At Our Lady and St Paul’s, our Catholic faith is at the heart of all that we do. We are deeply blessed by the strong and vibrant relationship we share with our parish community and recognise the important partnership between home, school and parish in nurturing the faith and spiritual development of every child.

Our school is proud to be part of the parish of Our Lady and St Joseph’s, Heywood, a welcoming and active Catholic community which seeks to live out the Gospel message through prayer, worship, service and care for others.

Together, school and parish work in partnership to help our children grow in faith, deepen their relationship with God and understand their call to serve others. Through these experiences, our pupils are encouraged not simply to learn about their faith, but to live it through their words, choices and actions.

Our relationship with the parish is an important part of the Catholic life and mission of our school. Throughout the year, pupils, families, staff and parishioners come together to celebrate significant moments in the Church’s liturgical year and the sacramental life of the Church.

Our children are encouraged to recognise that they are active members of the wider Church community. They are given opportunities to participate in parish life, contribute to prayer and liturgy and respond to the needs of others through charitable outreach and service.

Through our partnership with the parish, pupils develop an understanding of Catholic Social Teaching and the responsibility we all share to uphold human dignity, care for God’s creation, support those in need and work for the common good.

Prayer and liturgy are central to the life of our school and our relationship with the parish.

We are fortunate to have our beautiful parish church close to school, enabling pupils to experience prayer and worship within the wider Catholic community. Children attend and participate in school and parish Masses, liturgical celebrations and other opportunities for prayer and reflection throughout the year.

These experiences help pupils to understand the richness of Catholic worship and give them increasing opportunities to participate actively and reverently in the prayer life of the Church.

Our close relationship with the parish also supports our children as they prepare for and celebrate the sacraments, working in partnership with families and parish clergy.

Our parish church and community also enrich the teaching of Religious Education.

Visits to the church allow pupils to explore Catholic traditions, symbols, sacred spaces and the celebration of the sacraments in a meaningful context. Links with our priest and parish community help children connect what they learn in Religious Education with the lived experience of the Catholic faith.

In this way, our partnership with the parish supports pupils in developing their religious knowledge and understanding while helping them recognise how faith can shape everyday life.

Our Lady and St Joseph’s, Heywood is a vibrant parish community which strives to live out the Gospel in daily life. The parish warmly welcomes existing parishioners, newcomers and visitors and provides many opportunities for people to come together in faith.

Parish life reflects the diversity of the wider Heywood community and includes opportunities for prayer and worship, fellowship, charitable outreach and service to those in need both locally and further afield. The parish also enjoys strong relationships with its Catholic schools, recognising the shared responsibility of parish, families and schools in supporting the faith formation of children and young people.

We are fortunate to have our beautiful parish church nearby and value the many opportunities this provides for our children to worship and learn as part of the wider Church community.

The Catholic mission in Heywood was founded from Rochdale in 1855. In 1856, a church, school and presbytery were built in Dawson Street. As the Catholic community continued to grow, plans were developed for a larger church.

The foundation stone of the present church was laid on 13 October 1913, and the building was completed in 1916. Designed by Oswald Hill, the church is an early twentieth-century brick basilican building in the Romanesque style, with an impressive arched interior and richly decorated sanctuary and transepts.

Today, the church continues to be a place of prayer, worship, celebration and community for generations of Catholics in Heywood.

For further information about Our Lady and St Joseph’s Parish, including Mass times, parish events and the weekly newsletter, please visit the church website.