Good leadership is essential for good schools. But Governing Bodies are finding it increasingly difficult to recruit Catholic teachers to posts in Catholic schools. Some senior management posts, particularly for primary headteachers and primary deputy headteachers are advertised up to four times before they are filled. Many Catholic teachers are working in community schools, and for a variety of reasons, hesitate to apply for posts in Catholic schools. When sitting down to appoint a new Headteacher Governors must compile preparing selection criteria, and frequently some difficult questions emerge:

• What is meant by the term practising Catholic?
• Why does the headteacher/deputy headteacher need to be a Catholic?
• In what sense are our schools distinctive?
• Why do we say only Catholics can lead them?
• Whose decision is it?

DISCUSSION PAPERS
To help resolve some of these issues, the diocese has launched a diocesan-wide “Conversation”. The first stage consists of discussion papers, primarily for governing bodies and headteachers, though this conversation is for all who are involved with Catholic schools. A special invitation is extended to clergy, parents and affected parishioners. (I have changed "key" parishioners to avoid anyone taking offence) Each discussion paper follows a five-step process and includes Church teaching, real situations and discussion points. Documents for further reading are also included.

WHAT MAKES A CATHOLIC HEADTEACHER?
There is no identikit model of a Headteacher. Every school will have different requirements according to its recent history, locality and intake. Because every situation is different it will not be possible to give generic answers to the issues raised. However it is hoped that all governing bodies will have a clearer view of the essential requirements of leadership in a Catholic school. Further, it will seek to give encouragement to those Catholic teachers currently reluctant to teach in Catholic schools.

THE NEXT STEPS
The conversations have already begun at various locations in the diocese with meetings of Chairs of Governing bodies, Headteachers and members of the diocesan Education committee. Discussions are set to continue among governors and clergy. Some deaneries are using the discussion papers in Deanery Conferences. Feedback from all these discussions will be fed back to the Steering Group and will form the basis for Days for Deeper Thinking in March. The key speaker will be Father Joe Quigley, National R.E. Adviser for the Bishops Conference of England and Wales, Chairman of the National Board of Inspectors and Advisers.
Following these days an interim report will be prepared by the steering committee along with a new discussion paper for much wider circulation. These will be presented to headteachers and chairs of governing bodies at local meetings held after Easter.