Leading up to the event, schools took part in an archdiocesan Cafod World Gifsts project, raiding over £18,000. The gifts purchased were presented to Archbishop George [...]]]> Students and teachers from across Cardiff archdiocese celebrated the end of the Year of Catholic Education with an event in St David’s Hall Cardiff on 3 November 2011.

Leading up to the event, schools took part in an archdiocesan Cafod World Gifsts project, raiding over £18,000. The gifts purchased were presented to Archbishop George Stack as a ‘welcome gift’ from the schools and colleges in his archdiocese on the evening of 3 November.

A gallery of photos from the event is below. You can also download the event programme, which features a welcome from Welsh First Minister the Rt Hon Carwyn Jones AM.

Download – Programme

Download the 2.35 minute powerpoint for schools here.

In a distinct interactive event which paired leading experts with talented young people from across the country, sixth formers [...]]]> The first ever gathering of students from all 17 Catholic sixth form colleges across England and Wales took place last week as part of the Year of Catholic Education. The colleges’ press release is below.

In a distinct interactive event which paired leading experts with talented young people from across the country, sixth formers were challenged to envisage what forms a prosperous society would take and to devise solutions to current problems facing society.

The Social Impact Challenge 2011, was a one-day, national competition for 16-19 year-old students organised by Catholic sixth form colleges in England in Wales. In Master classes on profession-related disciplines, teams of young delegates identified what a ‘prosperous’ society would look like, explored current issues in their discipline, and tackled a challenge.

Informative Master classes were delivered by the following experts: Dr Rupert Evenett, Social Investment Review Chairman; Anne Dixon, Founding Partner of Green Tea Architects LLP; David Cooper, formerly of Royal Historic Palaces; Claudine Reid MBE, Social Enterprise Ambassador for the Cabinet Office; and Tom Wilson, Director of unionlearn at the Trades Union Congress.

Throughout the day, ICT students shot, edited and uploaded videos of the event to the Social Impact Challenge website and Youtube page and used social media to encourage further interaction.

Broadening young people’s horizons
In the Business and Enterprise Master class, students from very different backgrounds discussed how businesses can help build, not hinder, a more prosperous society. Claudine Reid MBE, the Director of PJ’s Community Services, encouraged young people to use their business savvy to re-invest in their local communities. She stressed the importance of thinking long term in business and developing a business model which “strikes a balance between head and heart”.

“Business can work both ways. It can add value to the community, it can pay your staff, generate income and be sustainable. It is a business model that will continue to work. Ideas are great but they have to have context and somewhere to grow and develop,” she said.

Students found the Social Impact Challenge 2011 inspiring and motivating and many said it improved their confidence. Chisara Agor of Christ the King College said: “There were so many people from across the country. We got to talk about things that are interesting. It’s kind of like university; the lectures were great.”

Paige Crone of Aquinas College, Stockport, who took part in the Philosophy and Theology session, said: “We are actually talking about the real world, which makes it easier to make links with what I’m studying.”

Teacher Liane Wigley of St David’s Catholic College in Cardiff said: “This event takes students out of their comfort zone. They are meeting new people and it is helping them to broaden their horizons. The fact that they are in diverse groups has been really, really good for them. It’s very interesting. The students are very engaged. They are all working and being proactive and it’s improving their own learning.”

Considering the ‘Good Society’ from a young person’s perspective
In the keynote address, Professor Ken Spours of the Institute of Education, University of London, discussed the benefits of ‘the Good Society’ and encouraged the young delegates to discuss the issue wholeheartedly: “You are the leaders of the future. Today you are going to be discussing those leadership capacities. I think it’s very, very important to find a way of encouraging you to pursue those broader perspectives.”

Facilitator Joe Ellison, of Teach First, was impressed with the depth and quality of the students’ discussions. “I thought it was great to see people from across the country come together to discuss a genuinely tough and challenging issue.”

