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Scotland: New Director of Catholic Education Service announced


Barbara Coupar

Barbara Coupar

The President of the Bishops Conference of Scotland, Archbishop Philip Tartaglia has offered congratulations to Barbara Coupar on her appointment as the next Director of the Scottish Catholic Education Service (SCES). She will take up the post on 20 June.

Archbishop Tartaglia said: "I wish to congratulate Barbara Coupar on being chosen as the next Director of SCES. I have no doubt that Barbara will continue to develop the excellent work of SCES which now has a very significant profile both nationally and internationally for its work of supporting Catholic education in Scotland and for representing Catholic education to government, local authorities, professional educational bodies and to the media. I know I speak for the Bishops' Conference of Scotland in wishing Barbara every success in her new post."

Barbara, who started teaching in 1998 and gained a Bachelor of Divinity in 1996 from the University of Glasgow commented: "I am honoured and delighted to have been appointed as the next Director of the Scottish Catholic Education Service. I hope that I can continue the positive legacy that Michael McGrath has built, while serving the Church and Scottish Catholic schools in a creative and faithful way."

Congratulating his successor, Michael McGrath, outgoing SCES Director, said: "I am delighted that the Bishops have moved swiftly to appoint Barbara as the next SCES Director. I know that she will bring great energy, skill and commitment to the post. I wish her and all who work to support Scotland's Catholic schools every success in the years ahead."

Barbara Coupar started her teaching career in 1998 in Notre Dame High School, Greenock, as RE teacher and then acting Assistant Principal Teacher of Guidance, before being appointed as Principal Teacher of RE in 2001. She took on the role of Acting Depute Head Teacher in Notre Dame in 2007. She was appointed to the post of RE Adviser to SCES, the Archdiocese of Glasgow and the Diocese of Motherwell in January 2009. In 2013 She took up the post of RE Co-ordinator for the Diocese of Motherwell, while remaining RE Adviser at SCES.

Barbara studied Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Glasgow, gaining a Bachelor of Divinity in 1996 and went on to St Andrew's College of Education, where she qualified as a teacher of Religious Education in 1998. She has obtained two Postgraduate Certificates in Educational Leadership at the University of Stirling. In 2015 she gained a Postgraduate diploma in Emerging Leadership of Christian Schools from Kirchliche Padagogische Hochschule, Vienna, in association with Fordham University, New York and she is currently completing a Master's Degree in Catholic School Leadership at St Mary's University, London.

Barbara is married to Marlon and step-mum to two children.

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