Catholic Life

Our Catholic Lasallian Identity

At St Augustine’s, our Catholic and Lasallian mission shapes every aspect of school life. Our values of Faith, Service and Community guide the way we learn, the way we treat one another, and the way we look outward in service to the world. These values sit at the heart of the College Improvement Plan and are visible daily in classrooms, tutor groups, assemblies and community events.

Every gathering at the College begins with the reminder:
“Let us remember that we are in the holy presence of God.”
This shared moment shapes a calm, reflective and purposeful culture for staff and students alike.

Catholic life in Action

Student Leadership & Participation

Pupils play a central role in shaping the Catholic character of the school. They contribute to planning worship, lead liturgies, support charity work, and take part in the governance of Catholic Life through Student Parliament and leadership opportunities.
Key examples include:

• Ignite Chaplaincy Group – a student team that helps plan worship, design displays, create artwork for liturgical seasons, and shape charitable action.
• House Saints – chosen by students following whole-school research, creating a shared identity across tutor groups and competitions.
• Student Voice & Participation – regular involvement in evaluating assemblies, the Words, Wisdom & Worship programme, and wider Catholic Life.
• Retreat Programme (Years 7–13) – encouraging reflection, friendship and spiritual growth, closely linked to Lasallian values.
• Weekly Tutor Prayer – students plan and take part in regular prayer with their tutor. This forms part of the weekly pastoral program.

‘Words, Wisdom & Worship’ program (WWW)

Our bespoke tutor programme is a distinctive strength of the College. WWW brings together:

• literacy and reflective enquiry,
• Catholic Social Teaching,
• prayer and formation, and
• philosophy for communities (P4C).

Students explore contemporary issues through the lens of faith and values in a shared love of reading books that develop the ability to ask big questions, make ethical judgements and articulate beliefs. WWW has received highly positive feedback from staff, governors and inspectors. 

Living Out Catholic Social Teaching

CST is deeply woven into our curriculum and wider life. Students engage in meaningful action that expresses solidarity and service, including:

• Food Bank support, CAFOD fundraising, Mary’s Meals, and local community collections.
• The recent Uganda Water Project, featuring our whole-school ‘living water droplet’ event, which raised over £2,000.
• The annual Sixth Form Sleep-Out to Help-Out, which raised money for homelessness support and included a student-led prayer vigil.

These experiences help students understand their responsibility to the local and global community as people of faith. 

Worship & Liturgy – Celebrations of the Word

Our liturgical life is rich and varied, offering pupils regular opportunities to pray, reflect and share faith:

• Daily prayer in tutor groups and lessons.
• Weekly assemblies with prayer and Scripture at the centre.
• Year Group Masses, held in the parish church or school hall, with pupils preparing readings, music and offertory.
• Whole School Masses at the start and end of the year.
• Seasonal liturgies including Advent, Lent and Reconciliation services.
• Staff prayer and formation, including dedicated time for spiritual reflection on training days.
• Weekly Tutor prayer: Pupils increasingly take responsibility for planning and leading worship, supported through CPD for staff and clear structures for high-quality prayer experiences.

Partnership with the Parish

Our strong relationship with St John the Baptist Parish enhances the spiritual life of the College.
Parish clergy assist with:

• Masses and sacramental celebrations,
• Reconciliation services,
• Support for chaplaincy events,
• Joint actions for CST and charity.

This partnership is vital as more students join us with limited prior formation; together we offer a welcoming, inclusive space grounded in Catholic belief and practice. We also assist the Parish with preparing the young people in receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation.

Chaplaincy

Our Chaplaincy VISION: To place Christ at the centre of school life, offering every student meaningful opportunities to encounter faith, reflect deeply, serve others, and contribute to a joyful, hope-filled community

Our Chaplaincy Team plays a central role in nurturing the spiritual, moral and community life of the College. Rooted in our Catholic and Lasallian identity, the team works together to create opportunities for prayer, formation, pastoral care, service and social action so that every student can grow in faith, confidence and compassion.

Daily prayer, weekly Gospel-led assemblies and whole-school liturgies nurture spiritual curiosity and a shared Catholic identity, while retreats and formation opportunities support pupils in understanding who they are and who they are called to be.

Compassionate pastoral care offers a listening presence and safe spaces for those in need, reflecting the belief that every child is made in the image of God.

Through charity work, Catholic Social Teaching is lived out in meaningful action, and our Words, Wisdom & Worship programme helps students connect faith with learning.

Strong partnerships with the parish, families, the Diocese of Clifton and local Catholic schools ensure a vibrant, supportive community in which young people are accompanied with faith, hope and purpose.

Meet the team:

“Together we are stronger in Faith, Service and Community.”

Looking ahead 

Our priorities for developing Catholic Life and Chaplaincy include:

• Broadening pupil leadership in worship and CST action.
• Strengthening monitoring of worship through structured feedback.
• Offering more formation for staff in Catholic tradition and liturgy.
• Expanding opportunities for personal prayer and voluntary chaplaincy activities.
• Deepening partnerships across the Emmaus Catholic schools and Diocese.