Catholic distinctiveness in a multicultural setting: a case study of how a Catholic secondary school serves its community

In this dissertation, the necessity for Catholic schools to be welcoming to students of other faiths and none, whilst retaining a distinctly Catholic ethos, is explored in the context of a Catholic secondary school in London. The study focuses on attempting to establish what a Catholic school in a religiously diverse and multicultural setting should ‘look like’ and how it can best serve all of its students. The study will then turn to the case study school in London to ascertain how it serves its diverse student community. The reviewed literature indicates that whilst there is some disagreement with regard to exactly how Catholic schools should go about welcoming students of other faiths, there is a clear imperative from Church teaching to welcome such students and to ensure that their academic and spiritual development needs are met. Interviews of key staff members and questionnaires of students within the case study school were conducted in order to gain an insight into how the school serves its students. In particular, Catholic student responses and the responses of students from other faiths were compared in order to highlight any differences in student perceptions of school life. Whilst the case study school had many areas of good practice and had clearly fostered a very positive community atmosphere, the topic of spirituality within the school and the teaching of Religious Education are highlighted as areas where the school could possibly focus in order to move closer to the ideals outlined in the review of the literature. Possible recommendations for improvement are offered as part of the conclusion.