The Social Impact Challenge 2011 was created and organised by Christ the King College, London, and led by two award-winning members of staff. The event was supported by the Association of Catholic Sixth Form Colleges to celebrate the Year of Catholic Education.

Jay Allnutt, one of the conference organisers, said: “In a time when we are all having to make big decisions in our own lives, and the government is making tough decisions on our behalf, it is really important that we think about what it means to be a prosperous society. It is our hope that at the end of the day everyone will be inspired to make a difference in their community.”

Notes for Editors

• 160 students took part in the event
• The Social Impact Challenge 2011 took place on 28 June 2011 at the Institute of Education in London
• The following colleges participated: Aquinas College, Stockport; Carmel College, St. Helen’s; Christ the King College, Lewisham, London; Christ the King College: St Mary’s, Sidcup, Kent; Holy Cross College, Bury; Loreto College, Manchester; St Charles Catholic Sixth Form College, Ladbroke Grove, London; St Francis Xavier Sixth Form College, Clapham, London; St John Rigby College, Wigan; St Brendan’s Sixth Form College, Bristol; St David’s Catholic College, Cardiff; St Dominic’s Sixth Form College, Harrow-on-the-Hill; St Mary’s College, Blackburn; and Xaverian College, Manchester.
• Students were divided up into six strands: Art and Media; Business and Enterprise; Engineering, Science & Maths; Philosophy and Theology; Diplomacy and Policy; and Informatics.

Experts in the five disciplines will deliver masterclasses in order to provide students [...]]]> On Tuesday 28th June at the Institute of Education, the Social Impact Challenge, which is a one-day competition for 16-19 year old students which aims to challenge young people to engage with and devise solutions to a contemporary social issue, will take place.

Experts in the five disciplines will deliver masterclasses in order to provide students with their own perspective on the Challenge Question which is “What are the underlying values and Morals of a Prosperous Society?”

The disciplines are Business and Enterprise, Informatics, Engineering, Science and Maths, Arts and Media, Diplomacy and Policy and Philosophy and Theology. Students choose which of the 5 disciplines they want to compete in on the day and will be given expert advice on the history of the problem in that discipline before being challenged to devise an innovative solution.

The aims for this sixth form conference are:

• Students become more aware and knowledgeable about a social issue which affects them and the society they live in;
• Students develop their intellectual capacities through competing with other able students from across the country and thinking innovatively about solutions to it;
• Students learn about professions which they can pursue in the future and how they can continue to make a social impact whilst working in these professions.  

The Social Impact Challenge 2011 is being run in partnership between Sixth Form Colleges and Inquisitive People CIC, as part of the celebration of The Year of Catholic Education.

Inquisitive people CIC is a not-for-profit organisation which seeks to improve the life chances of able students from challenging educational circumstances by developing inquisitiveness, raising aspirations and increasing access to top universities and professions through a range of projects.

CESEW’s Religious Education Adviser, Fr Timothy Gardner OP, who is also a teacher of RE and Philosophy at Maria Fidelis Convent School in North London, has contributed to the blog [...]]]> Each month Hodder Education asks an expert from the RE and Philosophy community to share their thoughts and teaching ideas on their RE and Philosophy blog.

CESEW’s Religious Education Adviser, Fr Timothy Gardner OP, who is also a teacher of RE and Philosophy at Maria Fidelis Convent School in North London, has contributed to the blog during June.

Click here to read his entries on the Ascension, Pentecost and the Trinity.  

They write:

SS Aidan and Oswald RC Primary School in Oldham has achieved the prestigious Gold status at their recent Investors in People review, acknowledging achievement of world-class best practice and representing a cutting-edge organisation [...]]]> A Catholic primary school in the Diocese of Salford has been awarded the Investors in People gold status.

They write:

SS Aidan and Oswald RC Primary School in Oldham has achieved the prestigious Gold status at their recent Investors in People review, acknowledging achievement of world-class best practice and representing a cutting-edge organisation operating at the very highest levels of people management practice. 

