Catholic Social Teaching

Catholic Social Teaching

At St Peter and St Paul Catholic Primary Academy, Catholic Social Teaching helps our pupils understand how they can put our mission into action:

“With Jesus at the heart, we learn, love and serve.”

Rooted in Scripture and the teaching of the Catholic Church, Catholic Social Teaching (CST) helps us understand our responsibility to one another and to the world God has created. It calls us to recognise the dignity of every person, care for those in need, work for justice and peace, care for creation and use our gifts for the Common Good.

Our values of Love, Respect and Service give our children a clear and accessible way to connect these teachings with their everyday lives. We want pupils not only to know the principles of Catholic Social Teaching, but to recognise them, talk about them and act upon them.

Human Dignity

Every person is created in the image and likeness of God and deserves to be treated with dignity, respect and love. At St Peter and St Paul, we believe that every child should be known, heard, seen and loved. We celebrate the unique gifts of every individual and teach our pupils to recognise the value of others.

The Common Good

We are called to think beyond ourselves and consider what is good for everyone. Our pupils learn that they are part of a community and that their choices and actions can make a positive difference to others.

Solidarity

We are one human family and are called to stand alongside one another. Children learn about the experiences and needs of others locally and globally and are encouraged to respond with compassion, prayer and action.

Option for the Poor and Vulnerable

Jesus showed particular love and concern for those who were poor, vulnerable or excluded. We encourage our pupils to notice when others need help and to understand that our faith calls us to respond through compassion, generosity, advocacy and service.

Distributive Justice

God’s gifts are intended for everyone. Children learn about fairness and justice and consider how resources and opportunities can be shared so that everyone has what they need to live with dignity and flourish.

Subsidiarity and Participation

Everyone has gifts to offer and should have the opportunity to contribute. We encourage our pupils to use their voice, take responsibility and participate actively in the life of our school and wider community.

Peace

Jesus calls us to be peacemakers. Our pupils learn about forgiveness, reconciliation and justice and are encouraged to build peaceful relationships through their words and actions.

Care for Creation

God has entrusted us with the care of our common home. Our location within Scadbury Nature Reserve, together with our Forest School and extensive grounds, provides particularly rich opportunities for pupils to appreciate the natural world and understand their responsibility to care for God’s creation.

Catholic Social Teaching in Action

We want our children to understand that Catholic Social Teaching is not simply something we learn about: it is our faith lived in action. Pupils are given opportunities to respond to what they learn, contribute to the life and mission of the school and make a positive difference through charitable work, pupil leadership, environmental action, community involvement and service to others.

Our weekly Celebration Assembly provides an opportunity to recognise children who are living our mission and values. The Headteacher Award celebrates pupils whose choices and actions provide particularly strong examples of our mission and Catholic Social Teaching in practice - for example, showing compassion, including others, standing up for what is right, caring for creation, serving someone in need or contributing to the Common Good.

In this way, children learn that they do not need to wait until they are adults to make a difference. Every child has a voice, every child has gifts, and every child can contribute to building a more just and loving world.

“We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us.”
Romans 12:6

We encourage every child to recognise their God-given gifts and use them to make a positive difference to others.

“With Jesus at the heart, we learn, love and serve.”

class overview whole school.pdf