The Role of Catholic Primary Schools
Choosing a primary school is a challenging task! It is very important to reflect on what role a Catholic Primary School will play in your child's life.
The role of a Catholic primary school is to:
- Place Christ at the centre of school life, ensuring that the Gospel shapes the school’s mission, relationships, curriculum and decisions.
- Support parents as the first educators of their children, particularly in faith and moral development.
- Educate the whole person—spiritually, morally, intellectually, emotionally, socially and physically.
- Provide high-quality education and encourage every child to develop their God-given gifts and achieve excellence.
- Recognise the dignity and value of every person because each person is made in the image and likeness of God.
- Be inclusive and educate all pupils, while giving particular care and attention to those who are poor, vulnerable or disadvantaged.
- Teach and celebrate the Catholic faith through Religious Education, prayer, liturgy, worship and participation in the sacramental life of the Church.
- Form pupils in Christian virtues so that they learn to make good choices, serve others and contribute to the common good.
- Work in partnership with families, the parish, the diocese and the wider community.
- Prepare children to live as responsible Christians and citizens, showing love, justice, compassion, forgiveness and respect.
The Bishops’ guidance summarises the distinctive nature of Catholic education through three central commitments which we embrace as a school:
- The education of the whole person
- The education of all
- The search for excellence
At St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, our role is to place Christ at the centre of all that we do and to support parents in the education and formation of their children. Guided by our mission to “Love God, love others and love ourselves,” we educate the whole person, recognise the God-given dignity of every child and provide an inclusive, excellent education through which all pupils can flourish. We nurture faith, knowledge, character and compassion, preparing children to use their gifts in service of others and contribute to the common good.
The Early Years Foundation Stage at St Mary's
Your child has a very exciting and busy year to look forward to.
This slideshow is designed to help you understand the EYFS curriculum in our Reception class. You will already be familiar with aspects of this in relation to your child's development and their preschool experience. This coming year will see the culmination of their learning within this stage and we will continue to offer them a wide range of experiences that will enable them to achieve the Early Learning Goals.
How can I help my child before they start at
St Mary’s?
It's a good idea to stick the
‘Tips for Parents’
sheet included in your original pack somewhere prominent and keep referring to it.
Celebrate the successes you have in achieving the things on it.
Some of them may seem simple or obvious but it is their ability to do these things that will make the biggest difference.
