An Outward Facing School  Bringing Christ to Others

Sancta Familia Catholic Academy Trust (CAT) 

Sancta Familia Catholic Academy Trust was established in December 2023.  Sancta Familia is one of only five CAT, (listed below in alphabetical order) across the Archdiocese of Southwark supporting the Archdiocese's vision of  'forming geographically sensible families of schools'

1. Christ The Redeemer CAT

2. Kent Catholic School Partnership (KCSP)

3. Sancta Familia CAT

4. South East London Catholic Academy Trust (SELCAT)

5. St Benedict's CAT

Sutton Catholic School Alliance (SCSA)

Agreement

Recognising the benefits of partnership working especially supporting the Transfer to Secondary School (TSS) process, the Sutton Catholic Primary Schools and St Philomena's work closely in partnership supporting the common good in ensuring our young people have a seamless transition of faith education.

The family of Sutton Catholic primary schools are:

Avila firmly believes that Catholic schools are places of ‘formation’ for both students and staff.  Students and staff from both schools have worked together over the past decade on school improvement and faith formation projects.  

The publication of What Makes Great Catholic Schools was published in 2020.

The reformed DfE fully funded National Professional Qualifications (NPQ) are available to both teaching and non teaching staff and delivered through the Avila Partnership. Avila is an approved Delivery Partner working with the Catholic Education Service (CES) and Church of England.  In 2021, at the request of the Archdiocese, Avila became the Delivery Partner for the new National Proferssional Qualifications (NPQs).  Since then, we have worked in cross phase in further partnerships with Catholic schools in Lambeth and Lewisham 

Called to do ‘Some Definite Service’

The 2022 Catholic Census for England and Wales shows a decline In Catholic staff currently working in our Catholic schools nationally. 

Pupil place planning is falling in London at an alarming rate. Schools are ‘places of evangelisation’ welcoming all.

The recruitment and retention of Catholic staff is key to supporting individual schools’  charisms, Catholic ethos and faith and the development of our communities.

Pilot

Avila's Chaplaincy teams developed and delivered an in school religious formation programme to support both teaching and non teaching staff through ‘Invitational Leadership’  with conversion to or adoption of the Catholic faith.

-To deliver to participants across South West  London from September 2024

-Open to teaching and non teaching staff

-Cross phase (from Early Years - Post 16)

-To build networks for participants across local schools to share their faith journey and experiences

- Delivered by the Chaplains of St Philomena’s and Ursuline High School with visiting Chaplains from other schools in the Archdiocese of Southwark supporting the delivery of the programme.

- The programme will be rigorously evaluated throughout with clear KPIs identified (participants’ experience, retention rate, completion rate, impact in school).

Expected Outcome

In addition to increasingly more Catholic staff in our schools and colleges it actively supports the Archdiocese ‘Some Definite Service’ (SDS), a  diocesan-wide approach to parish growth in;

1.Evangelisation

2.Catechesis

3.Formation through local people, plans and prayer. 

It has furthered developed chaplaincy  links across our schools and colleges and improved parish links. 

Future Development 

To share the programme across the Archdiocese of Southwark from academic year 24/25 supporting the Holy Father's Jubilee Year, Year of Hope.

Schools in the Archdiocese work together to develop regional hubs of delivery via Catholic Academy Trusts (CAT).

To extend to non Catholic families in our schools working along side Parishes.

To work with the Chaplaincy Apprenticeship Programme 

To explore accreditation through the Agency for Evangelisation and Catechesis