St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Hendon

Who we are and how we live our Catholic faith

At St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, our Catholic faith is at the heart of who we are. It shapes the way we learn, the way we treat one another and the way we serve our local and wider community. Inspired by Jesus Christ and the example of St Joseph, we seek to create a community in which every person is known, valued and loved. Our values of Aspiration, Respect, Resilience, Community and Creativity help us to live out our mission each day.

Our mission, ‘We learn, we grow, we love’, is lived throughout the daily life of our school. It is reflected in our relationships, our curriculum, our prayer, our service to others and the way in which we care for every member of our community.

St Joseph is at the heart of our school identity. Through his faith, courage, humility, love and service, St Joseph provides a powerful example for our whole school community. He teaches us to trust in God, care for those entrusted to us and serve others with love.

Throughout their time at St Joseph’s, pupils learn about our patron through Religious Education, prayer, scripture and the wider Catholic life of our school.

Prayer is central to the life of St Joseph’s. Our School Prayer reflects our relationship with our patron and reminds us of the qualities we seek to live each day – faith, hope, love, kindness and courage.

St Joseph, foster father and guardian of Jesus,
Husband of Mary and patron of our school,
we call upon you to be our guide and protector.
As we follow your example,
let us be caring, helpful and always prepared to do our best.
We pray for all who help us grow into
the person God wants us to be.
We make our prayers through
Christ, our Lord.

Amen.

Our School Prayer accompanies us throughout our journey at St Joseph’s and reminds us that our faith should be visible in our learning, relationships and actions.

Catholic Social Teaching helps our children understand that our faith calls us to action. At St Joseph’s, we use Rooted in Love, the Catholic Social Teaching programme developed for schools in the Diocese of Westminster, to provide a shared and progressive framework through which pupils explore Catholic Social Teaching.

Through scripture, Church teaching, discussion, prayer, reflection and action, children learn that every person has dignity because they are created and loved by God. They learn that we have responsibilities towards one another, particularly towards those who are poor or vulnerable, and that we are called to care for our common home and work for justice and peace.

Most importantly, Catholic Social Teaching is not simply something to know. It should influence the way we live.

Our Caritas Ambassadors help our school community understand and put Catholic Social Teaching into action. They support prayer and charitable activities, encourage others to think about local and global needs, and help us identify ways in which our school community can serve others.

We continue to develop opportunities for pupils to take increasing responsibility for Catholic social action, service and leadership.

The school ‘Houses’ are named after the Saints of the four Gospels; St Matthew, St Mark, St Luke and St John, in order to encourage a spirit of Discipleship.

All members of the four Houses are challenged to strive to be the best that they can be, to use their gifts and talents to promote the common good and to make a positive contribution to all areas of school life.

The rhythm of our school year reflects the liturgical life of the Church. Throughout Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter and Ordinary Time, pupils encounter scripture, prayer, symbols and traditions that deepen their understanding of our Catholic faith.

We also celebrate important feasts and devotions, including those associated with Our Lady and St Joseph, our school patron.