Welcome to our Catholic life page
Through this page we aim to share with you and celebrate many of the elements which make our Catholic school so special. Here you will find information to help families, the Parish and school work together in supporting the development of our children’s faith and Religious Education. You will also find photographs showing special celebrations and some of our diverse opportunities for Collective Worship. There are also photographs of our school work, displays, charity work and celebrations, Masses and special events.
In Catholic schools, as in any school, Religious Education is taught as an academic subject. However, the whole life of a Catholic School has to be an expression in practice of Catholic belief and Catholic tradition. As they grow, the children are encouraged to put their faith into practice in their own lives.
In class, the children help to prepare and participate in masses and assemblies. Not only in the teaching, but also in the daily practice of the faith, our children are helped by the personal example of the staff. We encourage children to ask questions about the teachings of Christ and to develop enquiring minds. By working together for the children, parents and teachers make this school a place which we can truly say that ‘We value all in the name of Jesus the Christ’.
The Catholic life of the school is rich in opportunities for children to encounter God and to deepen their relationship with Him as a loving, compassionate Father. Through prayer, both traditional and informal, through liturgies and Religious Education lessons, where children receive direct teaching of the faith, through the relationships and support for each other that children, staff and parents enjoy within the school community, we enable children to come to know and love God.
Religious icons can be found throughout the school. Displays of work in RE are of very high quality and can be seen in classrooms and all around the school, including the school’s main reception area. Each class has a prayer focus area, with a liturgical cloth in the appropriate colour. The Christian values at the heart of our Catholic faith incorporate the British values and we aim in everything we do to further each child’s sense of commitment and responsibility to themselves, to others and in the wider world.
Prayer and worship
Prayer and worship are central to the daily life of our school. We aim to provide opportunities for children’s spiritual growth and development through participation in a variety of forms of worship and through experiencing all forms of prayer: formal, informal, spontaneous, private, shared, petitionary and meditative.
Pupils are actively involved in planning and leading worship, both in class groups and whole school settings. Shared acts of worship take place in an atmosphere of reflection and stillness, where we encourage each other to listen to God speaking to us and to respond. Children are encouraged to write prayers and this is a skill which we explicitly teach, just as we teach other genres in literacy.
What Is Prayer?
For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.
(St. Thérèse of Lisieux, Manuscrits autobiographiques, C 25r.)
The school as a Catholic Community
All staff, led by the Headteacher, R.E Leader and Governors are aware that the school’s foundations are built on the Catholic faith and beliefs and that it is our shared responsibility to transmit the Catholic faith to the children in our care. All staff receive regular in-service training as part of their continuous professional development. Staff pray and work together to support each other in providing the very best Religious Education possible for the pupils.
Learning in RE is at the core of the curriculum and we ensure that the Bishop’s directive is followed in allocating 10% of curriculum time to RE lessons. The Governing Body, led by the Chair and the Governor responsible for RE, provide outstanding support and commitment to the central place of RE in the school.
We hold the belief that we share the role of educators of the faith with the parents of our pupils and we strive to keep them fully informed of what their child is learning at school and to support them in what they can do at home to further their child’s understanding of the faith. Parents are welcomed to assemblies, Masses and other liturgies throughout the year.
