Catholic Life and Mission

Ethos & School Mission

At the heart of the School lies our Catholic ethos, which underpins everything we do. The School aims, through its commitment to Catholic Social Teaching, to prepare our pupils to undertake their responsibilities as Catholics in society. Working in partnership with parents, we aim to foster in our pupils a love for the Church which will help them to grow and develop as they make their way through life. The mission of the School is expressed in the words of Cardinal Manning: we seek ‘the formation of the whole person: intellect, heart, will, character and soul.’ 

Saint John Southworth Catholic Academy Trust

The Saint John Southworth Catholic Academy Trust was established in September 2021 with the aim of creating a community of schools in line with the Diocesan vision, built in solidarity to give our pupils the resources to develop dignity, service, and perseverance whilst receiving an outstanding Catholic education. 

Our mission is to create a community of schools, built in solidarity and operating by subsidiarity, to give our pupils all they need to grow.  Our schools model unity in diversity, together but unique ('Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ' – 1 Corinthians 12) and work for the formation and achievement of all their pupils (‘Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart’ – Colossians 3).

Our great patron is St John Southworth, one of the Tyburn martyrs who laboured fearlessly for the Faith in the area which the Trust serves and who is buried in Westminster Cathedral, which is also situated within its bounds; Southworth is a powerful symbol, and presence, in our endeavour: the formation of the whole person.

Diocese of Westminster

As a school, we build connections with other schools in our Deanery and our Trust and throughout the year we have moderation sessions together to discuss our mission, teaching, learning, and worship.

Staff regularly avail themselves of CPD offered by the Diocesan Education Service. As one of the founding members of the Saint John Southworth Catholic Academy Trust, we were pleased to host school staff from within the Trust for a Catholic Ethos and Curriculum Development Day held at our school in January.

Our pupils visit Westminster Cathedral for the annual Saint John Southworth Foundation Day Mass in June. Families and members of the Vaughan community are also invited to join us in prayer and reflection in the presence of his mortal remains so lovingly preserved and cherished in Westminster Cathedral at the heart of the Diocese.

Bishop John Sherrington, Auxiliary Bishop of Westminster and Titular Bishop of Hilta blessed our school’s Centenary Building. Nearly two hundred members of our diocesan community were invited to follow Bishop John to the Centenary Building for the blessing.

Diocesan Report

The School’s most recent Diocesan Section 48 inspection took place in 2018:

“The experience of Catholic worship for pupils at Cardinal Vaughan is outstanding.  The liturgical year, with its cycle of scripture readings and themes, serves as the foundation of the extensive opportunities for prayer and reflection.  The school wholeheartedly believes the celebration of the Eucharist to be at the heart of the Catholic life of the school.  Mass is celebrated twice each week and the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Benediction also take place weekly.  Assemblies and other acts of worship take place on a daily basis…  Pupils leave the school with an extensive knowledge of and deep appreciation for Catholic worship.”