What We Treasure

The core values of CEIST are intended to support and nourish the lives of the people who are at the heart of our schools – students, staff and parents. These are the members of the school; their rights must be respected and their responsibilities should be performed in a manner which promotes the spiritual development of each person, achieves quality in teaching and learning, shows respect for every person, creates a sense of community and is founded on compassion and justice. These values can only be lived out if students, staff and parents work together for the common good of all. In CEIST schools processes should be put in place to deal with areas of conflict and disagreement so that the dignity of all members of the school can be protected.

Promoting Spiritual and Human Development

We believe a knowledge of and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ give meaning and purpose to our lives.

• A CEIST school nurtures and supports the spirituality of each person, inspiring them to be fully alive human beings with hope and joy in their lives.
• The school is a faith-sharing community rooted in the mission of the Church. It proclaims and lives the Gospel, fostering a personal relationship with God, through Jesus Christ.
• The rich diversity of the school community and the spiritual life of each person are celebrated and enhanced through reflection, prayer, the Eucharist and other Sacraments, liturgy, symbols and rituals.
• The school recognises the special place of Mary, Mother of God, joyfully celebrating her feasts and finding in her a source of courage and wisdom in dealing with the joys and sorrows of life.
• The school provides opportunities for spiritual and personal development.
• The full scope of religious education in our schools is to inform, form and transform people in the Catholic faith.
• The school actively encourages all its members – staff and students – to reflect on the contemporary world in the light of the Gospel.
• Collaboration, co-operation and partnership between home, school,community, parish and diocese are emphasised, encouraged and enabled.
• Parents support the faith life of the school by actively upholding the ethos, values and principles of the Charter.
• The spirit and values of the Charter are lived in the day-to-day life of the school.
• The school nurtures in its students a sense of their cultural identity, an appreciation of the diversity of cultures and a respect for people of other races and religious traditions.

Achieving Quality in Teaching and Learning

We are committed to excellence and to continually improving the quality of teaching and learning.

• A CEIST school promotes quality and excellence in teaching and learning.
• The aim of our curriculum is to educate people to become fully alive and free human beings, conscious of God’s presence and grace through the ordinary of life.
• Spiritual education, religious and faith formation are at the core of a holistic curriculum.
• Students are encouraged to pursue truth, to recognise their own gifts, to care for the common good.
• The educational needs of the students are identified and suitable programmes and curricula are provided to meet the breadth of needs identified so that all students can participate with dignity and confidence.
• The school is innovative and creative in its response to the needs of the students so that the highest standards are achieved and maintained.
• Parents support the quality of teaching and learning by encouraging their children to avail of the opportunities to acquire and develop the skills that will enhance and enrich their lives.
• Reflective practice is facilitated at all levels in the system.
• The school promotes a culture of on-going professional and personal development.
• The school promotes and enables evaluation.
• Diligence, good practice and achievement are affirmed and celebrated.

Showing Respect for Every Person

We respect the unique and intrinsic value of every person.

• A CEIST school acknowledges the dignity of all its members, each formed in the image of God.
• A CEIST school is open and accessible to all without discrimination. It promotes a positive attitude towards the social inclusion of minority groups and stands in solidarity with those most in need.
• A caring, welcoming school promotes a culture of good relationships where people thrive and grow.
• Educational programmes delivered through quality teaching and learning promote the development of the whole person.
• The curriculum is designed to meet the needs of all students, encouraging and challenging them to develop their natural talents, to realise their potential and to strive for individual excellence.
• A range of extra-curricular activities is provided to enhance the skills, creativity and enjoyment of all members.
• The school provides an ordered and safe environment where discipline, responsibility and accountability are achieved.
• The school models the Gospel values of compassion, justice, love, tolerance, forgiveness and reconciliation by the manner in which conflict is resolved.
• Through its practices and teachings, the school demonstrates and promotes respect for the environment.

Creating Community

Our schools are faith communities of welcome and hospitality where Gospel values are lived and where there is special care for those most in need.

• A CEIST school is a faith-community that is characterised by the quality of its personal relationships.
• Pastoral Care is central to the life of the school community, creating an environment where all feel safe and valued and where students are empowered to participate in the life of the school.
• Relationships within the school promote self-respect and self-discipline.
• The code of conduct emphasises the positive aspects of good behaviour.
• The school acknowledges the primary role of parents or guardians in the growth and development of the young person and provides opportunity for their participation in the life of the school.
• The school builds up a supporting community around itself with parents, past pupils and neighbours.
• In the allocation of resources, priority is given to services for students who have special needs.
• The school conducts all aspects of school life in a manner that is sensitive to the needs of each person and to the common good.
• Each member of the school is involved in service to others, in particular to those with special needs at local and global levels.
• In light of the teaching of Jesus Christ, leadership is understood as service.
• The dedicated work of staff members serves students and families.

Being Just and Responsible

We seek to act justly and responsibly in all our relationships

• A CEIST school seeks to act justly, promoting the well being of all its members
• The school stands in solidarity with those who are powerless and marginalized.
• The school is sensitive to the economic situation of each of its families.
• The resources of the school are managed wisely and fairly, with particular attention to those in need.
• The school co-operates with agencies in the development of initiatives that challenge all aspects of educational disadvantage.
• In the interests of safety and fair play for all the school encourages support networks in and beyond the school community.
• The school encourages its members to take an active role in supporting local and global charities.
• Through the curriculum and the various activities of the school, the staff and students are encouraged to reflect critically on issues of social justice at local and global levels.
• The school promotes and facilitates faith in action programmes, providing opportunities for each member to be active in identifying and alleviating forms of injustice in and beyond the school community.
• The school empowers and calls its members to responsible citizenship, to respect for the environment and to good stewardship of the earth.