CAFOD Catholic Social Teachings

We welcomed Angela from CAFOD to explain to the children about our Catholic social teachings and our responsibilities as stewards of God’s earth. 

Angela helped us to launch our joint fundraising with our Parish again; this year we have chosen CAFOD as our charity to support during the season of Lent.  Our Parish will be supporting CAFOD during Lent. 

CAFOD workshops for KS1 to explore Catholic Social teachings. 

Lent Collection Boxes

He will be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, which gives its fruit at the right time, whose leaves will ever be green. 

Psalms 1:3

During our St. Patrick’s day assembly on Monday 18^th March, we will be launching our annual fundraising for the season of Lent. 

We will be supporting CAFOD and their work, reminding us of our Catholic social teachings and our responsibilities as stewards of God’s earth. 

We would love the children to make their own Lent collection box at home to add coins to during Lent.  The theme we have chosen for this year is ‘green’. 

The children may use any materials to make their boxes, but it must include a slot for their coins to go in, and we will need to open or cut the box somewhere to empty their donations before we put them on display in our hall. 

The children will be told it can just be something very simple that they make, e.g. they could colour in a cardboard tube from a kitchen roll and stick on eyes. 

We will then ask the children to bring their Lent boxes into school after our Easter holidays on Thursday 18^th April to display in the hall for our assembly that week.  If they are ready, children may bring them in at any time before that date.  The children will be able to enjoy looking at them as a real celebration and it will help them to talk about Lent and Easter. 

Some inspiration is below:

                                                                                      Thank you for your support.

He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters; he refreshes my soul.

Psalms 23: 2-3

Mini-Vinnies

In our Parish, we have an active St. Vincent de Paul (SVP) charity group, and in our school, we have our SVP ‘Mini-Vinnies’ group. 

The Mini-Vinnies have a mission: To see who needs our help, to think about how we can help and to go into action to help others.

The SVP and Mini-Vinnies are named after St. Vincent de Paul, who was a French Catholic priest.  He told everyone to ‘go to the poor and there you will find God’.  He focused on those who could have been easily forgotten and was particularly caring to those who were poor, showing God’s love through his actions. 

We are following in the footsteps of St. Vincent de Paul and thinking about how we can put our faith into action to help others and to share God's love.  

Meet Our Mini Vinnies 

Albie, Daisy, Darcey, Edie-May, Emily, Isla, Jasmine, Kallie, Lily, Maya, Poppy, Rose, Shahzad and Tafara.

The Oscar Romero Award.

In accordance with the teaching of Saint Oscar Romero, we take part in The Oscar Romero Award which recognises our commitment to supporting Catholic social justice. 

Feedback from Validator's Report

It is clear that St Mary’s thoughtfully and deeply integrates Catholic Social Teaching (CST) into every aspect of school life—curriculum, policy, and community. The school’s commitment to social justice, equality, and faith in action is evident and commendable.

Strategy

The school’s Equality Policy is firmly grounded in its mission, demonstrating a clear commitment to fairness and inclusivity. The appointment of both an Equalities Governor and Equalities Lead ensures that equality is prioritised and well led. Similarly, the Catholic Life and Mission Policy, rooted in Scripture, reflects the call to love and serve others and is underpinned by CST principles. The integration of CST into the curriculum—drawing on CAFOD resources and Pope Francis’ encyclicals—empowers pupils to explore key social, moral, and environmental issues through the lens of faith. The promotion of solidarity with the poor and care for creation is a particular strength. The Accessibility Plan reflects the school’s dedication to ensuring every pupil can participate fully in school life. The Pupil Premium Intent Statement clearly outlines a commitment to equity, high-quality teaching, and support. Through a wide range of practices—including partnerships with external agencies (e.g. serving as a HAF provider), a strong pastoral team, and parental engagement—the school shows a holistic approach to supporting its community.

Curriculum

CST clearly underpins the RE curriculum, where pupils are taught to understand and respond to global and local issues through Gospel values. CAFOD resources and visitor input enrich pupils’ knowledge of poverty, inequality, and climate justice. Beyond RE, CST themes appear across the wider curriculum. Geography and PSHE lessons enable pupils to explore global citizenship and environmental responsibility. The long-term oracy plan further enhances this learning, with topics like Bold Women in Black History and Save the Bees prompting discussion on dignity, justice, and care for creation. Real-life applications are evident—for example, Year 1 learning about women in Black history and environmental care, and Year 5 exploring refugee experiences through Windrush Child. Sharing their learning with parents further strengthens school-home links. Cultural celebrations such as Black History Month, including the Food of Black Origin event, help foster appreciation of diversity. The school’s anti-racism efforts, supported by a zero-tolerance policy, reinforce its commitment to respect and equality.

Practical

The school’s approach to fundraising demonstrates a strong commitment to both global and local causes. Supporting organisations such as CAFOD and RETT reflects a compassionate, outward-looking ethos. The school is especially to be commended for its efforts to support local families in need and for celebrating acts of service within the community. The Mini Vinnies group exemplifies CST in action. Their presence in the school—through hall displays, their buddy stop, and engagement in parish life such as the Christmas bazaar—shows a vibrant, student-led approach to social justice. Their response to issues such as the California wildfires reflects a mature understanding of global solidarity.  Environmental stewardship, inspired by Laudato Si’, is another strength. Eco initiatives like class pledges to recycle, reduce food waste, and pick up litter are powerful expressions of the call to care for our common home.

The school’s commitment to building a just, inclusive, and faith-filled community is truly inspiring.

2025 is a year of Jubilee!

During this year, Pope Francis has invited us to be signs of hope in our world.  

On 24th January, we launched the Jubilee year here at St. Mary's.  We will be celebrating 'deep faith, lively hope and active charity'.  

At St. Mary's Catholic Primary School, we promote and encourage pupils’ active citizenship and positive contribution to the school and wider community. We offer lots of opportunities for pupils to take on new responsibilities and be involved in successfully supporting local and national charities. We host a number of fund raising days and initiatives throughout the school year to raise funds for charities chosen by children and staff for their significance to our community both locally and around the world.

Pupils tell us that they enjoy the opportunity to help make their world an even better place to be and relish the chance to share their endeavours with friends and family. 

This school year, we have supported: