Central to Kilgraston’s ethos is the religious and spiritual development of our students. As a Catholic school, we warmly welcome pupils from all faiths and none, and the Chaplain and Sacred Heart Goals Committee aim to provide each girl with opportunities to develop her spiritual life.
Through experiences of prayer, formal and informal, each girl can reflect upon her personal growth and the significant relationships in her life, growing in wisdom. Through community service and participating in charitable activities, she can develop her full humanity and discover a sense of completeness and purpose in her life.
“Faith brings stability in my life and the chapel is for me a place of refuge.” Gabrielle, L6.
Sacred Heart
We are a member of the worldwide network of Sacred Heart schools, and we aim to help each pupil to become a responsible member of society, and to recognise her own self value, her capacity to be happy and her ability to bring joy to others.
We express our ethos through the five goals of the Sacred Heart:
- To develop a living faith
- To hold a deep respect for intellectual values
- To nurture the personal growth of each girl in our care
- To be a valued part of the community and to help build that community
- To have a social awareness which impels action
These values are experienced in many ways within the academic curriculum, the broader curriculum and in school life as a whole. There is a strong tradition at Kilgraston of both team work and pupil leadership. Each year we strive to live by these goals and we choose one in particular to focus upon.
The Sacred Heart network is world wide, with well in excess of 200 schools across the globe. From 2013, all senior girls have been offered the opportunity to visit another Sacred Heart school overseas for a fortnight as part of an exchange programme. This is an exciting development which offers a uniquely formative experience building friendships and providing the opportunity to experience another culture in a caring and safe environment.
Chaplaincy
“Having a chaplain at school means having someone to ask for help who won’t judge you. It’s having someone you can talk to about anything.” Sophie, U5
Through the Chaplaincy, we hope to provide help, support, encouragement and care so that Kilgraston will be a happy, spiritual place in which to learn and grow in faith. Preparation for the Sacraments within the Catholic Church is given by the Chaplain and she is happy to organise programmes with local ministers for pupils from other denominations. Mass is celebrated on Sundays and major feast days in our school chapel and confession is also available for those who wish it.
School Chapel
Our school Chapel is located very aptly at the centre of the school. It is there that we congregate each morning for assembly, beginning the day as a community with a prayer, a thought for the day and a hymn of thanksgiving.
Graced with the presence of two Lorimer sculptures – the central crucifix and the statue of Our Lady in the Lady Chapel – it provides a space for each member of our school community, staff and students, to take time to reflect, pray and step back from the hustle and bustle of school life. It is also a place where we gather together to celebrate and mark special occasions.
“I think that it is important to have a chapel in our school so we don’t forget what is essential in life. When we sing together and pray as a community we don’t have to worry about our problems.” Jana, U5
Comenius
To enable us to build up further links with our partner Sacred Heart schools in Vienna, Dublin, Malta and Armagh, we have been granted funding from the European Union in the form of a Comenius partnership grant. The project lasts for two years (2012-2014) and we hope that the links made and strengthened will be maintained and extended further in future years.
The Comenius project aims to develop knowledge and understanding among staff and pupils of the diversity of European cultures and languages, and the value of this diversity.
Society of the Sacred Heart
The school was run by the Sacred Heart sisters until 2000, when it became an independent charitable trust. It continues to be inspired by the values of the order and is fortunate that the Society continue to have a presence locally. The sisters run a retreat and spirituality centre nearby and those interested in learning more of their work should follow this link to their website.