Our Contribution to the Common Good

Our contribution to the Common Good

Notices in assembly reflect the charitable interests of the students of the school – the
charity committee (a student-led sixth form group overseen by the School Chaplain) is
particularly active, but also many individual forms run bake sales or raise money for various
charities off their own initiative.
The school has a long-standing relationship with a group of schools in Luanda (Kenya) to
which teachers and Year 13 students travel each year, the work undertaken is charitable and
our teachers assist with the development of teaching at the schools they visit. This is a
whole-school effort with Year 7 and 8 raising large sums of money from a sponsored sleep-
over. This venture is an example of faith in action – it is both a bringing together people in
friendship and a charitable exercise.
Year 12 students involve themselves in the “Year of Service” which involves a range of
activities including visiting the elderly in their care home (Catherine Lodge), volunteering in
local primary schools and running clubs in school for younger students. As part of the huge
take-up of Duke of Edinburgh Award in Year 9 (Bronze) and also in Year 12 (Silver), large
numbers of our students have been involved in voluntary activities outside of school.
Year 13 students act as “Guardian Angels” whereby they give up their time in the summer
holiday to meet with our new Year 7 students in order to ease them into their new school –
these connections are maintained through the first year to support our youngest students.
Our students are involved in the Westminster Diocese retreat to Lourdes. The School
Chaplain actively supports the spiritual life of many students by working through members
of the sixth form who are Eucharistic Ministers or Catechists who visit local primary schools
to teach students. In addition, students have opportunities for spiritual leadership through
the active School Council system.
Individual students volunteer their time to run clubs and activities for younger students –
such as a dance club at lunchtime run by a Year 12 student, Astrophysics club, Japanese
club; and lunchtime ‘clinics’ to support younger students with their studies and subject
‘buddies’ to support the work of particular subject areas (such as at open evenings and
lunchtime events to help Year 9 students choose their GCSEs and Year 11 Subject Fairs).