The primary school is now part the exclusive 1% of Investors in People in the country that have achieved Gold recognition, meaning they are now eligible to use and display the sought after Investors in People Gold logo and enjoy its benefits.

Headteacher Damian Harrison is delighted to be celebrating the Award with staff, Gerry Bradbury (Director of Schools for Salford Diocese) and members of Oldham Local Authority Strategic Leadership Team.

He said, ‘We have a superb staff team here who are utterly dedicated to our core mission – to provide the best possible Catholic Education for our children.  Not a day passes without me thinking how privileged I am to work with such a talented and committed team.  On top of that we have wonderfully supportive parents and a governing body who support and challenge us to reach for excellence in all we do.  Put that with the best children in the world and it’s a recipe for something special – and IIP Gold is certainly that!’

Dean Stephen Doyle (Chair of Governors) expressed his great sense of pride in the school’s achievement on behalf of the Governors and the parish community.

We are very privileged to have the award presented by former World Snooker Champion Shaun Murphy who has taken time out from his busy schedule competing in the current World Championships.

Chris Jones, Head of Operations at idg the Investors in People Centre for the North of England said “This is a fantastic achievement for SS Aidan and Oswald RC Primary School and I would like to congratulate the team there on their commitment to continuous improvement. As the Investors in People Centre for the North of England, idg is committed to working with organisations to raise standards and improve performance through people. By offering a flexible, practical and easy to use framework, Investors in People is designed to help organisations and their people enhance performance and meet goals. By achieving Gold recognition, SS Aidan and Oswald RC Primary School is certainly working to do this.”

Shaun Murphy, who has long standing connections with the school said ‘It’s excellent to see a school providing such a high level of service for the benefit of the children. SS Aidan and Oswald fully deserves the plaudits for this great achievement’ 

With 43 members of staff, SS Aidan and Oswald RC Primary School, situated in Royton, Oldham, is proud of the strong partnerships it has with the Oldham Local Authority, Salford Diocese and many other local schools.  This award shows how schools can use IIP as a benchmark of outstanding practice alongside a wide range of other organisations and services who strive to excel in people management.  The achievement places the school in the small elite group who gain the highly coveted gold award.

Congratulations to all at SS Aidan and Oswald!

On Sunday 15th May 2011 the parish of St Mary’s, Bridgend, celebrated the Year of Catholic Education with a special Parish Mass supported by staff and children of St Mary’s Primary School and Archbishop McGrath High School. Parish priest, Fr Isaac, reminded parishioners of the contribution Catholic schools make to the mission of [...]]]>

On Sunday 15^th May 2011 the parish of St Mary’s, Bridgend, celebrated the Year of Catholic Education with a special Parish Mass supported by staff and children of St Mary’s Primary School and Archbishop McGrath High School. Parish priest, Fr Isaac, reminded parishioners of the contribution Catholic schools make to the mission of the Church and thanked staff, pupils, parents and governors for their work and witness. Children of both schools were very involved with all aspects of the Mass and there were several displays of children’s work and activities from both schools.

During the Mass, the Archdiocesan Director of Religious Education, Mrs Anne Manghan spoke to parishioners about the importance of Catholic schools in a society that is growing increasingly indifferent to religious faith and that often has a very different set of moral values to our own. Drawing upon the words of Pope Benedict at the Big Assembly during his visit to the UK, Mrs Manghan reminded school children and parishioners of God’s desire for our happiness and that holiness and true happiness lie in God alone. She thanked the staff of the two schools for their witness, example, love, compassion and faith, which is making such a difference to the lives of young people, as they strive to support the home and parish in the spiritual and religious formation of children. Jesus said,’ I came into the world so that you may have life and have it to the full’ and the Mass reminded us that together – young people, parents, families, clergy, parishioners – we must strive always to be what God has called us to be: to have life, a life of holiness and happiness, and to have it to the full.