As this academic year draws to a close, Jo Stow Project Leader for Common Good Schools celebrates highlights from a busy term, including the successful pilot of a new six week common good resource for primary schools, a visit from our Italian partners to our Liverpool partners, our latest new secondary school, contributions to conferences and a pilgrimage. Jo looks ahead to a packed schedule in the autumn, meeting groups of head teachers and delivering phase two of the primary pilot.
Piloting our new programme for 7-11 year olds
We have been piloting a new resource across the summer term. In response to many requests, I have developed a new six-week Common Good programme for 7-11 year olds to complement our resource for 11-16 year olds. Children and teachers from eight primary schools from Yorkshire to Kent took part. Feedback has been very encouraging. Comments demonstrate that the programme:
“… is joyful, interactive, relevant, thought-provoking. It should be a resource that every school should consider.” Year 5 teacher, Chorley, Lancs
And that it
“… allows for a designated teaching time for Catholic Social Teaching. It focuses the children to enable them to become aware of the terminology, helping them think about their own actions within school and their community.” Year 3 teacher, Leeds
A further 14 schools across the country will join phase 2 of the pilot in September. The new resource will be launched in early 2026. Sign up to the Common Good Schools monthly newsletter for details of pre-order dates.
A walk in the park with our Italian partners
In early July, we welcomed partners from the Diocese of Modena-Nonantola in northern Italy as Franca Gambari brought a group of young people, teachers and diocesan staff on a visit to Liverpool. Having followed the ten-week Common Good Schools programme in Italian over a year, the group had become familiar with common good principles.
I and the Italian group were invited to join with students from our partner school, the Academy of St Francis of Assisi, on a Reflective Walk in a local park. Led by School Chaplain Miles Rimmer-Tagoe, the young people mingled and answered questions based on Common Good principles as they walked. From time to time, Miles asked everyone to stop and share their conversation with the whole group. All involved said the walk had helped them learn about the local area and reflect on their responsibility to build the common good wherever they were from.
Later that day, hosted by School Chaplain Kasia Boydell, the Italian group visited our partner school Hope Academy in Newton-le-Willows to join in classroom activities. Both schools are part of All Saints Multi Academy Trust, whose vision is inspired by the ecumenical partnership of bishops Sheppard and Worlock in Liverpool a generation ago.
Our latest new partner
Our newest partner is also from Liverpool: Broughton Hall. It was a joy to meet Lay Chaplain Phil Johnson in June for induction training, covering community engagement in the surrounding streets of the school in the West Derby area of the city. I was delighted to welcome Phil and colleague Colleen Downham to meet Common Good Schools partners online for a CPD session in Community Engagement. I look forward to working with them in the coming academic year.
Delivering common good workshops
I am increasingly being invited to speak and provide Common Good Schools workshops for conferences. My role is currently limited to two days per week, so fitting this into my schedule is a challenge. However, I love doing it and was delighted to contribute to the ‘Voices for Social Justice’ conference at Holy Cross School, New Malden. This large conference invited staff and students from many other local schools too, both primary and secondary. My workshops, for Years 5, 6, 7 and 8 students, focused on developing listening skills for the purpose of building common good and solidarity in the neighbourhood. The young people participated brilliantly and it was an extra benefit to engage the able assistance of Holy Cross sixth formers. It was also good to meet up with friends of Common Good Schools, including Susan Elderfield from the Archdiocese of Southwark, and Mugeni Sumba from the Oscar Romero Awards Trust.
Pilgrimage
Our Founder and Director Jenny Sinclair was invited to speak to VI formers participating in a Gaudete Trust pilgrimage to Liverpool. Coming from schools across the northwest, the young people were led by Helen Jones on a walking pilgrimage on the theme of hope, recalling not only the city’s troubled history but its spiritual history and its resilience in overcoming injustice. The young people came from a broad range of backgrounds.
Jenny talked about her own story of vocation, the history of the city, its troubles, how it survived a succession of tragic events, and how the Sheppard Worlock partnership helped the city overcome sectarianism. Jenny also talked about Catholic Social Teaching, the common good, the role of the Church and the individual Christian in civic and spiritual renewal in our own troubled times. The VI formers asked probing, thoughtful questions – about vocation, the Holy Spirit, division and social unrest. Realistic, insightful and hopeful, this was an impressive group. The Gaudete Trust is a charity that supports a family of schools and colleges animated by the distinctive charisms of the founding Religious Orders.
Prayers please
We would appreciate your prayers this summer for our work in the coming months:
- For financial support to enable this work to continue and grow
- For the teachers and young people of the 10 secondary school partners running the programme
- For the teachers and children of the 14 primary schools in phase 2 piloting our new resource
- For the early 2026 launch of our new primary school resource
- For the teachers attending our online CPD on Subsidiarity in October
- For the Kent Catholic Schools Partnership and our developing relationship
- For the head teachers attending our forthcoming sessions
Jo Stow is Project Leader, Common Good Schools
T4CG’s Common Good Schools programme equips schools to enable children and young people develop skills around building relationships and taking responsibility. Schools acting as good neighbours in their communities not only strengthen their own students but make a tangible contribution to the shared life of their neighbourhood. Find out more and arrange a conversation with Jo here
