Vibrant and Viable: the future for Catholic Schools w/ Clare Kilroy

So you say you've used the title there CEO, um, APTCS.

Mm-hmm.

So we, we had Eilish Humphreys on.

As you know, last year she talked a lot about the organization, where it came from, its origins, and was very helpful.

And people who are listening to this episode might want to go back and listen to that one as well just to hear a little bit more.

But tell us about APTCS in 2026.

Tell us about the CEO.

Um, what do you do, Claire, and what, what's the organization working around now-

Mm

... at the moment?

So much to tell you, uh, about APTCS, uh, Nicky.

So you know, Eilish would've given a great overview of, of it.

It was established in 2021.

APTCS stands for the Association of Patrons and Trustees of Catholic Schools.

And before I tell you maybe about what, what it is and what it does, you know, people can sometimes get confused about the difference between patrons and trustees.

Um, so just to clarify for your listeners, the patron refers to the legal entity that operates the school and determines its ethos.

It appoints the board of management, which manages the school on behalf of the patron and ensures compliance with statutory duties.

Whereas the trustee is the legal owner of the school property.

It's the landowner.

And sometimes, you know, they, they can be both the same person-

Yeah

... um, and sometimes they can differ.

So somebody may own the land, but the patron may be somebody else.

So the Association of Patrons and Trustees of Catholic Schools is a coordinating and facilitating body for Catholic school patrons and trustees at post-primary level at the moment.

Um, it represents, I suppose, the agreed position of Catholic post-primary patrons and trustees nationally with the state and other relevant education bodies.