year category of the Northern Area Teacher of the Year.
- Lively approaches to teaching maintain vigour and ensure that firm foundations are established for higher level work. The school has a modern approach to learning supported by a programme of constant refurbishment and development of its facilities and resources.
- The aims of the school are to:
- Teach and foster a Christian perspective in all that it does
- Provide teaching of the highest calibre
- Promote excellence in all areas
- Develop the ability, talents and character of each pupil, enabling them to make their own unique contribution to school life
- Encourage boys to play their part in helping the community run smoothly and effectively, by taking on responsibility and leadership
More information about Saint Paul’s Catholic High School can be found at www.st-paulshigh.net or contact Jane McAuliffe-Hall (Marketing and Publicity Manager) at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or on 0161 499 0000.
David Laws congratulates Catholic schools for supporting disadvantaged pupils
Preparing for the Election: Encouraging Active Citizenship in Catholic Schools
Press release – Tuesday 10 February 2015
The Catholic Education Service is providing schools and teachers with resources to use in the run up to the general election. The resources follow the theme of ‘Active Citizenship’.
The CES has produced a collection of resources for schools and teachers to use in order to encourage Catholics of school-age to take part in active citizenship. The resources are available to download from the CES website www.catholiceducation.org.uk and include: lesson resources on the political process, lesson resources on the Church and politics, theological resources on what the Church says about ‘active citizens’, saints and prayer cards, profiles of Catholics in public life, and useful links.
The director of the CES, Paul Barber, said, “These resources are an excellent way for schools and teachers to encourage active citizenship in their pupils from a young age. The range is age-appropriate and uses the Catechism of the Catholic Church to reflect the ways in which Catholic values assist and support the objectives of active citizenship.”
As the general election approaches, the work of the CES links to the call of the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales for all Catholics "to think about the kind of society we want here at home and abroad." For Catholics over the age of 18 and eligible to vote this means to engage positively in the democratic process, but for Catholics of all ages this means to reflect on and act to ensure we are all active citizens.