Professor John Howson’s 25th “Annual Survey of Senior Staff Appointments in Schools Across England and Wales” demonstrates that Catholic schools have improved greatly in terms of their recruitment of teachers to leadership positions.
Howson reports that the rate of re-advertisement of headteacher posts in Catholic schools dropped from 57% in 2007-2008 to 49% in 2008-2009. Professor Howson notes that this is “their best outcome since 1998/1999”.
Oona Stannard, Chief Executive and Director of the Catholic Education Service for England and Wales (CESEW) commented “I welcome Professor Howson’s confirmation that the recruitment of teachers to leadership positions in Catholic schools has improved. CESEW and diocesan colleagues have worked hard on strategies to improve succession planning and the report shows that this work is yielding fruit. Although we are heading in the right direction, there is no room for complacency. We know that we must continue a concerted effort to ensure that there are enough Catholic leaders ready and willing to step up to headship”.
ENDS
For more information please contact:
Maeve McCormack, Policy & Briefing Manager
Tel: 020 7901 1914
Email: mmccormack@cesew.org.uk
Notes to Editors:
1. Oona Stannard is on the Succession Planning Advisory Board of the National College for Leadership of Schools and Children’s Servcies (National College).
2. Since autumn 2009, CESEW, the Church Of England and the National College have been jointly working on needs identification designed to enable the College to provide more targetted support for succession planning in schools with a religious character.
3. In 2008, CESEW released a DVD with supporting materials entitled “Leading A Catholic School: The Best Job In The World”. More information can be found on line at www.cesew.org.uk /school leadership. This initiative was funded by the National College.
4. Catholic dioceses working on their own and in collaboration with others, including Higher Education and Regional Leadership Centres have developed successful succession planning strategies including distinctively Catholic professional development opportunities for aspiring deputies and headteachers and “face-to-face days” for recently qualified headteachers.
5. CESEW and the Heythrop Institute are working together on a project focusing on “Leaders for Catholic Education” | 
