Grace Dieu: its Ethos and Structure

Inspired by a reliance upon the help of God and the sure knowledge of His love for every individual, the school is a place where traditional Christian values can flourish. Mutual respect between staff and pupils and a warm, family atmosphere based upon the values and traditions of the Catholic faith provide an environment where all children can develop their individual talents.

Grace Dieu welcomes young people from all families who are in sympathy with this ethos and mission. Balance of life is the aim and the key elements are:

• Work
• Recreation and Friendship
• Sport
• Cultural Activity
• Prayer

Grace Dieu prides itself on nurturing and developing individual qualities - intellectual, physical, moral, cultural and spiritual - so that every member of the school family feels contented, valued, challenged and fulfilled. Having helped the children to discover their God-given talents, the school aims to instil the ideal that these should be fostered and, in the fullness of time, be used in the service of others.

Pastoral Care

Grace Dieu gives the care of its pupils the highest priority. Each child is known and cared for as an individual by the Class Teacher or Form Tutor.
In addition, the School Chaplain, Deputy Head and Class Teachers/Form Tutors all share a close interest and involvement in the pastoral care and well being of every pupil.
In a school where groupings are deliberately small, no child can become lost or overlooked. In our experience, new pupils and parents quickly feel part of the Grace Dieu family. It is important that school is a place where children can make mistakes and learn from them. Our approach to disciplinary matters is kindly, but firm and clear. Outstanding facilities and a dedicated staff enable the school to offer extended day care and supervision to all children from 8am to 6pm, and activity weeks operate during some vacations.

Partnership & Communication

It would be unusual for a child not to experience difficulty or anxiety at some stage of his or her development. It is at that moment that the easy partnership between school and home reveals its true value. We believe that education is at its best when a successful link is established between parents, children and staff. To achieve this we are keen to maintain close contact with parents both formally and informally. Full written reports are sent home twice a year, and parents receive frequent indications of their child's progress. There are also regular parents' evenings when all aspects of a child's development can be discussed with staff. We welcome parents to join us for church services, sporting fixtures and to watch concerts, plays and assemblies.

The thriving Grace Dieu Parents Association does wonderful work in raising funds for school projects and in organising social events for the school community.