Catholic Life
Catholic Schools Inspection
Following our Catholic School's Inspection on the 9th & 10th May 2024, please find attached our full inspection report. We are delighted to share that the inspection found St Charles' to be an 'Outstanding Catholic school'.
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Christ is at the heart and centre of St Charles’. Pupils understand and embrace the distinctive Catholic identity and mission of their school. They are rightly proud of their school community and are happy, confident and feel secure.
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Pupils take a leading role in responding to the demands of Catholic social teaching. They put ‘concern into action’ as they ‘see, think and do’. They willingly and enthusiastically undertake leadership roles.
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The prayer life of the school is embedded, intrinsic and authentic. Pupils undertake liturgical ministries with confidence, understanding and skill.
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The leaders and governors of the school, especially the headteacher are inspiring. Staff flourish under her guidance. They embrace their core leadership responsibilities and have high expectations for outcomes and provision.
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Pupils are religiously literate and engaged young people. From their starting points in Nursery to their end points in Year 6, they make outstanding progress. Their understanding of scripture and how it shapes their lives is commendable.
Religious Education
We teach Religious Education in line with the official syllabus in the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle and use the 'Come and See' scheme of work throughout our school.
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Religious Education is taught discretely and developmentally.
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We engage with their own and others beliefs and values to help them develop good attitudes.
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We teach the pupils to engage with difficult questions and offer the children a strong sense of self worth.
Mini Vinnies
"We see, we think and we do!"
What is Mini Vinnie?
‘Mini Vinnies’ is a St Vincent de Paul Group in our school who get together, organise and talk about helping others in need within our school community and beyond. What makes Mini Vinnies such a valuable experience for those who are part of it, is the change it makes in school communities. Mini Vinnies’ group usually meet once a fortnight during lunchtime and is run by Mrs Clasper.
What happens at a Mini Vinnies’ meeting?
A ‘President’ is elected by the Mini Vinnies to lead the meeting and organise the group. Mrs Clasper co-ordinates the group and gives help and practical advice.
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The President opens the meeting with a prayer.
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A short spiritual reading/reflection/piece of music/meditation follows. The Group members take turns to do this.
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Group members then talk about the Mini Vinnies’ activities they have done since the previous meeting.
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Any future plans are then discussed.
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The President concludes the meeting with a prayer.
Have a look at our school Facebook feed to find out about what we have been up to this year.
Faith in Action
Year 6 Pin Award
This year, our Year 6 children have been organising a range of activities with the school and wider community to practise putting their Faith into Action thus working towards achieving their Pin Award.
The award is at a preliminary PIN - Discovery level. Throughout the year, the children have been discovering what it means for their faith to be active. They have come to know more about how their faith and relationship with God and how this has an outward and visible effect on them and those around them. Examples of service the Year 6's have participated in has included included fundraising, engaging in reflection points across the year, taking an active role in Liturgy (eg preparing class liturgies, reading, or serving at Mass), as well as creating prayer cards for those in need.
School Council
Why do we have a School Council?
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Pupil voice: Our school councillors are elected representatives of their class and represent their views. They play an important role in helping our adults understand the children’s perspectives and opinions, so we can all work together to make our school a better place to learn.
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British Values: Every year we hold elections to vote for new councillors and school council hold ballots to help make important decisions throughout the school year. Active participation in democracy sows the seed for a more sophisticated understanding of democracy in the future.
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Rights Respecting: School Council work towards our goal to be a Rights Respecting School. Article 12, I have the right to be listened to, and taken seriously, is at the heart of the School Council’s ethos. We make sure that all our children feel supported and able to share their views about their school experience.
What does the School Council do?
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Pupil voice: We meet fortnightly with Miss Hamer to make sure that children are always involved in the planning of our day-to-day school life. Recently we conducted a survey, so children’s voices were heard about activities available in OPAL playground, created reflective prayer stations during Lent and Advent, sold Poppies and interviewed candidates for jobs in our school.
