Values and Virtues

“With Jesus, we learn to love and love to learn.”

Our Mission Statement is at the heart of our school community. It reminds us that Jesus is with us in all that we do and that our learning is rooted in love.

We want every child to grow in knowledge, confidence, faith and character. We encourage our children to love learning, to love one another and to recognise that they are each known, valued and loved by God.

Our Mission guides the way we learn, pray, play and live together each day.

The Summary of the Law

Our Mission and values are rooted in the teaching of Jesus. When Jesus was asked which commandment was the greatest, He taught us to love God with all our heart, soul and mind, and to love our neighbour as ourselves.

This is known as the Summary of the Law and it is central to the life of our school.

It reminds us that our faith should be seen in the way we treat others. For our children, this means that faith is not simply something we learn about; it is something we live through our words, choices and actions.

Our School Values

Our school values are Respect, Resilience, Honesty, Love, Compassion and Inclusion. These values help our children understand how to live out our Mission Statement in everyday life.

Respect

Respect means recognising that every person is precious and created in the image of God. We see respect when children listen carefully, speak kindly, value the views of others and care for people, property and God’s creation.

This reflects the Catholic Social Teaching principle of Human Dignity, which teaches us that every person has God-given worth. Through respect, children grow in justice, humility and wisdom.

Resilience

Resilience means having the courage to keep going when things are difficult. We want our children to understand that mistakes are part of learning and that challenges can help us to grow.

We see resilience when children persevere, ask for help, respond positively to feedback and are willing to try again. This helps children grow in the virtues of hope, courage, fortitude and perseverance.

Honesty

Honesty means choosing truth and taking responsibility for our actions. We want children to understand that being honest helps to build trust and strong relationships.

We see honesty when children tell the truth, admit mistakes, apologise sincerely and try to put things right. Honesty reflects the Catholic virtues of integrity, justice, prudence and humility and supports the Catholic Social Teaching principle of the Common Good.

Love

Love is at the heart of our Mission Statement and at the heart of the Gospel.

We see love when children show kindness, forgive one another, celebrate the success of others and offer friendship and support without expecting anything in return.

Love underpins all of Catholic Social Teaching. It calls us to recognise the dignity of every person, to work for the Common Good and to stand alongside others in solidarity.

Love, or charity, is one of the three theological virtues of Faith, Hope and Love.

Compassion

Compassion means noticing when someone needs help and choosing to respond with kindness and care.

Jesus showed compassion throughout the Gospels, particularly towards those who were vulnerable, lonely or excluded. We encourage our children to follow His example.

We see compassion when children comfort someone who is upset, help someone who is struggling, listen carefully and think about how their words and actions affect others.

This links closely to the Catholic Social Teaching principles of Solidarity and the Preferential Option for the Poor and Vulnerable. Through compassion, children grow in mercy, generosity and service.

Inclusion

Inclusion means recognising that everyone belongs.

We believe that every child is created and loved by God, has unique gifts and has an important place within our school community.

We see inclusion when children welcome others, make sure nobody is left out, value differences and stand up for someone who is being treated unfairly.

Inclusion reflects the Catholic Social Teaching principles of Human Dignity, Participation, Solidarity and the Common Good. It helps our children understand that everyone should have the opportunity to belong, contribute and flourish.

Catholic Virtues

Our values are supported by the Catholic virtues, which help children develop the habits and qualities needed to make good choices and live as followers of Jesus.

The theological virtues of Faith, Hope and Love encourage children to trust in God, look to the future with hope and treat others with love.

The cardinal virtues of Prudence, Justice, Fortitude and Temperance help children to make wise choices, treat others fairly, show courage when things are difficult and develop self-control.

Together, these virtues help our children to grow spiritually, morally, socially and personally.

Catholic Social Teaching

Catholic Social Teaching helps our children understand how the teachings of Jesus can be lived out in the world today.

We teach children that Human Dignity means every person is precious, the Common Good means making choices that help everyone to flourish, and Solidarity reminds us that we are one human family.

We teach that the Preferential Option for the Poor and Vulnerable calls us to notice those who need our help most, while Participation reminds us that everyone should have the opportunity to contribute and have their voice heard.

We also encourage children to understand Stewardship of Creation, recognising that the world is a gift from God and that we all have a responsibility to care for it.

Living Our Mission Every Day

Our Mission Statement, values, Catholic virtues and Catholic Social Teaching are not separate parts of school life. Together, they help our children understand what it means to live as followers of Jesus.

We see our Mission being lived when children welcome someone who is new, persevere with difficult learning, tell the truth when something has gone wrong, show forgiveness, comfort someone who is upset, include others, stand up for what is right and care for God’s creation.

These everyday actions help our children understand that faith is something we live.

“With Jesus, we learn to love and love to learn.”

Through our Mission and values, we aim to help every child become a confident learner, a compassionate young person and someone who is ready to use their gifts to make a positive difference in the world.