Common Good Schools update – Pentecost 2024
Our Project Leader, Jo Stow, provides our latest update
New partnership with All Saints Multi Academy Trust
It was a joy to meet Kasia and Miles, chaplains for All Saints Multi Academy Trust, earlier this month. Based at Hope Academy and the Academy of St Francis of Assisi respectively, Kasia and Miles are newly responsible for leading the Common Good Schools (CGS) programme. It is their hope that other academies within the Trust will join CGS soon after.
Partnering with a Multi Academy Trust is an important milestone for CGS. Furthermore, with our shared vision and history, working with All Saints Multi Academy Trust is significant and exciting. In the words of Heather Duggan, Chief Executive Officer:
“The All Saints Multi Academy Trust is jointly sponsored by both the Diocese and the Archdiocese of Liverpool and is inspired by the ecumenical vision of Bishops Sheppard and Worlock that we are ‘stronger and better together’ placing partnership working at the heart of what we do!”
https://allsaintsmat.org/welcome/
Our morning began with an invocation of the Holy Spirit. The work of the common good is the work of the Holy Spirit, inviting us into the life of the Trinity. The relational nature of the Trinity, three persons in complete oneness, is the blueprint for common good practice. The theme of reciprocal relationships was revisited throughout the session. Relationships formed in love and in recognition of the dignity of the other, whilst appreciating difference, brings a sense of unity and peace. From there, every person can make their contribution according to their ability, making their school and its neighbourhood and wonderful place to be. This is our desire for the life and mission of our school partners.
During the induction training session, Kasia and Miles became familiar with the online resource, its components and the benefits for students, the academy and the community. They were inspired with stories from other Common Good Schools (CGS) about the impact on young people and school neighbours. We identified different groups and institutions close to their schools using a neighbourhood mapping exercise and began to explore possibilities for community engagement activities. As the conversation flowed, the sense of excitement about the possibilities was tangible. Later, I received a lovely email from Kasia with these words:
“Thank you very much for your time and energy yesterday. It was brilliant, and I’m so excited to start! I have my meeting with our principal soon, so I will tell her all about it (CGS) and what we could achieve through it!”
I’m excited for what Kasia and Miles will achieve and look forward to sharing their news in the future.
Accompanying partners through continuous professional development (CPD)
On 17th April, at a CPD session for four of our partner schools, colleagues came together to reflect on their progress this year as a springboard for planning for next academic year.
Musenga Mumbi and Krystina Gold are teachers with responsibility for CGS in their schools.
Musenga shared about the impact of CGS on St Marylebone CE Bridge students with special educational needs. She uses CGS in RS lessons with Year 10. A highlight was their response to an active listening skills activity (Lesson 5) and how it facilitated two young people reconciling and restoring their friendship during the lesson.
Krystina explained the positive impact on student leadership at Cardinal Heenan in Leeds. Four students from each year group were invited to apply to be Common Good Leaders. They have engaged in community activities and were tasked with encouraging their peers to join. They attended an Eco Summit, conservation trip, helped pack hampers for the SVP, visited a neighbouring care home and school for children with complex needs, inviting them to a ‘communi-tea’ facilitated by pupils studying Food Technology. Krystina confessed that it was a lot of work and that she needed the help of other teachers to manage all the visits. However, she said
“it has been so worthwhile and I have enjoyed it so, so, so much!”
Thank you for reading this short update, just a taste of the wonderful things that are happening in our partner schools. We’d love you to help us encourage more schools to embark on the Common Good Schools programme by sharing this link to learn more and to download a free sample pack to try at your school.
Jo Stow
Common Good Schools Project Leader
COME AND SEE SESSION
Our next free online information session is on: Wednesday 26th June at 3.45 pm. This is an open invitation to school staff right across England and Wales. There will be a short presentation giving an overview of the Common Good Schools programme with a sneak peek behind the paywall at the resources on CGS website. Do feel free to share this registration Zoom link with anyone who might be interested to attend and learn more: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/common-good-schools-information-session-tickets-895281921327
Please pray for:
- Kasia and Miles and the staff of All Saints Multi Academy Trust as they make plans and to establish Common Good Schools programme.
- Help to secure funding so that we can work with more secondary schools and develop materials for primary schools.
- New schools to join CGS. In particular, we would love to develop links with more schools in the North West, Yorkshire and in the South East.
“So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.” Romans 12:5
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.