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Welcome to Avila Partnership
Welcome to Avila Partnership
Avila Partnership formed in 2014 is a commitment to sustaining outstanding Catholic Girls’ education through shared practice between St Philomena’s Catholic High School for Girls and Ursuline High School. Together we share good practice, benchmark data and provide collaborations between departments at all levels of leadership.
Both Schools recognise and value collaborative learning and are outward looking and have extended the offer to include the following support to all schools in London and the South East.
Our offering:
Our offering:
Continuing Professional Development
Continuing Professional Development
NPQs
NPQs
Avila is a provider of National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) - a national, voluntary suite of qualifications, designed to support the professional development of teachers and leaders.
Auxilium - 'To Help'
Auxilium - 'To Help'
Outreach support for Governors & Senior Leaders in developing provision for Catholic Life and Mission, Celebration of the Word and collective worship.
Outreach support for RE specialists and non specialists in Catholic and Christian Schools.
Support for leaders evaluating and completing the Catholic School Evaluation Document (CSED) and preparing for Catholic School Inspection (CSI)
Delivering high quality CPD to RE Leads planning, implementing and resourcing the RE Directory (RED) at both primary and secondary phase.
Continuing Professional Development
Continuing Professional Development
Flourishing Leaders
Flourishing Leaders
This suite of leadership development programmes are designed to support leaders at all levels, placing equal emphasis on the inner development of the leader and their outward impact on school communities.
School to school support
School to school support
We are able to support the Universal offer RISE and are participating in the RISE Open Fortnight from Monday 9th March - Wednesday 18th March 2026
Continuing Professional Development
Continuing Professional Development
Rite of Christian Initiation (RCIA)
The course invites non-Catholic staff in Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Southwark to join a bespoke Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) programme, where they are supported within school to be received into the Church. The pilot project was led, run and delivered in 2023 by Avila Partnership, Deacon Errol, Chaplain of St Philomena’s School and Dominic Cunliffe, Chaplain of Ursuline High School under the oversight of Episcopal VIcar for Education, Canon Victor Darlington.
This programme has now been shared with another another Catholic Academy Trust (CAT) in the Archdiocese of Southwark.
Content
Session 1 Introductions & The Power of Prayer
Session 2 The Light of Christ
Session 3 Creation Fall Salvation
Session 4 The Community of The Church
Session 5 Finding True Freedom
Session 6 The Meaning of Love
Session 7 Baptism & Confirmation
Session 8 The Holy Eucharist
Session 9 Forgiveness, Healing & Mission
Session 10 Vocation
Session 11 Catholic Social Teaching
Session 12 The Rite of Welcome
Session 13 Life In The Spirit
Session 14 Who Is Jesus?
Session 15 Mary & The Hope of Salvation
Saint Teresa of Ávila is patron saint of those in Religious Orders, reflecting her vocation of service for others. Both founding schools of Avila Partnership are part of two transformative and inspirational Religious Orders, with unique charisms rooted in service of neighbour and dedicated to the education of young women; Ursulines and Daughters of the Cross. Each school has its own unique charism and aims to live out the Catholic Social Teaching of; Human Dignity, Common Good, Solidarity, Participation, Option for the poor and Stewardship of Creation.
Based on this history and the fact that St Teresa of Avila was appointed by Pope Paul VI as the first female Doctor of the Church was the inspiration for the formation of the Partnership.
Saint Teresa of Ávila (1515–1582) was a pivotal Spanish Carmelite nun, writer, and mystic who profoundly shaped the Catholic faith. Renowned for her intense spiritual experiences and practical wisdom, she tirelessly reformed the Carmelite Order, founding numerous convents and emphasising a return to austere, contemplative living. Her literary masterpieces, including The Interior Castle and The Way of Perfection, are enduring classics of Christian mysticism that detail the soul's journey to God. Recognised by the Church as a rare "Doctor of the Church" for her influential theology of prayer, Teresa is celebrated for her powerful intellect, charismatic leadership, and timeless reminder that prayer is simply an "intimate sharing between friends."
The work of Avila Partnership is rooted in the concept of sharing practical wisdom, living out the vocation of service, improving the lives of staff and students in our schools and communities during a time of immense challenge; following a global pandemic as we embark on the challenges of the global digital revolution and the impact of climate change. There is much we can learn from one another, in the words of St Teresa "Let nothing disturb you, Let nothing frighten you, All things are passing away: God never changes. Patience obtains all things. Whoever has God lacks nothing; God alone suffices."
The Avila Partnership aims to provide practical help, serve and remove obstacles, barriers, anxieties to enable each in our communities to belong, achieve and thrive.
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