School Ethos
Mission statement
Our Mission is to educate the young people entrusted to our care in the Catholic, Christian way that ensures that each one is valued and cared for and achieves the best of which they capable.
We aim to fulfil our Mission in a number of ways: through the curriculum, through the pastoral system and through the many enrichment activities offered to pupils. In addition to this we seek to build up the community of St Mary’s as an embodiment of the Catholic Church present in the pupils, staff, parents, governors and the wider parish communities who gather in a variety of ways and are Christ’s body present in this school. One of the key ways in which we gather is for worship. Through our collective worship we pray that St Mary’s School will become a truly Catholic and Christian community with Christ at its centre.
Ethos statement
St Mary’s is a Catholic 11-16, co-educational high school situated within the Lancashire authority and under the trusteeship of the Archdiocese of Liverpool. In 2016 pupils moved into the new campus which has benefitted from extensive rebuild and adaptation. As a result, the school presents an outstanding vision for secondary education. Currently, there are around 600 pupils on roll with numbers rapidly rising across all year groups as a result of the high regard that the school is now held in the community. Around 68% of pupils are baptised Catholics, with 20% from other Christian denominations and 12% from other world faith or religious traditions. St Mary’s serves associated parishes in the pastoral area. The school has 36 teaching staff and over 40 support staff.
Pupils fully understand our Mission which is ‘to let their light shine’. This is manifest in our drive to help our young people develop their personal talents and to cultivate within them a commitment to the needs of others. The extent to which pupils contribute to and benefit from the Catholic life of school is significant and distinctive. Senior leaders, all teachers and support staff all make strong and valuable contributions to the school Mission, but a significant portion of this work is a direct result of the dedicated care from the schools’ Lay Chaplain. Pupils’ wellbeing is a high priority and because of this, in return, they contribute to many and wide ranging projects serving the needs of others.
Pupils are aware of the increased challenge to personally live their own Mission in a way that is practical in everyday life. They show an awareness of how our school is part of the local community and appreciate the sense of belonging that encourages celebration of success academically and pastorally. In this last sense, we are guided by Cardinal Vincent Nichols words. He said that parents should not have to choose between a successful school and a Catholic school. So whilst we place the highest value on the development of each child so that they are confident and charitable, it is our aim to inculcate in them a drive for personal academic success, to achieve the best of which they are capable and our expectations for this are set high, regardless of starting points when children enter our school.
The creation of a unique school ethos does not happen by chance. The headteacher, members of the senior leadership team, school governors supported by teachers and other staff promote, monitor and evaluate the provision for the Catholic life of the school and strategically plan and implement improvement to improve outcomes for pupils in their one chance at secondary education. St Mary’s school leaders take to heart, and express in practice, the call of our Mission statement to holistically educate our young people, with Catholicity at the heart; we do this by ensuring the whole community is valued, cared for and enabled to achieve. The leadership team and governors are committed to actively embedding Catholic life within every strand of the curriculum, pastoral systems, enrichment activities and through Collective Worship.
We endeavour to communicate effectively with parents, carers and families who play an important part in ensuring that standards are maintained in all aspects of school life. Pupils too express their commitment to be part of the process of development. They are proud of their school and show a sense of belonging and a realisation that their contributions matter.
Staff and pupils aspire that our lives are characterised by the following values:
- Truth & Integrity: we seek truth in everything and are motivated to help people experience justice.
- Humility & Honour: we aim to be the best we can be but to also show modesty when we are successful.
- Tolerance & Forgiveness: we recognise that although we are made in God’s image, that we all have flaws and that we should appreciate each other.
- Courage & Determination: we know that we should speak the truth without fear or favour, standing up for the weak, facing our inner fears and carrying on to achieve when faced with adversity.
- Service & Sacrifice: we are called to serve others regardless of our status or position and in doing this we understand that this may be to our detriment.
