Common Good Schools update – Autumn 2024
Our Project Leader, Jo Stow, provides our latest update.
Whilst the Church’s year is coming to a close, the academic year is in full swing. It has been wonderful to see three new partner schools and a partner diocese join the Common Good Schools programme and 100 percent of our existing schools re-subscribe to the programme.
Alsop High School, Liverpool
The work of Peter Bull, teacher and long time friend of T4CG, was the original inspiration for the Community Engagement component of the Common Good Schools programme. However, it is only now that the Common Good Schools lesson material is being used in his school, Alsop High – which is located in Walton, Liverpool, the most deprived constituency in England. We’re delighted how this partnership continues to flourish.
In October, Peter launched ‘Our Community Matters Forum’, a weekly after-school initiative to generate neighbourhood pride, form character and develop a ‘Network of Kindness’ to bring people together. Students participating in the Forum are following the Common Good Schools programme and according to Peter, “it’s really taking off!”
A number of local partnerships are being explored as part of the community engagement element of the programme. One plan already underway will see students working with community artist and former pupil Nicola Taggart: together they will design a large painted mural to depict and celebrate community life.
Archdiocese of Modena-Nonatula, Italy
It is also a great joy to be working with our first international partner, the Archdiocese of Modena-Nonantola, in Northern Italy. Led by another longstanding friend of T4CG, Franca Gambari, eleven young people involved in catechetical formation from across the diocese are meeting for monthly Common Good Schools sessions.
In their first session they explored the question ‘What is the Common Good?’ through songs, by engaging in Common Good Schools lesson interactive activities and by building relationships with peers and leaders. They are reflecting on the communities where they live, a theme which will be revisited throughout the year. An important way of building the common good is to meet people from the community who have a story to tell. In the second session, the group met with Antonia and Guido who shared their experiences as volunteer visitors and doctors in prisons.
The group plans to travel to the UK in the summer and meet with young people participating in the Common Good Schools programme in Liverpool, as well as enjoying the culture and history of the city.
All Saints Multi-Academy Trust, Liverpool
Two of our newest partners, Hope Academy and St Francis of Assisi Academy, are secondary schools belonging to All Saints Multi Academy Trust.
The Academy of St Francis of Assisi has many students of different ethnicities, religions and cultures learning alongside each other. Miles Rimmer-Tagoe, the lay chaplain heading up Common Good Schools, is working closely with the RE Department to foster relationship building among students and with groups in the diverse community. A group of twenty Year 9 students are participating in Common Good Schools lessons each week. After Christmas, these students – known as Common Good Ambassadors – will lead Common Good Schools assemblies across the whole school community. Miles expressed his gratitude:
“Thanks so much for a resource that allows Muslim, Christian, and atheist students to feel excited about working together for the common good.”
Hope Academy chaplain Kasia Boydell is excited to see Year 9 students taking part and leading Common Good Schools lessons during her ‘Inspire’ sessions, which are part of the PSHE curriculum and take place during form time. Through the Common Good Schools lessons, her groups are inspired to make plans to engage with the local community.
Spreading the word among head teachers
I was delighted to be invited to speak to headteachers and senior leaders from around the country at three recent events. I led a workshop at the Archdiocese of Southwark headteachers’ conference in Kent, and addressed senior leaders attending a day of reflection at Caritas Leeds. I also gave an introduction to Common Good Schools at the EducareM National School of Formation, where my colleague Jenny Sinclair was giving a keynote talk on reading the signs of the times and our calling for the common good.
Although each presentation has been different, what I’m hearing is that T4CG’s reading of the signs of the times resonates deeply with school leaders. They see in their students the symptoms of distress generated by what Pope Francis calls a ‘malign culture’. Every day teachers are dealing with the fallout and the challenges this culture of individualism and consumerism brings to their school community. But as well as our analysis, they are finding our hopeful message, that building the common good is the antidote, both inspiring and practical. I am delighted that this month 26 new school leaders have expressed an interest in Common Good Schools. We are excited to see more young people benefiting from the programme.
Finally, we published a free Advent Resource and launched a Community Christmas Card Competition. To download the resource and find out how to enter the competition, click here
Jo Stow
Common Good Schools Project Leader
Prayer points
Finally, please would you pray for
- The leaders of new prospective schools considering the programme
- Secure funding so that we can plan ahead to 2025
- The inspiration of the Holy Spirit as we develop a version of the material for primary schools
Do you have a link with your local school? Are you a parent, student, teacher, senior leader, director of an academy trust, trustee or governor? We find the best way to engage is via a personal introduction. For more details about the programme, please visit the Common Good Schools website where you can book a call with Jo Stow and download a free sample pack to try at your school.