St Swithun Wells is a Catholic school in which each individual grows in the knowledge and love of being a part of the family of Christ. Children and families benefit from the Catholic Life at St Swithun Wells in many ways. We see our school as family and like all families we share in joys and sadness together and are there to celebrate with and support families and each other through both.

At the heart of our school lies our mission statement; 

‘As God’s children, we learn, achieve and succeed together.

We touch the lives of others by our faith, prayers, words and actions.’ 

In everything that we do, we remember that we are each called by name to lead a life as brothers and sisters in Christ, guided by the Holy Spirit  in the service of God.

As an integral part of our Catholic ethos, all pupils are made aware, throughout the school year, of the changes and celebrations relating to the Church's Liturgical Year. These events are highlighted in our prayer space in our classrooms and in our prayer space in School.  The children are aware of the liturgical changes with the changing colours of our cloths and displays.

At key times of the Liturgical Year, as well as the beginning of a new term, we gather in School as a community, along with parents and family, staff and parishioners to worship together in a Mass. All in the school, parish and beyond are welcome to attend regardless of faith. Recognising the importance of involving children in the celebration of Mass, our children lead the serving, technical systems, singing and readings for the Mass.

During times of preparation throughout the year, our children are given opportunities to take part in liturgies led by our Year 6 prayer leaders. These moments of reflection also provide a time for our children to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation with our local Parish Priests and, during Lent, our older pupils are able to take part in the Washing of the Feet and Stations of the Cross. These opportunities enable our children to strengthen their relationship with Jesus through a time of both personal and guided prayer and reflection.

Prayer is central to the life of the school and the school day is punctuated with prayer. Through opportunities of meaningful worship, children are supported in strengthening their own and others’ faith and are able to explore their faith further. Through whole school assemblies, prayer-partners, joint class worship, teacher led worship and child led worship, our children are given time to reflect and pray daily. As children grow through the school, they are encouraged to become confident prayer leaders, to be able to lead and guide others in their worship and in a closer relationship with Jesus.

We are privileged that our school has strong links with the parish and are able to work closely with and be supported in the development of the faith by our parish priest, Fr Raffaele. On a weekly basis, Fr. Raffaele joins classes in school to spend time with the children and share his wisdom. These special opportunities allow our children to discuss deep topics and ask questions to help engage and strengthen their own understanding and journey in the Catholic faith.

The children at St Swithun Wells receive a high quality of R.E education, are engaged and take pride in their work and achieve high standards. Through their R.E. learning, the children are able to make links between their own lives and those of others in their community and in the wider world. R.E is the centre of the life of the school and it has a strong impact on the children’s values, interaction with community and the world around them.

Through fundraising events for local and international charities and links with homeless shelters and care homes within our community, the children at St Swithun Wells are encouraged to put the themes of Catholic Social Teaching into action in their own lives. These fundraising events are often planned and organised by our Year 6 House Captains and leaders, who set an example of how to apply what they have learned in R.E lessons to their life around school.

We take cards to our neighbours and invite them to events like the Queen's Jubilee Tea Party.