The 5Ws @ St Benedict’s

Why? The 5Ws framework provides: Identity Meaning Purpose Direction Coherence to all we do in a Catholic educational setting. We see this as our tradition, recognising and seeking to meet the needs and demands placed on us by the church and the community we serve

The Big 5 @ St Benedict’s Welcome – building a sense of community Welfare – serving and walking together Witness – being and doing Word – teaching and learning Worship – celebrating, praying

Welcome……openness with boundaries…..inclusion with expectation We seek a positive school climate both in lessons and around school generally. Our day starts with prayer and reflection. We seek to start our lessons with welcome.

Welcome….. A school showing openness, hospitality, boundaries and expectations. A ‘shared conspiracy’ of success. Fear of failure and sense of inadequacy pushed away. An emphasis on working together, encouraging creativity and firing imaginations. Inspiring confidence and capability.

Welcome… Boundaries, expectations, school policies and their procedures. Young people like boundaries, they like to know ‘how things go here’. Boundaries provide structure, consistency of expectation, safety and promote self-worth, self-esteem. Boundaries galvanise learners and nourish a zest for learning they accept and take responsibility for their academic progress. But it’s not about compliance, passivity, shallow learning nor rote performances. It’s about real, deep learning which is deployed in examinations.

Welfare……what it is to become fully human Service of human needs: Intellectual Social Emotional Physical Psychological Spiritual Acts of the Apostles – care for the poor, downtrodden, oppressed, those at the margins of society. Connectedness – teaching which fosters positive relationships, ‘relational’ teaching & learning, teachers & associate staff in lessons recognise the ‘social process’ of teaching & learning. Traditional values, SMSC education.

Welfare Actions taken by adults which foster, encourage and develop positive relationships across the school. To encourage our students to go beyond the materialistic, quick fix, self-interest, self-indulgence, self-obsession, self-interest. To inform teachers’ approaches in promoting positive ‘foundational’ qualities in our students. Raising expectations, inspiring students to search for and attain excellence. Promoting independence in our learners so they become autonomous and able to claim their own lives and be the person they were born to be.

Welfare Adults in school taking students’ spirituality seriously and pivotal to their actions in meeting the needs of learners in classrooms. It’s about the formation of learners and developing students as lovers of ‘true freedom’ capable of making judgements. A lifelong process of seeking, clarifying, deepening and raising awareness of what it means to be ‘fully human’. The role of the adults at St Benedict’s is to accompany our students on their personal journeys to help them become tolerant, outward-facing and with raised expectations of themselves.

Witness Proclaiming the good news that our school enacts the ‘longer reach’ of the church’s concern for pastoral mission – the good news of Christ. Recognising that the learning on offer at St Benedict’s (the curriculum) is connected together. Adults working in school promoting real intellectual effort in classrooms, making students think hard, work hard, and in possession of a ‘holy curiosity’. The promotion of ‘values for life: Compassion Service Community Forgiveness Freedom peace

Word We seek to ensure that The Word of God informs teaching at St Benedict’s. We celebrate the ‘ordinariness’ of our everyday lives. We examine human cultures and history. We learn about major world faiths. We share Sacred scripture, church tradition, search for wisdom. All branches of knowledge are connected because the subject matter of knowledge is intimately united in itself as being the work of the Creator – a Catholic perspective on the curriculum. The ‘search for wisdom’ – a deeper way of knowing; the art of living in rhythm with your soul. The promotion of ‘mindfulness,’ reflection, meditation, quiet prayer in our lessons and our curriculum.

Worship In school Christian liturgy is inextricably linked with ‘our offer’ to students and their families – faith in action. St Benedict’s as a worshipping community – an emphasis on community and belonging. Must be ‘real’ and not superficial nor ‘added on’ – it needs careful preparation, resourcing and planning. Must be nuanced – not ‘performed’ – God-graced not ‘Goddamawful!’

Ultimately… The aim of Catholic education and the role of adults working in St Benedict’s is that young people, “attain the fullness of Being, the fullness of God Himself.” Ephesians 3:19