“I have come that you may have life – and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)
These words of Jesus from the Gospel of St John underpin the Catholic philosophy of education, which is founded on the Christian belief of the importance of each person’s talents and capacities being developed to their full potential throughout life. This philosophy is realised in excellent Catholic schools which are committed to the full development of each pupil’s abilities.
Catholic education has been provided in Scotland for many centuries. Its foundations were in the monasteries which first provided education in the middle ages and which heralded the foundation by Papal authority of three of the ancient Scottish universities at St. Andrews in 1413, Glasgow in 1451, and Aberdeen in 1495.
Today, Catholic schools at primary and secondary level continue this fine tradition of Catholic education as a service not just to the Catholic community but to Scottish society more widely. Statistics show that, despite serving areas of significant social deprivation, Catholic schools make a great contribution towards narrowing attainment gap, raising aspiration and improving leaver destinations. Evidence also indicates that pupils who have attended Catholic schools have gone on to play their part in Scottish society and beyond, transmitting the values and the virtues which they have acquired through education.