Chaplaincy Team
Miss White
Mrs Felgate
Mrs Mallam
Mrs L Collings
Miss Rose
Father John Idio
Mr Loughlin (Parishioner Sacred Heart Parish – SVP Link)
Mini-Vinnies (Pupils)
Chaplaincy Team (Pupils)
Our Chaplaincy Team Aims
- Being part of the school community.
- Being a listening ear within the school community where children have a safe space to share their thoughts and concerns.
- Supporting the school in its delivery of spirituality, worship and prayer with a particular emphasis on Christianity.
- Enhancing the pastoral care structure of the school to enable it to meet the needs of its community.
- Working in other areas of the school community as need and opportunity arises and as skills and expertise allow.
- Offering opportunities to explore personal and Christian belief and values
Pastoral Care
Mrs Felgate is our Pastoral Lead. She works with children on behaviour strategies and is a listening ear for our children. All children know that they can come and speak to Mrs Felgate at any time. She helps settle in our new children to the school and supports all our families. Mrs Felgate arranges for children and their families to have REACH, Bungalow Project or Play Therapy support and work with our counsellor employed by the school from Young Minds Counselling Services.
If the necessary support services are not readily available in school Mrs Felgate signposts parents to appropriate agencies, e.g. those working with children whose parents are in prison, have some addiction or are experiencing domestic violence.
Any pastoral and safeguarding concerns are shared with staff in staff meeting time or personally to teachers when new issues or problems arise or are of a safeguarding nature.
Nurturing and Spiritual Growth
This is centred through collective worship and ongoing acts of worship in classrooms. The school day is punctuated by prayer. The RE Lead, along with the Headteacher, plans the year`s celebrations and acts of worship based on the church year, working with staff to match hymns to celebrations and provide resources. Our travelling bags which contain prayer journals and various R.E artefacts mark Advent, Lent and the Months of Mary in October and May. Our Chaplaincy team lead Stations of the Cross and the Rosary throughout the year. With the support of our Deputy Head, the Chaplaincy team also create Liturgical dances which are used during different Liturgies.
Building Community
All staff work hard to settle new children into school as quickly as possible. All are welcome regardless of race or religion. The RE Lead plans a schedule of assemblies/acts of worship to which parents and carers, and all the family, are invited. When we learn about other faiths, our families often come into school to support learning, e.g. they cook traditional food with the children and share customs and traditions.
Children from Y2 upwards attend mass on a rota basis every Friday and meet members of the parish. All children attend a Welcome Mass at the beginning of the school and when in school attend for Ash Wednesday. UKS2 children also hold their Christmas liturgy in the Church.
Performing Arts sing in the local care home, ensuring that children bring joy and the Christian message to others. This ensures that the children know their place in the community and the community knows them. We work alongside the Dorman Museum, Tees Valley Music and Big Kids for events which allow children to take part and feel part of the wider community.
The school supports many charities. In September, we host a MacMillan Coffee morning, we have a Lenten Walk for CAFOD during Lent and at Christmas time, we take part in our local CAUSE hamper appeal. Our children are taught about Catholic Social Teaching and caring for those less fortunate than themselves. Generally, the school fund raises for 3 charities per year – local, national and world-wide.
The School has a Mini Vinnies group led by Mrs Collings and Miss Rose. The Mini Vinnies meet regularly to plan charitable works and think of ideas to help those in need. We have a new team this year as many of our Mini Vinnies were in last year’s Y6. The Minnie Vinnies help run the charity events in school and in addition, they collect non-perishable food at Harvest time to distribute to those in greatest need. This is often carried out in partnership with our local food bank. This year, they have also held a toy sale as part of our Laudato Si and caring for the common good.
