Catholic Life
Catholic Life and Mission
“Pupils’ sense of belonging in the school community is deepened through the principles of Catholic Teaching and children of all faiths are fully engaged in the religious life of the school.” ISI Report March 2025
Catholic Social Teaching
Guided by our mission statement, we strive to create a loving, welcoming and inclusive community where every child is valued as a unique child of God and supported to reach their true potential.
Catholic Social Teaching is actively lived out through our daily interactions, curriculum, and wider school life. We encourage our children to understand and respond to all the Catholic Social Teaching principles. Through this pupils learn to recognise their responsibility to others and to the world around them. The School council assigned a CST principle to each class from Nursery-Year 6.
Catholic Social Teaching Principals at Laleham Lea
- The Whole School—The Common Good
- Nursery— Human Dignity
- Reception—Participation
- Year 1—Promoting Peace
- Year 2—Stewardship
- Year 3—Solidarity
- Year 4—Distributive Justice
- Year 5— Preferential Option for the Poor
- Year 6—Subsidiarity
In July we were delighted to be awarded the Oscar Romero Award – Participator Level! This award recognises Laleham Lea’s commitment to Catholic Social Teaching, ensuring that it is at the heart of our strategy, our curriculum and our practical work.
Our pupils are encouraged to show compassion, tolerance and respect, particularly towards those who are vulnerable or in need. This is demonstrated through charitable fundraising, outreach initiatives, social action projects and a strong culture of kindness and service within the school community. Children are taught to reflect on how their choices and actions can make a positive difference, both locally and globally.
Working in partnership with parents, who are the first educators of their children, we support pupils in developing a strong sense of personal identity rooted in faith. Our Catholic life promotes leadership, pupil voice and active participation, empowering children to live out Gospel values with confidence and integrity.
Through our Catholic life and mission, Laleham Lea nurtures well-balanced individuals who are inspired to live as faithful, responsible and compassionate members of society, with a deep awareness of God’s love and a commitment to serving others.
Recent appeals we have supported include:
 | Reverse Advent calendar 2025 |
 | Children in need 2025 |
 | Summer Fair Pilgrims of Hope Class fundraising for CAFOD raised over £500! |
 | The Big Lent Walk – The whole school were sponsored to walk over 200 kilometers around the playground, raising over £1200 for CAFOD. |
 | Operation Christmas Child – We have supported The Samaritans’ Christmas Shoe Box Appeal for many years. Last Christmas we collected shoe boxes full of lovely Christmas gifts that were sent to children all over the world. |
 | St Vincent’s Centre – Harvest Donations. This year our Mini Vinnies decided to collect our Harvest donations for the Brixton Vincent’s Centre. |
 | Over the last two years we raised nearly £1000 for Children In Need with our mufti-days. |
 | We choose a Lenten Charity each year and last year students chose to dress up brightly and raise money for CAFOD. |
 | Food Hub – We regularly make donations to Purley Food Hub as part of our Harvest celebrations as well as at other points during the year. |
Click here to see our Catholic life and mission policy
Pupil Leadership
At Laleham Lea, pupils are actively involved in living out our Catholic life and mission through leadership roles that put Gospel values and Catholic Social Teaching into practice.
Mini Vinnies support the principle of solidarity and care for the poor by responding to the needs of others through charity, fundraising and acts of kindness. Little Disciples are role models to all and encourage reverent, confident participation in worship in class and as a whole school. They also help lead with charitable projects. Eco Warriors promote care for God’s creation by leading environmental initiatives that reflect stewardship and responsibility for the common good. Our Year 6 Pupil Chaplains support the spiritual life of the school.
Together, these groups empower pupils to live their faith through service, leadership and action, making a positive contribution to the school community and beyond.
The Catholic Life at the school is outstanding because the well-being and personal and
spiritual development of pupils and staff is at the heart of the school’s vision and
mission.’ (Section 48 Denominational Inspection – October 2019)