The North West Dioceses’
Catholic Leadership Programme
2015
Some Comments about the CLP from the 2014 Cohort:
An aspect of the programme I particularly appreciated was….:
• “…the opportunity to reflect on my
personal faith. It is a rare commodity
to have time put aside to develop as • “…the opportunity to speak with my mentor.
It allowed me to speak personally and
not just a leader, but as a leader in
privately about my faith and worries
the Catholic faith”
concerning leadership”
• “…the inspirational presentations from
Headteachers demonstrating a range of
leadership styles and qualities, and the
distinctive nature of Catholic Schools. It
allows you to reflect and further evaluate
your own personal qualities and skills
and your responsibilities as a Catholic
leader”.
• “…the opportunities to speak to other
people in different schools. Many of
the speakers made me really
consider what we are doing and why
– something that is sometimes easy
to forget amidst targets and our
number-driven world”.
The overall value of this programme for me has been:…..
•“…at a personal level it has challenged
and nurtured. It has also given me
confidence to stand by my personal faith
and values and to understand they are
not the finished product. It has raised the
questions that need to be explored
further”.
•“…time to reflect on my
role and responsibility as
a Headteacher, access to
further reading and
learning on a personal
level”.
•
•“…the notion of ‘being’ truly Catholic rather than
‘doing’ what are viewed as Godly things. This
has resonated with me deeply and has come
through strongly in all the visiting speakers even
in sessions that were very theological. The great
thing also was that all sessions were highly
accessible to all and will enable colleagues to
articulate their faith more effectively at a level
with which they are comfortable”.
“…it
has really made me reflect
on why I work in Catholic
education and what makes the
difference. I have had to reflect
on my own personal beliefs
and my own mission for the
children in my care”.
•“This has been the
best course I have
ever had the privilege
to be part of and have
thoroughly enjoyed it”.
Aims of the Programme:
By the end of the programme participants should be able to
articulate their personal values and mission, and have a better
understanding of the distinctive mission of Catholic schools.
“As a Headteacher in a Catholic school providing leadership in the faith community you need:

A clear understanding of the mission of a Catholic school

To be able, in the light of the mission to secure the school’s distinctiveness as a Catholic
school

To be able to communicate and share this knowledge of the mission of the school and its
distinctiveness and the vision it inspires with staff, pupils, governors, parents and the parish
community

To be able, through translating the vision into action, to ensure that the school can contribute
purposefully to social and community cohesion through promoting constructive and inclusive
dialogue with the wider community”
(Handbook for Headteachers, Archdiocese of Birmingham)
Content
The programme lasts for one full year January to January (three school terms).
Term 1 – focus on SELF:
Participants’ own faith experience/spirituality
 Their knowledge and understanding of their faith
 Their own values

“Good leadership is truthful and trustworthy. Leaders can act more confidently if
they have a strong sense of their own inner truths and are resolute in upholding
positions that may be unpopular but congruent with the leader’s values.”
(Kevin Treston)
Content
Term 2 – focus on CONTEXT:

How their personal vision impacts on their present school
 How they would want their personal vision to impact on any future
leadership role in a school
 The distinctive vision/mission of a Catholic school
 Evaluating the Catholic nature of a school
“Ethos is not something that is ancillary to the other aspects of school life, but it is their
foundation stone: every aspect of school life must be rooted in its ethos, from the
curriculum to the playground, from the staffing structure to school policies”
(Archbishop Malcolm McMahon)
Content
Term 3 – focus on TASK.


Leadership models
National Standards for School Leaders – interpreted for Catholic school
leaders
“… be clear that providing leadership and management for a Catholic school is
totally compatible with the ‘standards agenda’. The requirement to improve the
quality of educational provision and pupil achievement needs to be understood
and interpreted within the setting of an ethos rooted in the Catholic Church and
Gospel values.”
(Headteacher Handbook, Archdiocese of Birmingham)
Structure 2015:
Three Conferences
1. Friday 27th and Saturday 28th February…Residential –
Chancellors Hotel
2. Tuesday 9th June…One-day Conference –
Liverpool Hope
3. Friday 13th and Saturday 14th Nov…Residential –
Chancellors Hotel
Structure 2015:
Five Coaching sessions
1. Tues 24th March…Joint Session (all delegates) – Salford Cathedral Centre
2. Tues 19th May…Primary/Secondary Sessions – Salford Cathedral Centre
Wed 20th May…Primary/Secondary Session (Liverpool delegates) – LACE
3. Tues 30th June…Primary/Secondary Sessions – Salford Cathedral Centre
Wed 1st July…. Primary/Secondary Session (Liverpool delegates) – LACE
4. Tues 15th September…Primary/Secondary Sessions – Salford Cathedral Centre
Wed 16th Sept...Primary/Secondary Session (Liverpool delegates) - LACE
5. Tues 20th October…Primary/Secondary Sessions – Salford Cathedral Centre
Wed 21st Oct… Primary/Secondary Session (Liverpool delegates) – LACE
Structure 2015:
Individual work with a Coach/Mentor who will:

gain an overview of the specific needs of their mentee
 guide their mentee's progress throughout the course
 facilitate experiential placements which are targeted to
the needs of the mentee
 point their mentee towards other CPD for the future
Structure 2015:
Practical experience through school visits of:
 …different
leadership styles
 …schools
with a contrasting intake – e.g. size, intake,
demographic
 …schools/leaders
with a particular expertise
Assessment
1.100% Attendance
(85% minimum)
2.Either a 1500 word essay or a 10-15
minute presentation
3. Optional….MA modules (accredited
via St Mary’s, Twickenham)
Celebration Mass and Certificate
Presentation Evening
TUESDAY 11TH FEBRUARY 2016
“Good leadership is……
…. truthful and trustworthy. Leaders can act more confidently if they have a
strong sense of their own inner truths and are resolute in upholding
positions that may be unpopular but congruent with the leaders values”
Kevin Treston
“Trust is the most important factor in
leadership. Leaders cannot repeatedly
break trust with people and expect to keep
influencing them.
People will forgive occasional mistakes on
ability (if admitted) …but they won’t trust
someone who has slips in character”.
John Maxwell, “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership”
A Catholic School is…
“…more than just a place where pupils are equipped with learning
and skills for the workplace and responsible citizenship” for they
are not just ‘citizens’ or ‘learners’ or (God forbid) ‘economic units’.
They have a ‘divine origin and an eternal destiny’….are God-given
and full of grace”.
“We must seek
Christ in the eyes of
every person.”
“In today’s unfavourable culture, Catholic
schools have to be absolutely certain of their
mission, which is far wider than a focus on
attainment and standards. We have to explain
what ethos means”.
Sister Judith Russi
“OUR SCHOOLS MUST BE AT LEAST AS ACADEMICALLY
DISTINGUISHED AS ALL OF THE NEIGHBOURING COMMUNITY SCHOOLS”
Canon Law