The ‘hallmarks’ of an education at Saint Gregory’s are based on those values and show our commitment to promoting British values.
Our commitment to the students and their parents/carers is that we will promote and develop an understanding of these hallmarks which will bear fruit in rounded young people who are inspired by Gospel values, committed to the promotion of British values, and have achieved the best possible educational outcomes in order to help them to prepare for life in modern Britain.
Each term we will focus on a particular hallmark and help our students to deepen their understanding of and commitment to the defining characteristics of the hallmark.
Specific Gospel Values (GV) and British Values (BV) have been highlighted in the following characteristics.
Our Mission Statement sums up what we stand for as a school, inspired by our commitment to the values of Jesus Christ.
Saint Gregory’s Hallmarks
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Spiritual Life – A defining characteristic of the spiritual life in the Catholic tradition is a deep understanding of vocation
Characterised by:
- The promotion of the Gospel Values of Jesus Christ
- The promotion of the Bishop of Clifton priorities to “deepen prayer, enable communion and strengthen mission” (GV)
- The promotion of the “universal call to holiness” in ways accessible to young people (GV)
- Liturgy and collective worship according to the norms and regulations of the Catholic Church
- High quality assemblies involving students which have a prayerful and spiritual dimension
- The opportunities for retreat experiences for students which deepen their spiritual lives
- A consistent focus on the spiritual dimension of the curriculum, e.g. awe and wonder
- Support for students on their spiritual journey, through their doubts and fears, joys and hopes
- A deepening understanding of and respect for other faiths (BV)
- An atmosphere of calm which promotes mindfulness, humility and gentleness (GV)
- A consistent focus on the whole person
Vocation – Becoming the person God wants you to be can only really happen in a community
Characterised by:
- A consistent focus on the question Pope Benedict asked the young people of Britain: “What kind of person would you really like to be?”
- The promotion of an understanding of service and sacrifice (GV)
- The promotion of faithfulness and integrity when making life choices (GV)
- An understanding of the God-given free will and liberty which allows us to make choices (BV)
- Celebration of the gifts and skills of the community
- Rich opportunities to explore the possible pathways in life through careers and PSHE
- A consistent invitation to be the best you can be
- Promotion in assemblies and throughout the curriculum of inspiring lives and role models, from the lives of the saints and house patrons to the witness of modern men and women who have dedicated their lives to others
- The development of a network of former students and inviting them back to tell their stories
- The promotion of vocations to the priesthood and religious life
Community – A community inspired by Gospel values which promotes British values will be characterised by respect
Characterised by:
- The consistent promotion of the dignity of every person in the school as a foundational value (GV)
- A daily commitment from all members of the school to a tolerant and peaceful atmosphere (GV/BV)
- The promotion of reconciliation in the community as a central part of the Gospel message (GV)
- A commitment to an open and consultative ethos which recognises and respects the voice of students, staff and parents/carers (BV)
- The active promotion of equality and diversity and addressing any evidence of discrimination (BV)
- A daily focus on the safety of the community with good systems, practices and adult supervision
- An invitation to participate in the life of the school community (BV)
- The promotion of democratic values in the curriculum and in the processes by which student leaders are elected (BV)
- A fair, clear and consistent behaviour policy which leads to a calm and happy environment and prepares students to respect the rule of law in Britain (BV)
- A commitment to the common good of the wider community, especially through our charitable activities to support the vulnerable (GV/BV)
- Fruitful relationships with our wider Catholic community, especially other schools and parishes
- The development of a social and moral conscience guided by the social teaching of the Catholic Church (GV/BV)
Respect – A community which promotes the dignity of the whole person will have at its heart a culture of aspiration
Characterised by:
- The message that we are all made in the image of God and therefore deserving of respect (GV)
- The fair and consistent promotion of the behaviour policy which arises from our values
- The promotion in particular of self-respect with high standards of uniform and behaviour
- The promotion of self-discipline and responsibility among the student body as part of their formation as young adults (BV)
- The considerate way we speak to each other with courtesy, avoiding bad or hurtful language (GV)
- Relentlessly tackling any bullying or racism which occur and positively promoting respect and tolerance (GV/BV)
- Pride in our school, ourselves, our facilities and equipment
- The promotion of positive, safe and respectful behaviour online (BV)
Aspiration – A Christian community which promotes aspiration will encourage mindfulness of the needs of the global community
Characterised by:
- High quality teaching which allows students to learn and aspire
- High quality feedback to parents which allows them to be effective partners in the education of their children
- A culture which challenges and supports all students to achieve beyond their expectations
- A culture which promotes and encourages excellence in all things
- A culture which develops resilience and ‘can do’ in the face of difficulty
- A culture which values and celebrates the individual effort, not just the ‘winners’
- A learning culture which discourages fixed mind-sets in students and uses ‘not yet’ as a mantra of encouragement
- A learning environment which supportively encourages deep learning and wisdom through questioning and mastery of the curriculum (GV)
- The provision of a wide range of opportunities for enrichment and personal growth
- The development of the life skills of literacy and numeracy as foundational for aspiration
- The development of the wider ‘soft’ skills of team-working, problem-solving, flexibility, communication
- An understanding of why we study each subject and why we should aspire to do our very best in each
Characterised by:
- An understanding of the place of Britain in the world today and our contribution to history and global development
- A profound and respectful understanding of other cultures and traditions (GV/BV)
- Projects which allow our students to meet and encounter young people from other countries and cultures
- A prayer understanding of the world as God’s loving creation in which the Spirit of God is active
- Celebration of the richness and wonder of God’s creation, the “playfulness” of God
- The promotion of an awareness of the threats to the global environment and a proactive approach to working for a better future
- The promotion of a Gospel awareness of the injustices in the world caused by “structural sin” and an active commitment to truth and justice (GV)
- The promotion of charities and charitable work in school which is committed to providing all our brothers and sisters with a better more sustainable life (GV)
