The modern person wants a reason in order to believe. The days of accepting something purely out of obedience or a sense of duty alone are long gone. Aquinas' writings provide a rationale and purpose for living a life of virtue. Aquinas wrote that the virtuous life is the journey towards divine happiness with God which can start right now on earth. The virtues are proposed as human descriptions of God's attributes so that we might be trained to become like God, ready to live in his happiness forever.
"The Goal Of The Virtuous Life Is To Become Like God" (St. Gregory of Nyssa, CCC§1803).
In our educational model, everything is understood, explained and promoted in terms of virtue. Students learn that all the different facets of life, all the different aspects of Christianity and the totality of what education means (no matter what subject matter they might be learning) are all part of the growth in virtue so that they might see that everything they are doing in their education prepares them now to share in God's own divine life. Virtues are to be taught, caught and sought. We have a weekly group session so that virtue is taught: students learn the 'why' of virtues, the meaning of each virtue and how they sit together to enable them to grow in eternal happiness. We seek to enable students to "catch" virtues by modeling and noticing them in others. Students are taught to do something extra each day for someone. At the end of each day, students look back on their day in a group session to see how they and others exercised the virtue of charity. By discussing daily experiences of practice in virtue, students inspire each other daily to seek out virtue with greater zeal.
When students grow in virtue, they clearly display their inherent divine likeness. By growth in virtue, students make visible to others the invisible divine persons of the Holy Trinity (St. Columbanus, Instr 11:1-2).
Thomas Aquinas took Christ's words literally -"call no man teacher" (Matt 23:8): God alone is the real teacher who speaks into the heart of the student revealing truth - one person to another ('cor ad cor loquitur' as St. JH Newman would say). Aquinas explained that the role of the human person often called a "teacher", is rather that of a facilitator. Aquinas compared the role of the educational facilitator to that of a medical doctor in his day: a trained professional who diagnoses and proposes a remedy for the patient to let nature bring healing. In understanding an educator's role as that of a doctor, one thinks of the personal nature of the interaction between a doctor and their patient. Through guided independent study, the student opens himself in silence to the Lord. In this silence, God reveals his truths and very self to the scholar aided by their learning support mentor, parents, subject tutors and other students.
Nurturing a profound interior spiritual life is a crucial element in the education of our students. Western society produces adults who are mostly out of touch with their spiritual selves. Like adults who struggle to love if they have never been shown love as children, so people not brought up to be spiritually alive normally struggle to grow in the spiritual life through adulthood. To address this, we endeavour to incorporate various forms of prayer, dedicated scriptural study, and catechesis each day, aiming to nurture individuals who are spiritually awakened and poised to embark on a profound spiritual journey as they transition toward maturity.
All are called to the vocation of love, the virtue of charity, but how this manifests itself differs from person to person according to the gifts that God has given them and the skills and knowledge they have acquired in life. Our educational model is designed to prepare students for their vocations, providing them with the knowledge and skills they need for a vocation, whatever that might be. To achieve this, we provide a comprehensive education with a focus on specialisation in the later stages, equipping students to become the leaders of tomorrow in their respective fields. Our emphasis on the humanities ensures that students gain a profound understanding of the world and its development.
We prioritise cultivating a strong command of the English language. Through the chronological study of literature (English and European) spanning different eras, students witness how literature has influenced and reflected beliefs, customs and practices. Likewise, our study of history, approached chronologically in both primary and secondary education, allows students to perceive "His Story" interwoven through the fabric of time and human experience.
Computer literacy and touch-typing are crucial foci in our curriculum, preparing students for the demands of the workplace and ministries, which increasingly rely on computers. Most students are expected to sit the iGCSE in ICT which covers advanced features of MS Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Access database, staying safe on the internet and website building using HTML and CSS. Many students engage in software development through an iGCSE in Computer Studies, so are ready for the industrial revolution of our age.
Our commitment to language learning and cultural appreciation provides students with diverse perspectives and beauty from around the world. An annual international student exchange program with parent-led educators in Italy further enriches cultural experiences. Students learn up to three iGCSE modern foreign languages, with a minimum expectation of at least one iGCSE foreign language for all students.
Fine Art practices and techniques are introduced at the primary level, with potential assistance for those pursuing GCSE-level Art. A strong emphasis on Mathematics and Sciences prepares students for further study in these areas at an advanced level.
Recognising the need for more musicians in the Church, all students are required to learn a musical instrument for at least a year during their time with us. We also promote healthy living through sports and physical activities.
For academically capable students aged 15-18, we propose an English Baccalaureate. These students undertake A Levels and AS Levels over four years, typically covering 4 subjects across humanities, foreign languages, Mathematics, and/or Sciences. For example, a student aspiring to study Physics at university might choose AS Level French, AS Level Business Studies, A Level Physics and A Level Maths. In contrast, a student aiming for further studies in Theology might opt for AS Level Biology, A Level Latin, A Level Philosophy & Ethics, and A Level Religious Studies for example.
Puer Iesus College is a ministry of Virtue Academy (UK Charity No: 1204268)
Greenhill Lodge, Argos Hill, Rottherfield. East Sussex. TN6 3QH
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