The Distinctiveness of Catholic Schools

Founding Story of Catholic Education in WA

  1. Beginnings
  1. Struggle
  1. New Directions

Colonial Era

Schools run by Church of England

Catholic education primarily in families

Issues with funding and getting qualified teachers

1978: Catholics part of First Fleet

1804-05: First Catholic School (Sydney/Paramatta)

1820s: Fr. Therry set up parish schools staffed by lay person

Foundation Period

1865:

  • 61% of colony’s children were in Catholic schools
  • 12 new Catholic schools opened in WA (1864-1870)
  • 40 lay teachers recruited (1846-1871)

1869: Church made unsuccessful petition to Legislative Council for government support

1856: Kennedy removed subsidies for Catholic schools and reduced government education to elementary only

1849: Sisters opened ‘a day school for Young Ladies.’ First secondary school in the colony and open to all faiths

1847: Sisters opened Fremantle Free School for females

1846: 6 sisters of Mercy led by Sr Ursula Frayne

1843:

  • Small primary school (30 boys)
  • Catholic population: 337
  • European population: 4622

1853: Sisters completed new complex (4 schools):

  • wealthy of any creed
  • poor with accomodation
  • orphans (Aboriginal girls)
  • infants
  1. Expansion (1871-1895)

New religious orders in WA

Catholic policy

1872: Education Act-compulsery schooling for children

Religous education

New Govener appointed: Catholic schools recieved funding

Aboriginal people

Increased Irish Catholic settlers

Sisters of St Joseph (1887)

Presentation sisters (1891)

Christian brothers (1894)

Establish a parish

Rent premises

Raise funds

Build a school before church

Recruit lay teacher

Inspection for government funding

Religious order to take over

School days began with 1/2 hour of religous instruction

RE: question and answer format

Focus on missioning

Swan river to country areas

Religous going north, hope of setting mission up in Beagle Bay

1950s

1960s

Catholic response

Parishes obliged to establish primary schools

Laity obliged to help fund Catholic schools

Parents obliged to send children to Catholic schools

Teaching orders replaced lay teachers

Establish secondary schooling

World War II

Catholic population more than doubled

Catholic schools greatest reposibilty for Church

Costs increased

Ageing teachers under pressure

WA: small gains of getting financial assitance from government

1962: Goulburn strike

1964: funding of non-government schools by Commonwealth Government

State Aid

Changes to present

1970s

Schools employing lay teachers

1973: Gough Whitlam established Karmel Comission for low-fee Catholic schools

Teaching orders declined

Qualified teachers

Single sex and co-education

Education commissions and offices tdeveloped to support

Re-emergence of laity

Funding (50% Commonwealth) and (25% State Level)

Better resourced

Growing awareness of impact of child sexual abuse in WA

Mandate of the Catholic Education Comission of WA

Organisation of Mandate

Presence of God

Importance

Explains Catholic schools and all who work in them are signs of God's presense and purpose

Connects Catholic schools to the life of the Church and belief in Christ

Outlines roles of all involved in Catholic education

Values work of Catholic schools

Renewed in 2009

Bishops Mandate

Witness of the Catholic school

Curriculum in the Catholic school

Presence of God

Catholic school community

Recognise sacredness of creation

Relationship with God

Centre of Catholic schools

Deep questioning

Evangelissation

Positive relationship with God

Respect for self and creation

Preach gospel

Transform humanity from within

Purpose of Catholic schools focus on mission of Church

Two ways: Christian witness & Ministery of the word

Peace

Kindness

Trustfulness

Love

Goodness

Joy

Gentleness

Patience

Self-control

Strive to be a good school

Teach integration of faith, culture & life

Witness of the Catholic School

Presence and Love

Learn value of human persons

Teacher-student relationships

Catholic School Curriculum

RE + 8 learning areas

Gospel values integrated into curriculum

first priority

promote knowledge & understanding of Gospel

Catholic school community

family, school & local church

Evangelisation requires faith experiences in communities

Catholic School Curriculum

Purpose

Assists in construction with faith and wisdom of the community in a meaningful way

Learning experience (planned and unplanned)

Encompasses learning environment, teaching methods & resources

Flynn: influence of informal curriculum


Screen Shot 2020-10-12 at 4.37.25 pm

Bishop's Mandate

Increase religious awareness

Appreciation of creation

Show connection to Gospel

Initiatory Catechesis

Liturgies of the Word

Mass

Sacraments

Sacraments

Prayer

Celebration of Catholic feast

Religious Education

Share Catholic faith through Gospel

Curriculum planning will foster relationship between RE and other learning areas

Plan RE focusing on Catholic tradition

Encourages hope through focus on human person

Curriculum Learning Areas

Humanities and Social Sciences

Languages

Science

Technologies

Mathematics

Religious Education

English

Catholic School Curriculum in WA

Value of learning

Values

Human quest for truth

Religious dimension of learning

Knowledge offered in a spirit of service

Knowledge brings responsibilities

Student centred

CEWA policies:

CEWA policies provide guidance

catholic school

click to edit

Catholic Schools of Excellence

Develop whole Christian people

Effective pedagogy & mission inspired practice

Commitment to Catholic vision

High quality Religious Education

Vision for Learning

Jesus teachings & Gospel values

Christ centred through a faith which is incorporated into words, actions, relationships and values

Catholic identity, community and stewardship

Prioritise Religious Education

WA Catholic schools guided by Catholic Identity policy, curriculum policy, Strategic Directions 2019-2021 and Vision for Learning

290px-L4

unnamed

faith-clipart-catholic-religious-education-4

Screen Shot 2020-10-13 at 2.38.59 pm

Screen Shot 2020-10-13 at 2.38.40 pm