At this early point in the academic year, I would like to welcome three new colleagues to the CES.
I am delighted that Peter Irvine joins us as a part-time consultant with a wealth of high-profile educational experience. Diocesan officers and schools in Wales will be particularly pleased to know that Michael Howells has joined us as a part-time voluntary consultant specialising in Welsh issues.
The attached document gives more details about the considerable breadth of experience and relevant expertise which both Peter and Michael have (Michael’s details are in English and Welsh). There are also more details about our new ICT manager, Richard Cheung, and the work he is undertaking at the CES.
I have also taken the opportunity to share an overview about the remainder of the CES’ staffing and consultancy support.
I hope that you will find this information helpful.
Oona Stannard
Chief Executive & Director
Peter Irvine CBE
A successful teaching career led to more than twenty years as HM Inspector of schools (starting well before the creation of OFSTED!) based in the north but with responsibilities nationwide for English and drama. The inspectorate gave Peter broad experience of quality management and inspection, and allowed specialisation in most aspects of the management and governance of schools, particularly curriculum and assessment (Peter’s own education includes natural sciences to part one university level as well as English and French to degree level).
Three years as inspector for the European schools, followed by a five year secondment to Brussels as Deputy Secretary-General to the High Council of the European Schools have given Peter extensive knowledge of developments in education throughout Europe and beyond. Peter’s work in Brussels led to the award of the C.B.E. in the New Year Honours 2002.
Peter’s current work as consultant includes inspection of university-based initial teacher-training and acting as lead inspector for the Independent Schools Inspectorate. He is specialist assessor in the arts for the DfES, advising on applications from schools seeking specialist status, and national expert assessor for the European Commission’s Socrates projects. He also acts as assessor for the National Clinical Assessment Authority and the Post-graduate Medical Education Training Board.
Michael Howells
Michael is currently the Secondary Heads Association Field Officer for Wales. SHA has 650+ members in the 227 Secondary Schools in Wales. He also acts as Clerk to the Governors of Saint David’s Catholic College, Cardiff, the only Sixth Form College in Wales.
Michael is a retired Secondary Headteacher and a former National President (1988) of the Catholic Teachers’ Federation (now CATSC). From 1980 -1987 he was Headteacher of Archbishop Mostyn RC High School, an 11-18 Comprehensive serving the six parishes of St. Cuthbert’s, St. Patrick’s, Sacred Heart, St. Mary’s, St. Francis and St. Clare’s on the west of Cardiff.
In the reorganisation of Catholic Secondary Education in Cardiff in 1987, he was appointed headteacher of Mary Immaculate High 11-16 School (on the former Mostyn site), one of the four Catholic High Schools feeding the then newly created St. David’s Sixth Form College.
In 1994, Mary Immaculate, which was a split-site school, became Grant Maintained, one of 16 in Wales and, under Michael’s leadership, the Governors obtained a grant to rebuild a new £5.8 million school on the former upper school site. This was completed in 2000.
In 1992, when Further Education colleges were incorporated, Michael was appointed an independent governor of Barry College and he is still a member of the Board.
In 2001, the Archdiocese appointed him a governor of St. Philip Evans R. C. Primary School, Cardiff where he is now Chair of Governors.
He assists the SHA Legal Consultant in presenting courses on Legal Issues for SHA members and has a particular interest in matters of governance.
Michael Howells
Ar hyn o bryd mae Michael yn gweithredu fel Swyddog Maes ar gyfer Cymru ar ran y Gymdeithas Penaethiad Ysgolion Uwchradd ( SHA ), cymdeithas sydd â dros 650 o aelodau yn y 227 o ysgolion uwchradd yng Nghymru. Mae hefyd yn gwasanaethu fel clerc i lywodraethwyr Coleg Dewi Sant, Caerdydd, yr unig goleg chweched dosbarth yng Nghymru.
