There are 2,087 Catholic schools in England and 82 Catholic schools in Wales in the state-funded sector, and they make up 9% of the total number of state schools. In addition, there are approximately 120 independent Catholic schools. This means that around 850,000 pupils are taught in Catholic schools.
Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to be Catholic to work in one, although it is important to be able to uphold the tenets of the Catholic faith. Currently more than 40% of teachers in Catholic schools are Catholic. Certain leadership positions (headteacher, deputy headteacher, and head of RE) are usually filled by practising Catholics (this is in line with the Equalities Act 2010).
Teaching in a school with a religious character is, on one hand, no different from teaching in schools without a religious character. You teach according to the curriculum, the staff structure is broadly similar in all schools, there are the same rules and regulations to abide by. Evolution and reproduction is taught in science, and creationism is not taught. Catholic schools also teach Religious Education so that pupils have knowledge and theological understanding of the Catholic faith as well as an understanding of the faith and traditions of other religions.
Catholic schools have, on average, a catchment area ten times larger than community schools have. The Catholic Education Service states that this means that, “the pupil population sometimes does not directly mirror the local community immediately surrounding the school.” Catholic school populations can be socially mixed and different communities can be brought together. They are diverse places, with pupils from a range of faith backgrounds and no faith. In fact, around 40% of pupils in Catholic schools are of other faiths or none.
Joe Teague, History Teacher at Worth School
Joe Teague is a history teacher at Worth School, an independent Catholic co-educational boarding and day school. Here, he describes his experiences of life as a teacher in a Catholic independent school…
“I started teaching in 2022 though I had worked as a Teaching Assistant for 3 years before that. I teach History and joined worth in January of this year. I'm a Catholic and as we are a bit of a minority in the UK I'm keen to support Catholic Education. Also, I think that Catholicism has a lot to offer education particularly with regard to going beyond a focus on exams and focusing on producing good men and women.
“The Catholic ethos of the school provides a view of humans holistically and this allows or encourages us even to help our students not just to pass exams but hopefully to develop into flourishing young men and women who are happy. We all know that life is about more than exams but sometimes that can be hard to tell from how schools operate. My experience is that Catholic schools can offer something different. Obviously, other schools do this as well, but it is maybe something that happens naturally in a Catholic school.
“I like the focus on the person/people in front of us as a whole. Exams are important and we want our pupils to do well, but we also want them to tell the truth, to think of others before themselves, to treat others respectfully because when they don't do these things it is not just that they have broken a rule, it is that they are damaging themselves and others.”
Dr Steven Lockwood, Mathematics Teacher at St Oscar Romero’s Catholic School
Dr Steven Lockwood is a mathematics teacher at St Oscar Romero’s Catholic School, a secondary school in West Sussex. Here, Dr Lockwood discusses his life as a teacher there.
“I have been teaching 5 years, with this being my first year at St Oscar Romero. Previously I taught at The Littlehampton Academy. After being approached by my parish priest I was asked to be a governor of a local catholic primary school. During the process of application, I toured the primary school and the catholic ethos and sense of local community shone through. This is part of the reason I applied to Romero.
“It has been clear to me that the Catholic ethos is a foundation of the local school I have taught in/toured. There is a sense of importance to take care of the children under our supervision and go beyond that of other schools as part of religious duty as staff. It also underpins the values of the students and staff. There is a dignified respect and politeness towards one another. It is also wonderful to collect as a group for masses and feast days to celebrate our communal values and beliefs.
“Due to the Catholic ethos I feel far more valued by staff and students, and when things don’t go to plan, there is an earnest reconciliation approach to resolving it. Romero values the students as a whole. Despite having high expectations academically, the students have huge opportunities to develop their wider person. This could be trips, sport, or a range of activities. I love to see the range of things both staff and students get up to.
“I would tell teachers who are considering applying to teach in a Catholic school to apply. Catholic schools have a respect for all beliefs. Their ethos also is wonderful as they promote respect and tolerance. Even if you are not of faith, you will be welcomed and encouraged.”
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Find out more…
St Oscar Romero | Catholic School (stromeros.co.uk)
Worth School | Independent School Sussex
About the author
Elizabeth Holmes
After graduating with a degree in Politics and International Relations from the University of Reading, Elizabeth Holmes completed her PGCE at the Institute of Education, University of London. She then taught humanities and social sciences in schools in London, Oxfordshire and West Sussex, where she ran the history department in a challenging comprehensive. Elizabeth specialises in education but also writes on many other issues and themes. As well as her regular blogs for Eteach and FEjobs, her books have been published by a variety of publishers and translated around the world. Elizabeth has also taught on education courses in HE and presented at national and international conferences.
