St Christopher's Road, Ashton-under-Lyne, Tameside , OL6 9DP
0161 330 5880

Catholic Life at St Christopher's 

I have come so that they may have life and have it to the full. John 10:10

St Christopher's School Mission Statement contains the school's four core values. These core values are known by all children and entrenched in school life.  

  • FAITH: To give our children a Catholic faith that supports, gives meaning to life and guides them in today’s society. They understand their spiritual side and have a belief that there is something greater than themselves. They understand the importance of peace, meditation and reflection. To ensure that our children understand and respect other faiths, cultures and lifestyle choices. 
  • FRIENDSHIP: To be a school that is a happy family where everyone works as a team and knows how to be a good friend. Children love learning and enjoy their curriculum. They value and have opportunities to understand the history and resources available in the city and community in which they live (topics, trips & visits). The children understand the importance of giving to others and supporting charities. These trips will give them memories that will last forever. They appreciate and understand the community in which they live.
  • KINDNESS: To understand that being kind to others, grateful, giving and positive leads to true happiness. They understand that they must be kind to themselves through learning about personal development (SUMO). They appreciate the environment they live in and have opportunities to learn about it and opportunities to look after it (Forest school, trips and visitors).
  • COURAGE: A school where children have resilience, high expectations; know the value of hard work and being healthy. They are positive and well-motivated individuals. They enjoy being challenged in their learning; they enjoy learning new things and are not scared to fail (getting things wrong makes us strong). They will always try and be the best version of themselves and enjoy a brilliant school life that prepares them for the next stage of their education and enables them to reach their true potential.

The Catholic life of the school is rich in opportunities for children to encounter God and to deepen their relationship with Him as a loving, compasionate Father. Through prayer, both tradional and informal, through liturgies and Religious Education lessons, where children receive direct teaching of the faith, through the relationships and support for each other that children, staff and parents enjoy within the school commiunity, we enable children to come to know and love God. 

Religious crucifixes, icons, stautues are present in all areas of our school, highlighting the belief that everything we do at our school is founded on our Catholic faith. Displays of work in RE are of a very high quality and can be seen in classrooms and all around the school. each class has a prayer focus area, with a liturgical cloth in the appropriate colour. 

The Christian values at the heart of our Catholic faith incorporate our British values and we aim in everything we do to further each child's sense of committment and responsibility to themselves, to others and the wider world. 

All the staff, led by the Headteacher, Deputy Headteacher and the Governors are aware that the school's foundations are built on the Catholic faith and beliefs and that it is our shared responsibility to transmit the Catholic faith to the children in our care. All staff receive regular In Service Training as part of their continuous professional development. Staff pray and work together to support each other in providing the very best Religious Education possible for the pupils. 

Strong links have been forged with parents and the parish priest who serves our school community. We aim to work as a catholic family to strengthen the faith of our pupils in the modern world, affording them the opportunities to grow in Christ. As servants of God we promote, organise and encourage children to prticpate in acts of charity and kindness which have far-reaching consequences for those of us in the world who are in need. 

Catholic Social Teaching is based on the belief that God has a plan for creation, a plan to build his kingdom of peace, love and justice. It holds that God has a special plan for every single one of us, whoever we are. Our part in this plan isn't limited to things spiritual, otr the times when we do religious things. It involves every aspect of our lives, from the things we pray about, to how we live as a responsible global citizen. Our part in this story is a kind of vocation for the common good, a call to treat everyone as our brothers and sisters. It is something that we all share. 

The church has seven principles of socail teaching that we share with our children through all that we do, through the curriculum, special events, activity and through our ordinary actions in school. 

At St Christopher's Catholic Social Teaching is incorportated into our curriculum. Children are asked to put their faith into action and reflect on how their learning enables them to do so. The catholic church has seven principles of social teaching that we share with the children through all that we do, through the curriculum, special charity events and activity in school.  Children are asked to put their faith into action and reflect on how their learning enables them to do so. 

catholic Social Teaching underpins the essence of our daily school life. As members of the Catholic church, we are all called upon to preserve the dignity of all human beings to care for creation, and to reach out to the vulnerable. Pope Francis emphasises that it is our duty to work together to bring about a more just and peaceful world.: to put love into action. It is vital that our children can articulate the connection between Jesus' teaching and doing good deeds. We use CAFOD social teaching and other resources to support the children understaning these principles.