"Guided by the Holy Spirit, together we SOAR." These words form the mission statement of Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School in St Helens, our School of the Month for October.

During our visit, we met headteacher Sinead Walsh and toured the school to discover what makes Holy Spirit such a special place for its pupils, families and staff, and how its mission is brought to life every day.

Sinead explained: "We relaunched our mission statement in September as part of our celebrations marking the school's 25th anniversary.

"We were delighted to welcome Archbishop John Sherrington, who celebrated Mass with us to mark this significant milestone and officially launch our new mission statement."

Now in her fifth year as headteacher, having previously served as deputy head, Sinead has been part of the Holy Spirit community for 11 years.

She said: "The school has been on a huge journey during that time. What makes Holy Spirit so special is the teamwork we have here. That includes our children, staff, parents, governors and the wider community."

Faith is clearly woven through every aspect of school life: "It underpins everything we do.

"We have very strong links with our parish. Once a month, our parish priest Fr Jean Paul Ilunga celebrates a Family Mass on a Sunday and all pupils, families and staff are invited. The children sit together and one of our governors, who is a catechist, organises breakfast afterwards.

"We also use the church for First Holy Communion preparation so that our children feel comfortable and familiar in a church setting."

Holy Spirit is part of Wave One of the Archdiocese's A Family in Christ: Our Future Together strategy and is preparing to join St Joseph Catholic Multi Academy Trust.

Sinead said: " We’re really excited to be joining the St Joseph’s family and have felt incredibly welcomed by the Trust from day one.

“We know our staff will benefit from the excellent CPD opportunities available through the Trust, and we see this as a fantastic opportunity to continue to grow and thrive.

“I’ve visited schools that are already part of the Trust and have seen first-hand the positive impact it has had. In many ways, it already feels as though we are part of the St Joseph’s family, which is a testament to the trust’s strong family ethos and the sense that we are all on this journey together as one Family in Christ.”

The school takes great pride in its inclusive environment, ensuring every child feels supported and valued.

Sinead said: "We have a sensory room called Rainbow Dream Den, which is available to all pupils. It's a calm, welcoming space where children can relax and regulate throughout the school day.

"Warmth is what makes our school so special. Children enjoy coming to school and our staff work incredibly hard to create that positive environment.

"We also place a strong emphasis on working closely with parents and carers. Through initiatives such as regular Learn and Share events, parents and carers are invited into classrooms to see their children learning and spend time with teachers.

"Some parents may have had different experiences during their own school years, and we want to show them what a welcoming and supportive environment school can be."

Beyond the classroom, Holy Spirit offers a wide range of enrichment opportunities and partnerships that help children develop new skills and interests.

"We work with organisations such as Bikeability, which teaches children safe cycling skills, and St Helens Rugby Club, whose coaches deliver training sessions in school.

"We also have a CAFOD Club whose members are passionate about making a difference in the world, as well as a fantastic choir.

"We're incredibly fortunate to have local singer-songwriter Paul Delaney working with our children each week. Our pupils are phenomenal singers, and being part of the choir has opened up wonderful opportunities, including performing Christmas carols and helping to switch on the Christmas lights in each year."

As our visit drew to a close, Sinead reflected on the school's mission and aspirations for the future.

"We work together as a team to help every child shine and provide opportunities for all our pupils to excel.

"Our school helps our children soar in everything they do and believe that they can achieve whatever they set their minds to. Holy Spirit is a very special place to be.

"As a school, we're embracing change and looking forward to the next stage of our journey as we join a Catholic Multi Academy Trust and become part of A Family in Christ: Our Future Together."

For the staff, pupils and families of Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School, that spirit of faith, togetherness and ambition can be seen throughout the school, making it a very worthy School of the Month.