St Francis'
Catholic Primary School
If you would like to arrange a visit to see what our welcoming, nurturing school has to offer, please contact the school office on 01275 855373. Alternatively, you can email us at office@stfrancis.org
Catholic Life
As a Catholic school, we aim to inspire all those in our school community to model themselves in the image and likeness of Christ. Our Catholic faith is central to the day-to-day life of our school, and pupils are encouraged to put their faith into practice in their own lives and to respect those who are of different faith backgrounds. The Catholic life of our school is rich in opportunities for children to encounter God.
Everyone in our school community learns about the social injustices in our world and pupils are regularly given opportunities to show care and support to those in need. Children respond to charitable events with remarkable generosity and are often the driving force behind our acts of charity, initiating and planning fund-raising events to support others.
Collective Worship is very much a part of our working day, whether informally in the classroom or when we gather as a Key Stage or whole school. We understand that through prayer, children deepen their relationship with God as a loving, compassionate Father. There are several opportunities each term for children to experience different ways of praying. We have a rich liturgical life, with worship taking place in the classroom, in the school hall, in our school prayer garden, in the school grounds or Church. Our Parish Priests from the Immaculate Conception Parish Clevedon and St Francis Parish Nailsea are regular visitors leading Collective Worship, spending time in classes, supporting work in RE and hearing confessions.
The Religious Education of our pupils is the core of the Core Curriculum as is the practice and teaching of the Catholic Faith. Our Faith is not just something added on to everything else we do as a school, but runs through all our learning and is a key part of everything that goes on at St Francis’.
Children's faith journey and understanding of their current Religious Education unit can be seen around the school. Each classroom has a prayer table, with the appropriate liturgical colours, which also includes an interactive activity. RE displays demonstrate children's knowledge and contain key vocabulary to aid teaching and learning.
Catholic Social Teaching is incorporated into our curriculum. Children are asked to put their faith into action and reflect on how their learning enables them to do so. Collective Worship and RE lessons often refer to the principles of Catholic Social Teaching which helps make the worship relevant to our lives today.
Here is an outline of some of the things we do for each principle.
We show solidarity by:
• raising awareness of social justice
• writing to our local leaders
• praying for others
• making socially responsible choices
We recognise the human dignity of others by:
• being respectful
• treating people equally
• raising awareness of human rights
• preferential option for the vulnerable
We show we are part of a community by:
• working together
• working for the common good
• participating and engaging
• being active members of our community
We show we care for creation by:
• taking responsibility for our environment
• making environmentally responsible choices
• having awe and wonder for the natural world
We recognise the dignity of work by:
• respecting all workers
• contributing to society
• making responsible economic choices
• supporting wellbeing and workers' rights
• sharing our talents with others
We acknowledge our rights and responsibilities by:
• recognising our duties as members of a community
• standing up for what is right
• following our school rules
We show we are people of peace by:
• treating each other kindly
• turning away from conflict
• creating bonds between people
We show a preferential option for the poor and vulnerable by:
• fundraising for charitable causes
• raising awareness
• treating others with dignity and respect
• thinking of the needs of others
Please take a look at the page links below to find out more about Catholic life at our school
