Why Choose a Faith School?

''Loyola is an exceptional school with the Catholic Life of the School being 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." Diocese of Brentwood Inspection Report 2019 View Report

 

Loyola is named after the town in Spain which was the birthplace of St Ignatius of Loyola, who therefore is our school patron. He founded the Jesuit religious order in 1539 – essentially an educational order. As a faith school we follow the precepts of the Jesuit characteristics of education, which essentially is to promote the Greater Glory of God, Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam, through fully developing pupils’ natural talent in order to give service to others.

What are the benefits to our pupils of this mission?  Firstly, it underlines and gives purpose to everything we do; it motivates and inspires us to identify, cultivate and maximise the talents of our pupils.

It also provides us with a context in which the school operates. It makes us aware of the importance of faith as a backbone of life and encourages us to value and appreciate the multi-faiths that are represented in our school. It inspires us to offer a universal welcome to all members of our community.

We operate as a faith school – we have a tradition of prayer and collective worship which are mainstays of our routines. We are not seeking to impose these, but rather to show how a community acts which is dedicated to a faith or a set of values. We provide our pupils with a sense of awe and spirituality. We believe also that our tradition begets a sense of purpose and worth which are intrinsic parts of what it is to be a faith school.

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam - To the Greater Glory of God