Primus Servus Dei
It is my great privilege to be the Head of St Thomas More Catholic Teaching School. It is an excellent school with a fantastic sixth form. Above all, it is a special place for students to learn and grow.
The school community is rightly proud of its achievements in recent years. These successes include:
These fine achievements are thanks to the hard work of teachers and students. We expect the very best for our students and we expect the very best from our students.
Leadership and ambition:
St Thomas More is one of the top 100 most improved schools (Department of Education)
Most schools judged Outstanding would seek to consolidate 'a job well done' - not so at St Thomas More School! It is a measure of our commitment and high ambition that having secured our Outstanding status, we then pushed for further improvement between 2011-2013. We set ambitious targets for students in line with the top 10% of schools across the country and expect the vast majority to meet or exceed that level.
St Thomas More School is characterised by Outstanding Leadership at all levels of the organisation. I am blessed to work with some truly exceptional leaders who place the needs of students at the centre of every decision. It is through their integrity and commitment that staff new to the profession are inspired to work in the right way - the St Thomas More way!
Our values:
"The glory of God is each person fully alive!" (St Irenaeus)
We believe each student is unique and created in the image of God. As such we know that in serving our students we serve God Himself. God has blessed our students with talents, skills and characters all of their own and it is our duty to support them as they make the most of their God-given talents.
The quote from St Irenaeus says so much about this process. If we are to ensure students are to be 'fully alive' they must realise their potential. So, learners must learn, dancers must dance, footballers must play, scientists must investigate and lovers of stories must read.
Not all students find learning straight forward and many students face obstacles that are not of their own making. We all find times when the going gets tough, when we need reassurance, when we need someone to walk with us. At St Thomas More we look to the example of Jesus who walked with his disciples on the road to Emmaus, only leaving them when they were strong enough to continue their mission alone. The Emmaus Centre at St Thomas More is as much a culture as it is a place. We know that by walking with our students we can keep them on the right path and support them to achieve the best that is possible.
Our expectations:
Our expectations are very straight forward. We ask that all students do their best and live out their lives following that simple command from Jesus: Love your neighbour. A school that lives by this command will:
Students who struggle to meet these expectations are dealt with fairly and respectfully. Students know that poor behaviour is not overlooked and as a result it is very good.
Mission Statement
‘PRIMUS SERVUS DEI’
Our school is a community where we strive to:
Ensure that Faith is lived, taught and celebrated
Create exciting learning which enables all to experience fullness of life
Nurture the unique, prize the diverse and enjoy equality
Inspire, challenge and support one another as we journey together
Be a witness to the truth of Christ as we work with our wider community
Value and celebrate the achievements of all
