St Joseph's Catholic Primary School

Catholic Ethos And Values

Catholic Life at St Joseph’s

Welcome to our page about the Catholic Life of our School. Here, we aim to share with you and celebrate the many elements that make our Catholic school so special. You will also find information to help us to support the development of our children’s faith and Religious Education. We are proudly part of the Diocese of Birmingham.

Our Values and Pupil Profile

Our values, expressed in our Pupil Profile, are those of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who shows us how to grow in love of God and of our neighbour. These shape how we treat one another on a daily basis and inform our school vision and mission

Mission and Vision

Our Mission is summarised by the quote from Pope Francis 'Let us protect with Love all that God has given us'. Our Vision is one where 'we encourage every child to flourish through faith, academic excellence and breadth of opportunity'.

The Mission and Vision underpin all that we do. This approach helps show simply how values, vision and mission link together and reinforce each other. The logic being that enduring 'right' values i.e. 'Gospel Values' underpin and drive all aspects of a Catholic school which can be further explored in the Diocesan publication Christ at The Centre on page 15.

Catholic Social Teaching

The seven strands of our social teaching are integral to the Ethos and the prayer and liturgy in the school. They are revisited every year on a rolling cycle. For more information click here. We are also working towards the CAFOD Live Simply Award.

Prayer and Liturgy (Collective Worship)

Over the week, we plan in prayer & liturgy. This can be through assemblies, spiritual focus weeks and Mass. Sometimes it is pupil led and sometimes staff or visitor led. Click here for more information.

Religious Education Teaching (RE)

RE is taught through Diocesan Scheme of Work , and is supplemented by the celebration of the Liturgical Year of the Church. This is achieved through class teaching - half an hour each day.

Pupil Voice and Leadership

Pupil voice is important to us. We have various pupil groups and leadership opportunities to support the school and give children an opportunity to take action. The Social J ustice Group are using CST to inform their fundraising decisions and the Eco Council are helping the school to work towards the CAFOD Live Simply Award. We also have Liturgy Leaders who support the Catholic Life of the school. Pupils also support the school's prayer and liturgy sessions.

A Picture of the Liturgical Year at our School

Each half term we celebrate two of our values and virtues in a cycle

In the Autumn Term

Catholic Social Teaching:

Dignity of the human person
Stewardship
Solidarity and the Common Good
At the start of the academic year the prayer tables have a green cloth, symbolising hope and life, for ordinary times. There is a Harvest Thanksgiving with produce collected for local food banks. October is the month of the Rosary; classes are encouraged to pray at least a decade of the Rosary each day. Rosary club also takes place during every lunch time in October. During Advent, the cloths on the prayer tables are changed to purple which is associated with penance.
This is the season to prepare for Christmas. KS2 are given the opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation in school. We have an Advent Service for the whole school community. There is a celebration of the Nativity through drama and song in EYFS and KS1. The choir and orchestra lead a carol concert. All retiring collections are donated to a local charity providing Christmas lunch for the homeless.

In the Spring Term

Catholic Social Teaching:

Family and Community
Option for the Poor and Vulnerable

Prayer tables have a white cloth symbolising joy and light for the Christmas season. After the Feast of Baptism of Our Lord and a return to ordinary times, the cloths on the prayer tables are changed to green. During the season of Lent, the cloths on the prayer tables are changed to purple. If we are in school on Ash Wednesday the children receive ashes. During the season of Lent all KS2 children have the opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation in School. Stations of the Cross take place where we have our own ‘Way of the Cross’. Depending on when the school holidays occur, the children are prepared for Holy Week either whilst at school or at home. We observe Holy Week as a school through partaking in Stations of the Cross and by whole school Mass.

In the Summer Term

Catholic Social Teaching:

The Dignity of Work
Rights and Responsibilities
The Resurrection of Our Lord is celebrated during the school holidays; however, the Easter season continues until Pentecost so there are assemblies and displays to highlight the importance of this feast. Prayer tables have a white cloth for Easter until Pentecost when they are changed to green for Ordinary Time. On the 1^{st of} May if it is a weekday, or on a weekday near to that date, we have a mass in school to celebrate the feast of our patron, St Joseph. The children in Year 3 make their First Holy Communion in their own parishes. Representatives of the school community celebrate with all the children in their parishes. There is also a Thanksgiving Mass in school when the children may wear their special clothes – the children also receive a treat! May is the month of Mary, so in honour of Our Lady there is procession to crown the statue of Mary in the school grounds. KS2 say the Angelus daily whilst KS1 recite the Hail Mary. The Ascension and the Pentecost are marked by dedicated assemblies. Around the time of the Feast of the Corpus Christi, there is a time of Eucharistic adoration in the Church. The Feast of St Peter and Paul is celebrated with mass in school. The children in Year 6 are confirmed in their own parishes. Representatives of the school community celebrate with all the children in their parishes. There is also a Thanksgiving and leavers mass in school and a treat for the children!