School Ethos & Values
Gospel Values
Our Lady Queen of Peace is a special place. It is a proud Catholic school guided by Gospel values. We recognise each individual as being made ‘in God’s image and likeness’ and as such each person, regardless of their own faith perspective, is welcomed and valued for who they are. We believe in nurturing the whole person and seek to develop responsible, caring and committed young people, who will make a positive contribution to society and fulfil their potential.
The Beatitudes
We base our core values on the Beatitudes. The Beatitudes are the teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-10). Jesus teaches us that if we live according to the Beatitudes, we will live a happy Christian life. The Beatitudes fulfil God’s promises made to Abraham and his descendants and describe the rewards that will be ours as loyal followers of Christ.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
The key values defined in the Beatitudes are:
- Faithfulness & Integrity
- Dignity & Compassion
- Humility & Gentleness
- Truth & Justice
- Forgiveness & Mercy
- Purity & Holiness
- Tolerance & Peace
- Service & Sacrifice
Pastoral Care
Our Lady Queen of Peace is a naturally caring community and provides pastoral support to students and families who are facing difficult and challenging situations such as bereavement, family tensions, mental health and poverty to name but a few. ‘Pastoral care is a defining strength of the school. Teachers show a collective desire to support the young people for whom they have responsibility’, Section 48, Oct 2023.
As a Catholic community, we take our commitment to the teaching of the Church on Social Justice and Peace as an essential part of all we do. We encourage our students to live out the Gospel values of “Love your neighbour“ through the support of CAFOD, Faith in Action as well as community work such as our annual Christmas Dinner for the Senior Citizens in our community.