“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

John 13 : 34 – 35

The Mission Statement of St. Peter’s School is at the heart of our school. Everything we do relates back to the understanding that each person is a unique and valued member of the community. We hope to help the children to understand that religion is not just for learning but for living and we must show them that we understand this too, by the way in which we live our lives in school. We welcome parents and children from other faiths and every pupil who enters our school is a member of God’s family.

We aim to:

• draw out the individual gifts of every child through a happy and stimulating environment which centres on God and Gospel Values.
• foster and develop an understanding of the Catholic Faith and to instil respect for religions and moral values of other cultures and ways of life.
• develop a sense of awe and wonder in the glory of God’s creation.

We come together to pray every day, as a whole school, key stage or class. The liturgical year provides the framework for our worship and we reflect each week on Sunday’s Gospel reading. Each Friday morning is a ‘Celebration Assembly’, where we celebrate children’s achievements and progress.

Our Parish Priest, Fr. Jack Lusted, celebrates whole school Mass twice a term and class Mass once a term for Year 5 and Year 6 pupils. Once our children in Year 4 have made their First Holy Communion, they also celebrate a class Mass. We have services for the Sacrament of Reconciliation twice a year. Key Stage One and Year 3 and Year 4 celebrate a termly liturgy around the themes of Harvest, Pentecost and The Rosary.

Key Stage Two celebrate Christmas with a beautiful Carol Service in our local Church – Our Lady and St. Peter’s in East Grinstead. Key Stage One and Reception perform wonderful Nativity plays. During Lent, Year 5 enact The Way of the Cross and in the summer term we say goodbye to Year 6 with a Leavers’ Mass and Assembly.

Through the religious life of the school, our objectives are to:

• observe the teachings and traditions of the Catholic faith and to ensure they remain relevant.
• help the children to develop a sense of worth in themselves and others.
• help the children to develop the ability to communicate and express their feelings.
• help the children to take responsibility for themselves and their actions by co-operating with others as part of a school community.
• ensure that the children are aware of their place in the wider community.