Each week, we focus on a different ‘statement to live by’, a set of statements rooted in nine guiding principles which support the distinctive nature of Catholic schools. The statements make the Catholic values of the school explicit, promote a positive and caring Christian ethos that is understood and communicated to everyone, promote emotional literacy and contribute towards community cohesion and the common good. They ensure that children and young people are given opportunities to:

• Hear the Christian story and encounter the person of Jesus,
• Understand their uniqueness as made in the image and likeness of God,
• Experience a sense of belonging within a range of communities, including the local Eucharistic community,
• Know, appreciate and understand the importance of social justice,
• Know that our limitations are also opportunities for growth,
• Understand the connection between knowledge and living,
• Know that everything has the opportunity to reveal God’s presence to us, i.e. to see the divine in the ordinary,
• Forgive and be forgiven, to reconcile and be reconciled,
• Experience fun, humour, imagination, creativity, play and excitement in life.

Each week, at the end of our Celebration of the Word, we introduce a different statement such as ‘I try to be just and fair’. The week’s statement is displayed prominently in every classroom and around the school. Children are encouraged to think about the and reflect on statement throughout the week. The statements also support the RE and PSHE curriculum and are shared with parents in our regular newsletters.