An experience in administration and management at St. Patrick's R.C. Primary School

Abstract

As part of a course at the University of Malta leading to a Diploma in Education (Administration and Management) I spent two weeks in a school in England between 301 h October, and 101 1t November, 1995. I visited St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Primary School situated in Longfield Avenue, Walthamstow, London. In the following report I am outlining the main features of organisation and management as well as aspects of the school's work and teachers' roles. Undoubtedly this visit has helped me enhance my practice in administration and management especially in the areas of decision making, school organisation, routine administration and management procedures, and relations with staff, pupils, parents, the school governing body and external agencies. The headteacher, Mrs. Bernardette Craft, and all the staff were very co-operative and provided me with the information and help I needed. I spent part of my time observing teaching practice in different classes and also interviewing teachers, several of whom had special responsibilities other than teaching. These included the deputy head, co-ordinators of subjects and of special needs, support and ancillary staff I also had the opportunity to observe for the first time the use of computers in classes. For most of the time I shadowed the head of school. Apart from observing routine administrative procedures I attended meetings of the Headteacher with the deputy head, co-ordinators, staff, the school governor representing parents, headteachers of schools in the same area, and a meeting of the School Governing Body. I also attended a working meeting spread on two whole days with a financial consultant who was hired to advise the headteacher and the school financial secretary about the transition of the school from a voluntary-aided to a Grant-aided school. One of the innovative things I observed was the involvement of parents and members of the community in the life of the school. While the school respects parents' rights the latter provide great support to school management, pupils and teachers in various ways. I obtained abundant printed material about school organisation, including a Parents' Handbook, School Policies, job descriptions, school newsletters, memorandums to staff, as well as documents about the British system of education. I am including some of these in the Appendices Section. My visit to St. Patrick's was indeed quite a profitable experience and definitely helped me to reflect upon administration and management practice in a school which enjoys a very good reputation. The Education Division, in my opinion, should do its utmost to provide opportunity to every member of the management staff in schools to undergo such educational visits in order to enable them to enhance their professional growth and development. These visits need not be to English Schools but also to schools in other countries. I am grateful to Mrs. B. Craft and her staff for all their support which rendered my visit to St. Patrick's not only useful but also quite enjoyable. I would also like to thank the Education Division for granting me special leave making this experience possible. Not least I would like to thank Mr. Joseph Muscat who as co-ordinator of this project was extremely helpful to make this experience a success.