THE BIG ASSEMBLY PRESS PACK CONTENTS SECTION 1: BACKGROUND INFORMATION 1. Contact details 2. Background information on The Big Assembly – statistics, key people and outline 3. An Introduction to Catholic Education – statistics, history and legal basis 4. Biographies of lead participants SECTION 2: BACKGROUND PAPERS AND ORDER OF SERVICE 1. A Brief History of Catholic Education (published in ‘Magnificat – Liturgies and Events of the Papal Visit of Pope Benedict XVI to the United Kingdom September 16th to 19th 2010’) 2. Order of service for The Big Assembly THE BIG ASSEMBLY PRESS PACK Contact details Press officer for The Big Assembly Maeve McCormack Policy and Briefing Manager Catholic Education Service for England and Wales Tel: 020 7901 1914 Email: [email protected] Web: www.linkinachain.wordpress.com (The Big Assembly blog) www.thepapalvisit.org.uk (Official Papal Visit website) THE BIG ASSEMBLY PRESS PACK Background information Background to The Big Assembly The Holy Father’s first engagement on English soil will be a gathering of nearly 4000 schoolchildren and young people at St Mary’s University College, Twickenham – The Big Assembly. This is an exciting opportunity to celebrate Catholic education in the United Kingdom and the outstanding work that takes place in Catholic schools, colleges and universities across the country. The Big Assembly will take place at the start of the academic year and will highlight the way in which the Catholic Church works with the State and local communities to provide Catholic education in over 2300 schools across the United Kingdom. This unique partnership between Church and State ensures the provision of Catholic schools with a distinctive ethos for around 1 million students. The Big Assembly will showcase the strong positive contribution that Catholic schools make to society as a whole. The theme for The Big Assembly is ‘I have come so that they may have life and have it to the full’ (John 10:10) Who will be involved? Participants will come from schools across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and from the Catholic university colleges and universities in England. In addition, this event will be streamed live into every Catholic school across the United Kingdom, where millions of pupils, teachers, parents, governors and parishioners will gather to watch The Big Assembly as a school community. Participants at The Big Assembly will include: Nearly 4000 children and young people from schools, colleges and universities across the United Kingdom Rt Hon Michael Gove MP (Secretary of State for Education) Rt Hon Vince Cable MP (Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills) Sarah Teather MP (Minister of State for Children and Families) Nick Gibb MP (Minister of State for Schools) Lord Hill of Oareford CBE (Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Schools) Archbishop Jean-Louis Brugues OP (Secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education) Bishop Malcolm McMahon OP (Chairman of the Catholic Education Service for England and Wales) Bishop George Stack (Chair of the Board of Governors, St Mary’s University College) THE BIG ASSEMBLY PRESS PACK Dr Arthur Naylor (Principal, St Mary’s University College) Councillor David Marlow (Mayor of Richmond-upon-Thames) Oona Stannard (Chief Executive and Director of the Catholic Education Service for England and Wales) HE Mrs Elizabeth Ya Eli Harding (High Commissioner, The Gambia) Senior officials from the Department of Education Union officials and other representatives from the major teaching unions Diocesan education officers from across the United Kingdom What’s going to happen? The purpose of this event is to celebrate Catholic education in the United Kingdom in the presence of the Holy Father. Lead participants will lead the celebration and highlights include: The Holy Father will be greeted on campus by a welcome party including Bishop George Stack, Chair of the Board of Governors at St Mary’s University College; Dr Arthur Naylor, Principal of St Mary’s University College; the Rt Hon Vince Cable, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills; the Rt Hon Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education; Councillor David Marlow, Mayor of Richmond-upon-Thames; Oona Stannard, Chief Executive of the Catholic Education for England and Wales and David Leen, Vice-Principal of St Mary’s University College The Holy Father will address the gathered young people and lead the congregation in the Lord’s Prayer Two school choirs (one of which is the ‘Songs of Praise’ School Choir of the Year and the other is from a school set to become the first maintained choir school in the United Kingdom) will sing for the Holy Father and lead the congregation in three hymns Pupils from schools in England, Scotland