Catholic Life
Catholic Life at St Mary’s Catholic Academy is rich and vibrant. We are a faith-filled community rooted firmly in the teachings and example of Christ. Our Mission Statement and motto reflect our commitment to living lives of service, love, and faith, as we listen carefully to God’s call and strive to follow His will in all that we do.
Our school prayer lies at the heart of our Mission Statement. It gives thanks to God for the gift of our school and reminds us that St Mary’s Catholic Academy is a place where everyone is valued, nurtured and encouraged to grow closer to God. It is a community where we are supported to make the most of every opportunity, developing spiritually, academically, and personally.
Guided by our Catholic faith, we work hard to ensure that our school is a place of peace, happiness, truth, love and security. We recognise that our school belongs to God, and we seek to reflect this in the way we care for one another and live out our faith each day.
The Catholic Life of St Mary’s Catholic Academy permeates all aspects of school life. Our Gospel values are actively lived and celebrated through our curriculum, liturgies and our relationships with each other. These are closely linked to our Values and Virtues, which underpin our approach to personal development and help our pupils grow into compassionate, responsible, and faithful individuals.
(See our Values and Virtues below.)
Our Ethos
St Mary’s Catholic Academy is a faith community where Christ is at the heart of everything we do. Inspired by the example of Mary, we seek to respond to God with trust, courage and love in our daily lives.
We believe that every child is created in the image and likeness of God, gifted, valued and called to flourish. Our school is a place where faith is lived out through prayer, worship, learning, relationships and service. We aim to nurture the whole child — spiritually, morally, socially, emotionally and academically — so that each person can grow into the individual God calls them to be.
Mary’s “yes” to God is our model. Like her, we strive to listen, to trust and to act with love.
Our Mission
“Like St Mary, faith-filled we say ‘yes’ to God’s call to love and serve Him and one another.”
This mission guides every aspect of school life. It calls us to:
Grow in a living and active faith
Show love in the way we treat others
Serve our community with generosity and compassion
Use our gifts for the good of all
Gospel Values in Action
The teachings of Jesus shape the way we learn, behave and build relationships. We encourage our children to live out Gospel values each day, including:
Love – caring for others as Jesus loves us
Compassion – noticing those in need and responding with kindness
Forgiveness – showing mercy and seeking reconciliation
Peace – resolving conflict gently and respectfully
Justice – standing up for what is right and fair
Service – putting faith into action through helping others
These values are not just spoken about — they are practised in classrooms, on the playground, in all forms of worship and in our outreach to the wider community.
Our Virtues
We follow the Jesuit Pupil Profile, which expresses the virtues we aim to develop in every pupil. These virtues are rooted in the Gospel and help our children grow in their relationship with God and with others. Pupils at St Mary’s are growing to be:
Grateful & Generous
Appreciating God’s gifts, recognising the good in others and sharing our time, talents and love with those around us.
Attentive & Discerning
Paying close attention to our experiences, to others and to our call from God; making wise choices guided by faith.
Compassionate & Loving
Showing deep care for others, especially those in need, and acting with justice, mercy and kindness.
Faith-Filled & Hopeful
Growing in trust in God and in confidence for the future, grounded in Christ’s love.
Eloquent & Truthful
Expressing ourselves honestly and respectfully, speaking and listening with care and clarity.
Learned & Wise
Seeking knowledge, finding God in all things and using what we learn for good.
Curious & Active
Eager to explore, discover and engage with the world, striving to make positive change.
Intentional & Prophetic
Living with purpose, guided by conscience, and setting a positive example for others.
Living Our Virtues Every Day
At St Mary’s, these virtues are woven into all aspects of school life:
Prayer and liturgy that deepen our relationship with God
Classroom life and learning that promote curiosity, wisdom and understanding
Relationships that reflect compassion, truth and respect
Service to others that puts love into action
Reflection and discernment that help pupils grow in conscience and character
Every day, we aim not just to teach knowledge, but to form open hearts with questioning minds that live out the Gospel through these virtues.
Why This Matters
In living these virtues, our pupils grow not only academically but in integrity, confidence and faith. They learn to say “yes” to God’s invitation — to love generously, serve joyfully, speak truthfully and act with courage — becoming young people who make a real difference in the world.
We do this in a wide variety of ways, for example, active participation in regular worship, prayer and liturgy, celebrating the sacraments, focusing upon the nine principles of Catholic Social Teaching and the Catholic Schools' Pupil Profile (Values and Virtues), our learning in all areas of the curriculum and the many fundraising events and stewardship activities that we participate in throughout the year.