Principals Message

It gives me great pleasure to introduce you to our school. At St Louis Grammar School we are very proud of our unique identity. We very much hope that this prospectus gives you a flavour of life here.

In St Louis’ we strive to provide not only an academic education of a high standard, but above all to create an environment which encourages the development of each individual’s talents and the nurturing of the whole person. Our aim is to ensure that every pupil’s experience of life in our school is a secure, fulfilling and happy one.

We have an enthusiastic, well qualified staff who are committed to helping your child realise his/her full potential. As a co-educational grammar school, we offer boys and girls the opportunity to work and develop together, enhancing their social skills and confidence.

I look forward to meeting you on Open Night and to welcome you to St Louis, where you will be able to experience our caring learning environment.

With Best Wishes

Seán Rogers

School Aims

St Louis Grammar School is a Catholic community within which both staff and students work in the pursuit of all aspects of spiritual, educational and personal excellence. To achieve this we have the following aims:

• To help pupils grow in the Catholic faith and foster moral values and attitudes thereby helping them to become mature, tolerant and committed Christian women and men.
  
  
• To provide a happy, caring and stimulating learning environment where pupils are helped to:
  (i) develop self-awareness, confidence, self-esteem & discipline;
  (ii) address difficult issues openly and honestly;
  (iii) develop a sense of personal and social responsibility.
  
  
• To provide a broad, balanced, coherent and relevant curriculum to enable pupils to acquire a wide range of abilities and interests, knowledge, skills and attitudes.
  
  
• To establish and develop:
  (i) a creative partnership between pupils, parents and teachers;
  (ii) links with primary schools , other schools, external agencies,past pupils and the wider community.
  
  
• To help pupils understand the world they live in, to make informed decisions about their lives and to prepare them for the future responsibilities as contributing members of the community, workers and parents.

Faith Development

All pupils study Religious Education throughout their time in St Louis. The main aim of the Religious Education programme, however, could not be achieved without considerable emphasis on the religious practice during the school year.

The Holy Eucharist is central to our faith. At the beginning of the first term the entire school community gather for Mass in St Colman’s Church Massforth, to give thanks and ask for God’s blessing on the year ahead. Mass is celebrated on many occasions including a special Mass for year 8 pupils and their parents in October to celebrate their ‘new beginning’.

Year group assemblies, a Lenten Penitential service , special liturgical services at Christmas and Easter and retreats play an important part in faith development. Pupils are encouraged to support a range of charities, both local, national and international.

A programme of sex education is taught by a team of teachers at various stages throughout years 8 and 9. Outside agencies provide support for the programme in years 11 and 13.

Pastoral Care

St Louis Grammar School is a community built on a foundation of Christian values of care and respect for the individual. The school seeks to create a positive learning environment where pupils feel valued and encouraged to make a positive contribution to their own development and to the life of the school. Self-discipline, self-respect and respect for others are promoted.

Pastoral care is a primary concern of all staff. The programme followed by the pupils is intended to address relevant personal, social and academic issues. Issues discussed in a safe and trusting environment include: friendships and social interaction, attitudes to bullying, study skills and health issues. We recognise that pupils benefit from having a particular teacher to whom they may turn to if they are anxious or concerned and to further this aim pupils are divided into tutor groups of 20 pupils.

The daily registration and the weekly tutorial period are an ideal forum for individual and group concerns to be addressed. The Tutor plays a pivotal role in helping pupils to become an integral part of the St Louis community, where high standards of honesty, behaviour and application to work are encouraged and respected. A Year Head co-ordinates the work of the Tutors and works closely with parents, teachers and pupils of each year group.

We understand the emotional and intellectual challenge that the transition from Primary to Grammar school poses for our year 8 pupils. To meet the needs of pupils and their parents we organise the following events:

1. An introductory meeting for parents and their primary 7 child [June]
2. An induction programme for the child[September]. This is organised by the Year Heads and Tutors , with the support of the staff as a whole and aims to help the new students adapt with ease. Practical guidance is given on how to cope with the demands of new subjects, to adjust to different types of homework. Senior students act as mentors to the year 8 students to help them settle in.
3. A ‘New Beginnings’ Mass for parents and year 8 [October].
4. A programme specifically designed for parents[ four Monday evenings in November]
5. A parent-teacher meeting[Spring term]

We value a genuine dialogue with parents which is not restricted to the formal occasions but is ongoing and informal.