Deacon Tim Anthony

I have been delighted with the education which my three children have received at Our Lady of Lourdes.  It has given them a solid foundation on which to build at secondary school and provided them with a wonderfully broad range of skills and experiences which will serve them well throughout their lives.  Throughout their time at the school they each felt confident that they were safe and valued, challenged and supported in the right balance.  As parents we have the utmost confidence in the school, and we appreciate the efforts the school goes to to keep us informed and involved.

I have been a Parent Governor since 2005, during which time it has been an absolute pleasure to watch so many children grow into confident, well-rounded individuals, ready to meet the new challenges of secondary education. To my mind, this is what Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School does best. The smooth running and effectiveness of any school requires the commitment and dedication of school staff, supportive parents and a balanced and energetic governing body.  It has been a privilege to work with the staff and governors that we have had at Our Lady of Lourdes over the last 15 years.

Together with academic progress, the "twin thread" of spiritual formation is at the heart of what we should provide for each pupil. As a secondary school teacher myself,it is always easy to identify those children who have been given a firm foundation to their faith. The partnership between Our Lady of Lourdes School, the parish and the home is the essential basis for this, and I am always very proud of the children in their commitment to the Faith and charitable works. (March 2020)

The Mission of the School - By Kath Price

Two years ago I was asked to join the Governing Body of Our Lady of Lourdes School as a foundation governor and in that time my role and involvement with the school has developed and grown. My visits to the school to meet with the Headteacher, the children and the staff has confirmed that all stakeholders in the school are valued, respected and share the same vision, reflecting the mission statement. The mission of the school with Christ at the centre is evident amongst the children and staff through the welcoming and friendly environment and the Catholic leadership of the Headteacher. Her commitment to the Faith permeates throughout the school and Governing Body meetings. I feel very privileged to be a governor of Our Lady of Lourdes School. (July 2019)

Catholic Life - By Kath Price

As a governor and parishioner I regularly attend Sacramental preparation, commitment and thanksgiving Masses on Sundays and occasionally whole school Masses. The children are always well prepared, very reverent and appear to show a good understanding of the Catholic Faith. They display confidence in their delivery of readings, prayers and singing.

The physical environment of the school, statues, displays, altars and pictures show how important Catholic Life is p, in the lives of children, staff, parents and governors.

Our Mission - By Michael Moran

Live, Love and Learn to be three points of a triangle representing the school with Christ at the centre of the shape.  At one point - Learn - excellent teaching and learning is about developing fully and unlocking the potential of each child.  At another point - Live - would be about living in community following the teachings of Jesus and inspired by gospel values. The final point - Love - reminds me of the words of St John Paul II when he addressed young people as in 2002: Dear Young People let yourselves be taken over by the light of Christ and spread that light wherever you are.  A more up to date version now would probably include Pope Francis encouraging young people to show love through mercy and compassion.  (July 2019)

The Mission at OLOL - By Maisie Greavy

"Christ is at the centre of our school community, where we live, love and learn together""

Having retired after many years teaching in Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School and still a frequent visitor to the school it is very evident that the learning environment throughout the building reflects the Church's teaching. From the moment I step inside the school building I am drawn to the beautiful displays of pictures, symbols and icons of the Catholic faith. All of these help the whole school community and visitors to experience and respect the uniqueness of our children's Catholic learning environment.

I know that the RE curriculum is central to every aspect of the school life where practical and exciting lessons are taught and where learning is fun. The children feel valued and listened to and where prayer and worship, in a variety of forms, are always a big part of every school day.

The Mission Statement reflects our belief in the importance of partnership between home, school and parish. There is always a family atmosphere which provides a spiritual, secure and happy environment for us all with Christ at the centre. (July 2019)

Living our school Mission – By Ann Carbery

Each time I visit Our Lady Of Lourdes Catholic Primary School and Parish Church, it is obvious to me that the school’s Mission is lived out by everyone there. 

As a supply teacher, and practicing Catholic, I am blessed with the opportunity to visit and work in a number of schools in our diocese.  One of my favourite schools to go to is Our Lady Of Lourdes Catholic Primary School, Yardley Wood.  The way that the staff and pupils uphold the Catholic ethos is evident as soon as you walk through the door; all are polite and welcoming, but it is the obvious love and respect for each other that really stands out - Christ, and His teachings, are definitely at the centre of this school.

As a governor, practicing Catholic and local parishioner myself, it is wonderful to see so many of the children regularly at Mass with their families.  This demonstrates that the values and virtues the school (and Church) instil, are supported and continued in the lives of the children outside of the school day.  During school time, the staff and children work hard embedding the teachings of Christ that are learned through the RE curriculum.  As the Good Shepherd would never allow one of His sheep to be lost, the staff care immensely that all children should have the opportunity and support to succeed; whilst the children can be heard asking themselves, “What would Jesus do?”  As governors, it is our responsibility to make sure that we are also living the Mission in all we do - something I take very seriously.  It is a privilege to be asked to support the growth of the young people of our parish - not just in their education, but in becoming valuable, well-rounded members of our parish and society.  I hope and pray that God has given me the grace and wisdom to be a good role model for our children.

But above all of this, it is the obvious love and respect between us as governors, staff and pupils that really stands out.  It is vitally important that this relationship continues to grow, so that our school fosters the best environment for ALL of us to continue to grow in Christ.  As St. Paul wrote in his first letter to the Corinthians, The three most important things to have are faith, hope and love. But the greatest of them is love.  Our Lady Of Lourdes certainly believes this, showing that Christ really is at the centre of our school! (July 2019)

Our Mission - By Anna McGlone

“Christ is the centre of our school where we live, love and learn together”

I am a parent of two children at Our Lady of Lourdes and have the privilege of being a Foundation Governor for the last 5 years.  The mission statement cascades down throughout the school.  This is evident when you enter the school and attend any of the school masses.  Seeing the children taking part in masses by reading, altar serving, taking up the offertory along with the beautiful singing is an absolute joy.  Our Lady of Lourdes is a community and the links between school, family and parish reflect this.  Fr Sean frequently visits the school and you can see how much the children love having him around.  The learning environment in school is supported by the many icons and displays and the Church being across from the school cements the beliefs and catholic ethos.  The RE curriculum is delivered with stories, faithfulness and fun.  The sacramental preparations are excellent, prayerful and reflective and the children take pride in their prayer and faith. There are opportunities for families to pray and prepare for Advent ad Lent before school commences and this participation with your child is yet another way to embrace worship.  The Children take turns in taking a prayer bag home, where they can share their feelings and beliefs with family and friends.  There is much focus on prayer and the Angelus is said on Fridays.  This is a true reflection that Christ is the centre of our lives. (July 2019)