St Teresa’s is a Catholic academy which seeks to live out the values of Jesus Christ.

We promote these values by our words and deeds, and Catholic doctrine and practice therefore permeates every aspect of the school’s activity. Our faith and curriculum development work is ensuring every pupil can discern their vocation and to be well-equipped to follow it as active citizens in service to God and His creation. We also provide extra-curricular activities and strong pastoral support.

We incorporate democratic principles, value the rule of law, support individual liberty and foster a community in which different faiths and beliefs are respected.

At St Teresa’s we promote Democracy by….

  • Having a school council
  • Taking part in debates and discussions
  • Highlighting the development of democratic ideas in history lessons
  • Democratic elections for school councillors, prefects, Head and Deputy Head boy & girl
  • Ensuring pupils voice is strong, all pupils are listened to by adults
  • School Councillors representing St Teresa’s in city wide charity, competitions and campaigns.

At St Teresa’s we promote Individual Liberty by….

  • Children are given the freedom to make choices, eg. what activity they do at playtime and lunchtime or which afterschool club they join.
  • Children participate in child-led activities which develop problem solving and understanding, Forest School, residential visits, home learning-projects.
  • Children learn to exercise freedoms responsibly and constructively when choosing work partners, projects and groups in certain areas of the curriculum and wider school, MAC and parish work.

At St Teresa’s we promote The Rule of Law by …

  • Classes creating “class rules”
  • Having a whole school code of conduct
  • Having a clear behaviour policy that is explained to all & simplified with our SMART, SAFE, READY aide memoire.
  • Organising visits from the police & fire service to reinforce the message of right and wrong
  • Heavy focus supporting parents and pupils keep safe online
  • Highlighting the rules of the Church and God in the RE curriculum (for example the 10 commandments and the Precepts of the Church)
  • Encouraging students to be independent in their learning
  • Providing students with opportunities for reflection in our restorative behaviour work.
  • Linking rare incidents of poor behaviour to our values and virtues programme.

At St Teresa’s we promote Mutual Respect by…

  • Having a mission statement that is inclusive
  • Constantly promoting and rewarding respect for others as good manners and essential parts to our Values & Virtues programme.
  • Reinforcing the value of everyone’s opinions in class discussions
  • Having an effective anti-bullying policy
  • Emphasising in RE and all lessons that every person is unique and “created in the image of God”
  • Having active educational links with other schools
  • Supporting charitable works: CAFOD, Cancer Research, Good Shepherd Ministry, Save the Children, etc.

At St Teresa’s we promote Tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs by…

  • Our Religious Education Scheme Learning and Growing as the People of God’ provides pupils with a deep understanding of their own faith as well as awareness of the faith and traditions of other religious communities as a basis for understanding and respecting them.
  • Rotated half termly focus on two Values and Virtues such as ‘Compassionate and Loving’ help us focus all our prayers, assemblies, collective worship and work on tolerance and love.
  • Visiting other places of worship and meeting with members of those faith communities.
  • Celebrating diversity in our city by entering Multi-Faith competitions at the Civic Hall. (Not 2020-21)
  • Showing how Jesus encouraged tolerance in stories such as The Good Samaritan and The Women at the Well.

Our Catholic Pupil Profile Values and Virtues strongly support our work on British Values.