Catholic Life in School

Lord, be thy word, my rule.

Our Faith.  Making Jesus known today.

As a Catholic school, Jesus Christ is central to every aspect of school life, permeating every aspect of what we do.  All pupils are educated in the beliefs and devotional practices of the Catholic Church.  Participation in our daily act of collective worship guides every morning and afternoon session, within RE lessons and at the start and end of each day.  Every class plans and leads Mass throughout the year, with parents, families and parishioners warmly welcomed.

The Catholic RE scheme “Living and Growing as the people of God" is followed throughout the school.  This is supplemented by work on the Saints and stories from the Old and New Testaments, circle time activity and through our PHSE programmes.  Our pupils take part in special liturgies during the school year which are timed to coincide with events in the Church’s calendar.  Our Parish Priest, Fr Julian Green, works closely with school staff and families, to help prepare Y3 children for the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion, whilst pupils in Y6 prepare for Confirmation.

Relationships and Sex Education is taught formally in all classes and is integrated into Science and RE.

All pupils learn about other religions and cultures and are encouraged to show respect and acknowledgement for the beliefs of others through open discussions and shared experiences.  This is reflected through the involvement of pupils, both within school and in the wider community.

St John the Evangelist Catholic Academy is a member of the Newman Catholic Collegiate, a partnership of nine Catholic academies in North Staffordshire, part of the Archdiocese of Birmingham, under the patronage of BI John Henry Newman.

Our priority is to help students to know Jesus Christ, his mission and his Gospel, which forms our way of living.

We commit to working together so that each academy, respecting its own unique character, will offer an outstanding Catholic education.

Our shared vision of life respects the uniqueness of all students, supporting their families, engaging them in their communities, and offering them unconditional love, so that they may achieve their potential and live life in its fullness.

To achieve this, across our academies, we will know one another, offering each other encouragement and active support.

Our vision for the Collegiate is summed up in the words

GROWING TOGETHER FOR LIFE

The Newman Catholic Collegiate - Our Vision (newmancc.co.uk)

We make Jesus known today by living out our values and virtues. Our pupils come together to lead approaches and help others to recognise the impact that working in Jesus’ name has. 

^“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:20 

Our Diocesan Values and Virtues

Grateful and Generous

Our pupils are taught to be grateful for all that they have, all that they are and that there is. They are taught that generosity is the root of good deeds. They are encouraged to be generous with their time, their talents and to use them to support others.

Attentive and Discerning

Our pupils are taught to be attentive and to always listen to the word of God. The Bible shows us how to live a good life. They are taught that the views of others are important and should always be listened to. Our pupils are taught that everyone deserves to be heard. They are taught that to be discerning is to choose between right and wrong in the light of God’s word.

Compassionate and Loving

Our pupils are taught that compassion means always trying to be respectful and kind to one another, even if it just means a smile to someone. Every year we raise money for charity, and we support those in need. Our pupils are taught to love one another as God loves us.

Faith-filled and Hopeful

Our pupils are taught about their faith from home. They begin on their journey of faith with the Sacrament of Baptism, through to Confirmation. Our pupils are taught that hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a particular thing to happen. The best way not to feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, and you will fill yourself with hope.

Eloquent and Truthful

Our pupils are taught that it is important that they are able to express their thoughts and beliefs and that they must learn to explain and convince others with great articulation and eloquence. That being truthful is being faithful to oneself and to Jesus.

Learned and Wise

Our pupils are taught that understanding the Word of God is the way to make the most important decisions in life. Through learning, observation and from the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, we can come to understand the truth. Our pupils are taught we are wise because we know that life is about the journey, not the goal. They know that they should treat everyone how they want to be treated. They are wise because they follow the school mission.

Curious and Active

Our pupils are taught that from curiosity comes great learning. They are encouraged to take increasing responsibility for their own learning and to be active in their engagement with the world and how it is changing and how they can make it a better place.

Intentional and Prophetic

They are taught that intentional acts are done deliberately. They have to think about the choices they make. The decisions they choose to take have a positive impact on them and those around them, as well as the Earth’s resources. Our pupils are taught that they have a sense of belonging in the Church and in the World. They encourage people to come to their Church and support them to help in their faith, to help them grow stronger.