Blessed Christopher Wharton, Catholic Academy Trust

Our Mission and Vision

You are the light of the world. 

Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works

 and  give glory to your Father in heaven.’

 

 Matthew 5:14-16

VISION

Following the example of Blessed Christopher Wharton, we seek to grow in the virtues of Faith, Service and Courage so that our schools may be a light to the world. Together in the Light of Christ, our family of schools will strive for educational excellence, creating thriving Catholic learning communities where each person can fulfil their God-given potential.

MISSION

Live faithfully with hope and love

Inspired by the Light of Christ, we learn in the belief that we are all special and loved by God.

Each day, our faith helps us grow in relationship with God and each other to become the best we can be.

Grow together, serving others

Guided by the Light of Christ, we learn to strive for justice and compassion in our world.

Each day we use the gifts that God has given us to serve others.

Be courageous in all we do

Encouraged by the Light of Christ, we learn self-confidence and resilience to be courageous in always seeking what is right.

Each day we recognise God’s promise that He is with us.

The principles which govern the way the Trust operates.
‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him! In everything do to others as you would have them do to you.” cf Matthew 7: 8-12

In the Trust:
“We believe that every person is created in the image and likeness of God and is capable of knowing and loving their Creator. Each human being is precious to God and has a value and dignity that no one can take away. “We believe that God chose to reveal himself to us as our Heavenly Father by sending Jesus, his Son, into the world. As the revelation and image of the invisible God, Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom of God to be among us and gathered the first apostles and disciples together into one body, the Church. Christ is the Teacher above all others. In following him we enter his school of discipleship and so learn the truth that sets us free. “We believe that the Holy Spirit, the life-giving breath of God, was poured out at Pentecost to animate the newly born Church. Filled with the Spirit, the first Christians became witnesses to the Gospel message that God loves us and wants us, in Jesus, to live life to its fullness.”
As a Multi Academy Trust within the Diocese of Leeds we recognise that courageous renewal on the part of Catholic schooling is required. The Catholic school must be able to speak for itself effectively and convincingly and so this is a time when Catholic education demands to be clothed in fresh garments.

 

The core principles of the CMAT
The Trust and each academy within the Trust will adhere to the following principles:

1. The search for excellence
Our education is, primarily, about “human flourishing.” It is concerned with the development of the whole person. The aim of Catholic education is to draw out of all people their God-given potential to enable them to fulfill their unique role in society. All involved in the Trust will promote this for the benefit of the young people in our care.

2. The uniqueness of the individual, made in God’s image and loved by Him.

3. The education of the whole person, based on the belief that the human and the divine are inseparable.
The education of the whole person not only enhances the dignity of the individual, in the long term it promotes the common good in society and in the world-wide human community.

4. The education of all, with the particular duty to care for the poor and disadvantaged.

5. Moral Principles
In the multi-academy trust, the trustee directors and all academies have a moral responsibility for the good of all schools within the trust.

 

Solidarity means we are all responsible for each other. No school or college is an island entire of itself:

“Our schools, not my school.”

Subsidiarity means that decisions are taken at the most appropriate level. No-one involved in the academy - directors, governors, staff, parents and young people - has the right to disregard the good of a constituent academy while promoting the good of their own. All involved have the duty to recognise the complementary responsibilities to be undertaken within the Trust.

At the heart of the Church’s social teaching is the duty to care for others. This is a founding principle of our Multi Academy Trust.