REACHING OUT Work in the community Woldingham School is infused with the charism of St Madeleine Sophie Barat, the founder of the Sacred Heart Order, who once remarked, “for the sake of one child I would have founded the society.” The mission of Saint Madeleine Sophie permeates all aspects of school life and the foundations laid by the Sacred Heart Sisters are lived out on a daily basis within our inspirational and inclusive community. All aspects of school life are structured around the five Goals of Sacred Heart Education and during this academic year we have been living out the Goal of Personal Growth which affirms the uniqueness and worth of each individual member of the school community. Throughout the year students have been given the opportunity for self-development and personal formation and they have been encouraged to use their gifts and talents wisely in serving the needs of others.
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Your actions, even more than your words, will be an eloquent lesson to the world
During this academic year we travelled to Aylesford Priory in Kent for a Day of Reflection for all students in Years 7 to 11 and the focus for the day was based on the Goal of Personal Growth. Students spent time together reflecting on how they have grown as individuals, recognising and appreciating their own gifts and talents and the responsibility they have in serving others for, as St Paul reminds us, “The particular way in which the Spirit is given to each person is for good purpose” (1 Cor 12:7). 8
Year 9 students made a bookmark which they distributed to one another and Vicky Grechukhina wrote on her bookmark ‘let your smile change the world but don’t let the world change your smile’. As part of our Outreach Programme, Lower Sixth students are timetabled to go out on a voluntary placement each week for one academic term. They embrace the community projects which are organised by the Chaplaincy. Outreach activity is rooted in the Sacred Heart tradition and the words of St Madeleine Sophie when she said “Your actions, even more than your words, will be an eloquent lesson to the world”.