Our Faith

God is at the heart of our school

This is a phrase from our Mission statement that encompasses our faith. We are a caring, catholic school. We endeavour to live out the message of the Gospel in all that we do, think and say.

The spirituality of our school is enriched by daily prayers, collective worship and regular masses.

School Worship and Assemblies

Children say prayers at the beginning and end of the morning and afternoon sessions. These are suited to the growing spirituality of the children.

Class assembly on Mondays allows all children to contribute their informal prayers. Key Stage assemblies on Tuesdays focus on feast days at that time. Wednesday and Thursday are whole school assemblies. These are usually based on Gospel stories and invite the children to think how the message of the story is relevant to them. A class leads the assembly on Fridays. This usually reflects an area of the curriculum. Friday's assembly is achievement assembly too. This is usually well attended by parents.

Mass at school is led by Key Stage 2 on a rota basis.

Sacramental preparation

Catholic children receive the sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion in Year 3 and the Sacrament of Confirmation in Year 6. They receive formal tuition in and outside of the classroom. They also take activities and worksheets home. Children learn about the importance of the sacraments through drama, story telling and writing, singing and dancing.

The children are supported in their preparation and celebration of the sacraments by prayer partner peers, the school, parents and the parish.

Classroom display on Our First Holy Communion.

More classroom displays by Year 3 children.

Parish links

The school and parish have strong links. Regular weekday masses are held in school which parishioners are invited to attend, whilst on feast days the school attends the church for mass.

The children lead Sunday mass once a month. They are responsible for readings, bidding prayers, the offertory and the choir offer their vocal support too.

Several boys and girls are altar servers on a regular basis.

Religious Education

Flowers for Our Lady at the May Procession

At our school we follow the Birmingham Diocesan Strategy. It makes learning about our Faith lively, interactive and relevant.

Bible stories are used to help us consider how we should live our lives.

Some of the activities we engage in are role play, hot seating, creating our own hymns, poems and stories. We make storyboards, acrostic poems and wordsearches. We use the internet, we visit places of worship, we invite people to speak about their faith.

The teaching of RE must be fun and engaging in order that the children's faith deepens and is passed on to future generations.

About Saint Francis Xavier

St Francis Xavier

Born on 7 April 1506 at the Castle of Xavier near Pamplona in Spain. In 1513 the family took refuge in France where his father died and Francisco finished his education.

In 1537 he received his priesthood and proceeded on a mission to go to India. Father Francisco made Old Goa his headquarters, he nursed the sick, comforted the dying and administered the Sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion.

In 1552 Father Francisco suffered a sad and lonely death after falling ill with a fever. He was later laid to rest in Goa after an endless procession of people came to pay their respects. His body was surrounded by limes and by a miracle was preserved. It can still be seen by people of all faiths and from all countries who are overcome by the deep spirituality of the place in the Basilica de Bom Jesus in Old Goa.

The Saints of our Houses

• 
  Saint Bernadette - Feast day: 16 April
  
  Bernadette lived near Lourdes, in France. Whilst gathering firewood, a beautiful lady appeared to her in a cave. Bernadette saw the lady 18 times. The lady asked her to scrape the earth. Suddenly a spring started to flow. Bathing in the spring has cured many pilgrims. Later Bernadette became a nun. She died at the age of thirty-six.
   
• 
  Saint Clare - Feast day: 11 August
  
  Clare was the daughter of a count and countess. After hearing Saint Francis preaching, she decided to give herself to God. After leaving her castle, she met Francis and his brothers at the Altar of Our Lady. Clare cut off her hair and gave her life to Christ. Soon after she started her Order of the Poor Clare's. Her mother, sister and some of the noble ladies joined her. They lived a life of prayer, silence and fasting.
   
• 
  Saint Martin de Porres - Feast day: 3 November
  
  Martin was born in Lima, Peru. He grew up in poverty. Martin went to work for a surgeon-barber and learned much about medicine and caring for the sick and wounded. At fifteen he entered the Dominican convent and later became a lay brother. Blessed with the gift of healing he once cured the Archbishop of Mexico with the touch of his hands.
   
• 
  Saint Vincent de Paul - Feast day: 27 September
  
  Vincent was born in France. As a young priest pirates captured him. He converted his master and was set free. Vincent went to Paris where he organised groups to look after the poor. Vincent also founded the Daughters of Charity. With their help he was able to clothe and feed the poor and nurse the sick. He built homes. Saint Vincent is called The Apostle of Organised Charity. The Saint Vincent de Paul society continues his work for the poor.

Key Stage 2 children performing carols in school and church.

Key Stage 1 children performing a nativity in school.