Catholic Life
Catholic Life at the Heart of Our Schools
Catholic Life is not an addition to the work of our schools — it is their foundation. Rooted in Christ and inspired by the vision of St John Henry Newman, our communities are places where faith is lived daily, where prayer shapes rhythm and where Gospel values inform every relationship, decision and aspiration.
Catholic Life and Mission
Our schools are communities of belonging. Every child is known, valued and called to grow in dignity and purpose. Through Catholic Social Teaching, charitable action, pupil leadership and parish partnership, we form young people who understand that faith is not private but transformative. Section 48 rightly looks for evidence that mission is visible and authentic. In our schools, that mission is evident in culture, conduct and courage — in how we serve the vulnerable, promote justice and build communities of hope.
Religious Education
Religious Education is the core of the curriculum and is taught with academic rigour and theological depth. We seek not only knowledge of doctrine, but understanding, reflection and intellectual formation. Pupils are encouraged to ask meaningful questions, engage critically and grow in religious literacy. In doing so, we honour the Church’s expectation that RE is comparable in status and challenge to other core subjects, preparing pupils to articulate faith with confidence and integrity.
Prayer and Liturgy
Prayer is woven into the daily life of our schools. From quiet moments of reflection to whole-school Mass, from pupil-led liturgy to seasonal celebrations of the Church year, our worship is reverent, inclusive and formative. Pupils are not passive observers but active participants, learning to lead prayer, reflect deeply and encounter Christ personally. Our liturgical life strengthens community, nurtures vocation and sustains hope.
Formation of Staff and Leaders
Catholic Life is sustained through formation. Staff and governors are supported in deepening their understanding of mission, ensuring that leadership is rooted in servant-hearted integrity. Section 48 recognises the importance of adults as witnesses. In our Trust, we understand that the credibility of our Catholic Life depends on the authenticity of those who lead it.
Together, these elements create schools where faith is visible, intellectual, joyful and transformative — not confined to symbols on walls, but expressed in relationships, service and daily practice. Our commitment is simple and profound: to form communities where Christ is encountered and every person is invited to flourish.
Newman Chaplaincy
Led by Rita McLoughlin, Newman Chaplaincy plays a vital role in nurturing the spiritual life of our Trust. Through formation, pastoral care and prayerful leadership, the chaplaincy strengthens the Catholic identity of our schools and ensures that faith is lived, not simply taught. Rita works closely with school leaders, staff and pupils to develop meaningful liturgy, deepen understanding of Catholic Social Teaching and create opportunities for reflection, service and encounter.
Rita leads on and oversees the Trust's Chaplaincy Network where all of our chaplaincy team leads get together termly to receive training, work collaboratively on shared initiatives and to implement the Newman Heart to Heart Chaplaincy Framework.
Through our collaboration and provision, Newman Chaplaincy supports pupils in discovering their dignity and vocation, while also walking alongside staff and families in moments of celebration and challenge. In doing so, it helps ensure that the spiritual life of our Trust remains vibrant, authentic and rooted in Christ.
The Newman Chaplaincy Strategy is below:
Newman RE & CSI Support
Religious Education and Catholic Schools Inspection
Religious Education and Catholic Schools Inspection across the Trust are led by Sam Land, our Trust RE and CSI Lead. Working closely with school leaders and subject leads, Sam ensures that Religious Education is both intellectually rigorous and deeply rooted in our Catholic mission.
Across the Trust, we collaborate termly to strengthen the implementation of the Religious Education Directory and the Prayer and Liturgy Directory. Through shared INSET days, regular moderation, leadership networks and school visits, we learn from one another and grow together. Our Trust RE Network brings leaders together to refine curriculum planning, deepen theological understanding and ensure consistency in standards and practice across all schools.
This shared approach means no school works in isolation. We build confidence, clarity and coherence across our family of schools so that Religious Education remains central, prayer and liturgy are lived with authenticity and Catholic Life continues to flourish.
Newman CATHOLIC LIFE
Catholic Life within the Newman Catholic Trust is not confined to individual schools. It is something we live together.
Across our family of schools, pupils connect through shared prayer, collective worship and Trust-wide initiatives that bring faith into action. We have seen that when we stand together, we can make a greater difference — especially for those most in need.
Our schools work in partnership on charitable and community projects rooted in Catholic Social Teaching. Pupils organise and lead fundraising for local and international causes, support foodbanks and homelessness charities, take part in “water walk” solidarity events and coordinate Trust-wide appeals that respond to crisis and injustice. Through shared mission days, liturgical celebrations and pupil leadership networks, children recognise that they belong to something larger than their individual school community.
This collaboration deepens understanding and strengthens purpose. Pupils learn that faith demands action — that compassion must be practical and that service is a shared responsibility. By working together across the Trust, they see first-hand that collective generosity achieves more than isolated effort.
We have realised that we are stronger together. When our schools act in unison, we amplify hope, extend opportunity and reach further into our communities. Catholic Life in our Trust therefore forms not only individual disciples, but a united community committed to justice, service and the common good.