and Wales will present the Holy Father with gifts representing the spiritual heritage of the United Kingdom Prayer will be lead by representatives from each phase of Catholic education and will be based on the writings of John Henry Cardinal Newman The links between Catholic schools in the United Kingdom and other schools around the world will be celebrated through a showcase of an English’s school collaboration with its partner school in The Gambia The John Paul II Foundation for Sport will be launched (a schools’ project following Pope John Paul II’s vision that sport and faith should work hand in hand) THE BIG ASSEMBLY PRESS PACK An Introduction to Catholic Education in England and Wales There are over 2,300 Catholic schools or sixth form colleges in England and Wales, making up 10% of all schools and colleges nationally. The vast majority of these are voluntary-aided maintained schools or colleges, and over 150 are Catholic independent schools, including 9 special schools. There are also 3 Catholic academies and 20 schools (including one academy) run jointly with other Christian Churches. Catholic maintained schools and colleges in England and Wales currently educate nearly 800,000 pupils. In 2008, the proportion of Catholic pupils in Catholic maintained schools in England and Wales was around 75% in England and 65% in Wales. As well as schools, there are three Catholic University Colleges in England: St Mary’s University College, Twickenham; Trinity College, Leeds; and Newman College, Birmingham. Liverpool Hope University is a jointly Catholic and Anglican University. The funding of Catholic schools and colleges The Church contributes substantial amounts of capital towards the upkeep of the maintained school estate, currently amounting to a 10% contribution in England and 15% in Wales. In many cases the Church also has provided or significantly contributed to the land on which the school sits. A high quality, well-rounded education Ofsted inspections show that Catholic schools rate consistently better than average across all inspection criteria. For example: Ofsted inspections of schools’ overall effectiveness show that higher proportions of Catholic schools and colleges are placed in the ‘good’ and ‘outstanding’ categories. For example Ofsted inspections 2008/2009 judged 79% of Catholic primary schools to achieve this standard compared with 68% of schools nationally. Similarly, 79% of Catholic secondary schools were judged to be outstanding or good compared with 64% of all schools nationally.1 In 2009 Ofsted rated 51% of Catholic schools compared to 37% of national schools as ‘outstanding’, ‘excellent’ or ‘very good’ with regard to the extent of learners’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. This category of inspection measures factors such as learners’ attitudes to bullying, effective discussion in lessons, and readiness to engage with others from a different cultural background2. Community cohesion Catholic schools in England and Wales are generally diverse and score highly in inspections of community cohesion. Ofsted inspection data analysed from September 2005 to July 2009 shows that 41% of Catholic secondary schools in England made an outstanding contribution to their communities, compared to 24% of all schools. 1 Schools Census and Edubase, Written answers and statements in Parliament, Hansard 26 Oct 2009 Column 200W 2 Schools Census and Edubase. Written answers and statements in Parliament Hansard 2 Oct 2009 Column 608W THE BIG ASSEMBLY PRESS PACK The following evidence shows strongly both the inclusivity and diversity of Catholic Schools: Catholic schools exclude fewer pupils than other schools in England and Wales. The percentage of students permanently excluded in Catholic schools in 2007/2008 was 0.09%, whilst the percentage for other schools was 0.11%.3 27% of pupils at Catholic secondary schools are from ethnic minority backgrounds, compared with 22.5% in other schools.4 Catholic schools in England are around the national average figure (0.36%) regarding the number of pupils in care. 5 Almost identical patterns are shown in the distribution of pupils eligible for free school meals between Catholic and community secondary schools. 6% of Catholic schools have more than 35% of pupils eligible for free school meals; the national figure is 7%.6 Catholic higher education The Catholic Church does not only see its involvement in education at the school level. An important part of the mission of the Church is also higher education where the Church offers high quality education, inspired by Christian values and rooted within a strong and distinctive ethos. A Catholic foundation in higher education is understood as: ‘an academic institution which in a rigorous and critical fashion assists in the advancement of human