Yn bennaeth wedi ymddeol ar ysgol uwchradd, mae Michael yn Gyn-Lywydd Cenedlaethol (1988) o’r Ffederasiwn Athrawon Catholig (CATSC erbyn hyn). O 1980 hyd 1987, bu’n brifathro Ysgol Uwchradd Gatholig Archesgob Mostyn, ysgol gyfun, 11-18, a wasanaethai chwe phlwyf yng ngorllewin Caerdydd, Sant Cuthbert, Sant Padrig, Y Galon Sanctaidd, Santes Fair, Sant Ffransis a Santes Clare.
Pan ad-drefnwyd addysg uwchradd Gatholig yng Nghaerdydd yn 1987 cafodd ei benodi’n brifathro Ysgol Uwchradd Fair Ddihalog, ysgol 11-16, ar hen safle Ysgol Mostyn, ac yn un o’r pedair ysgol uwchradd Gatholig oedd yn bwydo Coleg Chweched Dosbarth Dewi Sant oedd newydd ei sefydlu.
Yn 1994, daeth Ysgol Fair Ddihalog, oedd yn ysgol ddwy-safle, yn Ysgol a Gynhelir Trwy Grant, un o’r 16 o ysgolion tebyg yng Nghymru. O dan arweinyddiaeth Michael sicrhaodd y llywodraethwyr grant i ail-adeiladu ysgol ar hen safle’r ysgol uchaf ar gost o £5.8 miliwn. Cwblhawyd y gwaith yn 2000.
Yn 1992, pryd yr ymgorfforwyd y colegau addysg bellach, cafodd Michael ei benodi’n llywodraethwr annibynnol Coleg y Barri, ac mae’n parhau yn aelod o’r bwrdd.
Yn 2001, fe’i penodwyd gan yr Archesgobaeth yn llywodraethwrYsgol Gynradd Gatholig Sant Philip Evans ac ef bellach yw cadeirydd y llywodraethwyr.
Mae’n cynorthwyo Ymgynghorydd Cyfreithiol SHA gyda’r gwaith o gyflwyno cyrsiau ar Faterion Cyfreithiol ac mae ganddo ddiddordeb arbennig mewn materion yn ymwneud â rheolaeth.
Richard Cheung
Prior to joining the CES, Richard worked for the Royal Photographic Society. Richard has over 4 years experience as an IT Manager. He is currently completing his MBA and holds a BEng degree as well as Microsoft and other IT qualifications.
Richard’s work is central to that of the CES, which is increasingly using ICT to communicate with stakeholders and manage its information. His responsibilities include:
• management of the CES database (which is built around the annual Census of 2,356 Catholic schools in England & Wales every January);
• statistical Analysis bringing together Census data with information received from other sources;
• planning and supporting on-line research to deliver the CES’ objectives;
• management of CES systems, including dealing with IT-related hardware and software issues identified by CES staff and advisers and on-going needs identification and response;
• website management – both the finalisation of the implementation of the new website, as well as design and maintenance of content;
• technical support for the regular fortnightly email alerts to schools and other interested parties as well as the one-off communications on urgent or important matters, eg PowerPoint presentations for significant events;
• training staff to use all CES ICT equipment including scanners, digital equipment and new software; and
• maintaining a digital image library.
Staffing at the CES – September 2005
1. Oona Stannard, Chief Executive & Director
2. Martin Bradshaw, Specialist Adviser to Chief Executive
3. Sarah Billington, Legal Adviser
4. Joseph Quigley, pt National Adviser for Religious Education
5. Anne Dixon, pt National Project Co-ordinator
6. Andrea Alphonse, Office Manager
7. Peter Walsh, Policy & Briefings Manager
8. Richard Cheung, ICT Manager
9. Marian Moynihan, PA & Administrative Assistant
10. Gary Thorpe, PA & Administrative Assistant
11. Therese Gordon, PA & Administrative Assistant
12. Daniela Stansby, PA & Administrative Assistant (until 24.09.05)
13. Caroline Alger, PA & Administrative Assistant (from 26.09.05)
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Part Time Advisers and/or Consultants (including volunteers)
14. Liz Slater
15. Peter Irvine
16. Michael Howells (Welsh issues)
17. David Lewis (Head teacher)
18. Susan O’Brien (with effect from November for F & HE Panel)
19. Desmond Bell (Accountant) | 
