Our Mission Statement

"Our school strives to be a Catholic community in which Christian principles of care and respect are valued, with emphasis on the development of the individual through academic achievement and personal development".

In some ways it is easier to define what a Catholic school should not be, rather than what it should be. For example it is not just "National Curriculum plus Mass". Neither should it be, as Cardinal Hume reminded us, "a production line of good performers in the market place or able technocrats". Furthermore it certainly should not be an institution where the pupils leave either as "successes or failures".

Catholic schools, including this one, are complex communities, but they should have certain positive characteristics. The Catholic school should proclaim the teachings of Christ, such that all pupils know and understand them. This in turn would hopefully lead to a new way of life for the pupils, whereby, firstly, they would experience a spiritual development which will enable them to know God, and themselves, better; secondly, they would develop a sense of moral judgement - and this within a society where moral development has become blurred. As Cardinal Hume put it "The pupils will become good human beings, purposeful and wise, themselves with a vision of becoming a better person and creating a better society".

Another important feature of a Catholic school should be its recognition that it is part of a wider community, where people are interdependent. Equally the school should try to compensate for the over-emphasis on materialism in our own society. However, if there is one principle which, above all others should be the mark of a Catholic school, it is that aim of encouraging each pupil to find dignity in the school community, to find a self worth, a respect for others and a reason for living. This should be the first principle of our school.

The task of the Catholic school in achieving these aims is a huge one, especially as many of our families need the school's help in finding their own role in the development of their children. However, one of the most effective starting points for the school should be in providing examples and role models of Christian life, such that the pupils have close and personal contact with others who are trying to follow Christ's message.

At Sacred Heart we aim to do this in the ways we relate to the young people who are in our care by promoting traditional values and a moral integrity alongside an ethos of success for all.