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Global citizens: We try to help people in our community and around the world to access their rights through fundraising. This year we have organised a funfair in aid of MacMillan, a photo competition in aid of Comic Relief and a poppy sale in aid of the British Royal Legion.
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Rights Respecting: We are advocates for social justice, fairness and children’s rights. We do loads of work to promote Rights in school, such as assemblies, making posters and helping to make Rights an integral part of all aspects of school life.
Gospel Group
Gospel Group meet at agreed times throughout the year to share scripture. It may be new scripture the children are not familiar with, their favourite scripture or linked to the liturgical year. This group used to be known as Bible Crew and was renamed by the children in 2024.
Everyone is welcome to come to Gospel Group.
Laudato Leaders
Our Laudato Si club is inspired by the great encyclical created by Pope Francis on care for our common home. Our leaders ensure that we are doing all we can to be environmentally friendly around school and are pioneers in research and environmentally friendly school projects. We are trying to achieve the Live Simply award and have various activities and missions to complete this to achieve the award.
"Everyone's talents and involvement are needed to redress the damage caused by human abuse of God's creation"
(Laudato Si,14)
Rainbows and Sunbeams
RIGHTS RESPECTING: Article 7 - I have the right to a name and to belong to a country.
Rainbows Bereavement Support, a well respected national charity, exists to offer support to children and young people who have experienced a significant loss in their lives. Help is provided through peer support groups, facilitated by trained adults, following a structured 12-14 week programme with age appropriate materials. These groups provide an emotionally safe environment in which the children can articulate and explore their feelings regarding their loss.
Founded in 1992, Rainbows Bereavement Support GB now operates in over 750 schools in England and Wales, both primary and secondary, and is currently available to over 72,500 children and young people.
Our School runs its own Rainbows’ programme and staff have been trained to support all pupils in our school.
The Rainbows Programmes:
SunBeams: for children from Early Years to the end of Key Stage One.
Using teddy bears, puppets and play activities, children are helped to express their feelings of loss and to feel supported through their grief.
Quote from a bereaved father: “Since attending Sunbeams my son can now speak about his Mum. Thank you for the change you have made in him”
Rainbows: has three different levels and is suitable for children in Key Stage Two.
Using journals, story books, games and activities, children learn to talk about their feelings in a safe secure environment with trained caring facilitators.
Quotes from children who have participated in the programme:
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“It helped me by letting all my feelings out.” Year 5 pupil
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“I didn't know that I wasn't the only one feeling like this.” Year 3 pupil
First Holy Communion
During Year 4, children are given the opportunity to make the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion at St Charles' Church.
For further information on the Sacramental Programme please contact St Charles' Church - 0191 285 1370
Though no one can replace the role of the parent in preparing your child for this special moment, you are not alone in this task.
The parish and school will always be ready to help and support. In Religious Education lessons, will teach your child about Jesus, the Church, the Sacraments and especially about Reconciliation and Holy Communion.
St Charles' school and parish community work very closely together to prepare the celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the First Holy Communion celebration. Parishioners will provide you and your family, along with other families, with opportunities to participate in the life of the parish community.
You will know that your child is ready to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation when in their own way they:
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know that God loves them and is always ready to forgive no matter what;
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know and understand what is meant by sin;
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are able to reflect on their own behaviour;
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they want to express sorrow and to make amends;
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and appreciate the place and importance of Reconciliation.
You will know that your child is ready to make their First Communion when in their own way they:
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know about Jesus, they pray to him and want to receive Communion with him and his church;
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show reverence and respect;
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know the difference between Holy Communion and ordinary food;
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be attentive and aware of what is happening during Mass;
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have some sense of belonging to the parish family.
St Charles' Borromeo Feast Day
St Charles' Borromeo's feast day is celebrated on November 4. He is the patron of bishops, catechists, Lombardy, Italy, Monterey, California, cardinals, seminarians, spiritual leaders, and Sao Carlos in Brazil.
To celebrate the children in key stage 2 attend the local parish mass. In school, we reflect on our mission, decide the school hymn for the year and think about how we follow in his footsteps.
This year we focused on Catholic Social Teaching in our house groups.
