The Catholic life of St Joseph's is rich in opportunities for children to encounter God and to deepen their relationship with Him as a loving, compassionate Father. On this page we aim to share with you and celebrate many of the elements which make our Catholic school so special. Here you will find information to help families, the Parish and the school work together in supporting the development of our children’s faith.
At St Joseph's we have strong links with our Parish community. We are so lucky to have the church next to our school grounds. Father Etienne is our parish priest classes enjoy joining the Parish for Mass regularly and particularly during the seasons of Advent and Lent. Come along and join the celebrations. Mass begins at 11:15am every Sunday.
Sacramental Preparation for Reconciliation and Holy Communion usually takes place when the children are in KS2 and this year will be led by Mrs Garnett and Mrs LaRocque in school. Our children will receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation and their First Holy Communion in March and June this year. It will be a wonderful school and parish celebration.
Prayer, worship and liturgical celebration are central to our Catholic tradition and form an integral part of the school day. Prayer is encouraged in a variety of methods such as, private individual prayer, group prayer, and whole school prayer.
Each child takes part in a daily act of worship (5-10 minutes) and formal prayers are used to open and close the school day sessions. The children also experience acts of worship within each of their classes. Celebration of the Word across every class uses the same structure. We gather, using prayers or actions or music. Then, we listen to scripture and/or readings. After that, we respond by doing something or saying a prayer together. Finally, we go forth by reflecting on the scripture and taking this forward into our work throughout the day. It is wonderful to see the children excited, enthusiastic and deepening their faith through prayer and liturgy.
At St Joseph's Catholic Primary School we are inspired by Jesus to be the very best we can be. We look after one another and show respect and love through our relationships with one another. We use the term Human Relationships and Sex Education (HRSE) as we believe that relationships education is about all aspects of growing a fulfilled and happy life; sexual education is a dimension of this greater whole.
Any teaching about love and sexual relationships in school must be rooted in this belief which is expressed in the Church’s teaching about relationships, marriage, sex and family life.
We encourage children from the earliest age to recognise that they are all children of God and that each person shares a God given dignity. As children mature, we encourage them to follow the example of Jesus and live lives inspired by the Gospel virtues, enabling them to follow His commandment to “Love your neighbour as yourself” (Mark 12:31). This is the basis for all relationships in our school where we model Christian Virtues. We follow the guidance of the Catechism of the Catholic Church and ‘Fit for Mission? Schools’.