What makes Sacred Heart remarkable?

We know that there are many great schools and many great educators. We do not claim to be the only exceptional school, but Sacred Heart schools across the world adopt a particular philosophy of education which you can read about below. This is unique to Sacred Heart Schools and is remarkable.

Our school in Hammersmith is also the custodian of a historically significant site and buildings; you can have a look inside by watching our video. The history of our site is recorded in the book 'The Nunnery at Hammersmith', available to purchase here.

Video

You can watch a 6-minute film about our school by clicking the image. This gives you a flavour of the values we hold and brings you inside to see parts of the school.

The Philosophy of Sacred Heart Education

Context

'Sacred Heart schools' are schools set up by the Society of the Sacred Heart. There are currently 155 Sacred Heart schools across the world that form a global network. In the English network, we are one of five schools and one college founded by the Society - but we feel blessed that ours is the only school in England where the Society of the Sacred Heart still retains direct trusteeship. The commentary below explains the philosophy of Sacred Heart Education and how it evolved.

Madeleine Sophie Barat

St Madeleine Sophie Barat

The founder of the Society, St Madeleine Sophie Barat (1779-1865) lived in France. Her family home was in Joigny, just outside Paris and Sophie would have been acutely aware of the violence of the French Revolution that occurred during her teenage years.

Sophie's mother and brother were Jansenists. This extreme form of Catholicism, condemned by the Pope, viewed God as judgemental and people as inherently sinful.

It was unusual for girls at that time to receive an education, but Sophie was tutored by her devout brother in Latin, Greek, history, natural science, Spanish and Italian. Sophie valued her education but not the values of Jansenism.

One of the remarkable aspects of Madeleine Sophie’s life was how (at a young age) she recognised education as a tool to facilitate a better understanding of the world and to feed a better understanding of oneself. She was empowered to reflect on her own personal value system and rather than conforming to Jansenism, she vowed instead to devote her life to communicating the love and kindness of theSacredHeart of Jesus throughout the world.

This wasn’t an easy journey of self-discovery. As a young woman, Sophie battled with self-doubt but over time she grew in confidence. She saw first-hand the importance of individual critical thinking and the need for young people to be recognised as individuals and nurtured in their own unique path to personal growth.

The Society of the Sacred Heart

At the age of 21, Sophie set up the Society of the Sacred Heart with a single goal - to communicate the love of the heart of Jesus through which all people can find their true growth as individuals; and the way towards reconciliation with one another. In essence, an internal process of self-reflection and an outward-looking process of social awareness, understanding, respect and the building of community for a better world.

The setting up of schools to educate young women was seen as an important component of the Society’s work to achieve its goal. Sophie wanted her students to discover the significance of their lives and to devote themselves to others; to take part actively and creatively in the common effort to transform the world into a better place; and to let their lives be shaped by an active faith.

Madeleine Sophie saw relationships between staff and students as central to her educational mission 'because through the dynamic of mutual respect, one experiences being honoured as a human being in whom the Spirit dwells'.

Sophie worked closely with her intrepid friend Philipine Duchesne (1799-1852) who travelled across the Atlantic to set up a Sacred Heart foundation and schools in America; and with Mabel Digby (1835-1911) who was responsible for the relocation of 2,500 Sacred Heart sisters from France to new foundations across the world, as France moved to secularisation. They inspired later sisters such as Janet Erskine Stuart (1857-1914), the great educator and first English Superior General of the Society, who developed Sophie’s philosophy further and trained teachers in Sacred Heart schools across the world.

St Philippine Duchesne travelling to America.

Mabel Digby RSCJ (Superior General 1895- 1911).

Janet Erskine Stuart RSCJ (Superior General 1911-1914).

It was Mabel Digby who purchased our site here in Hammersmith and who came in on that first day with her broom to start cleaning up ready to open the school. Janet Erskine Stuart visited us several times to conduct lesson observations here as part of staff training.

The Five Goals of Sacred Heart Education

Sacred Heart High School, Hammermsith.

Sophie’s philosophy (developed through Janet’s staff training) eventually led to the creation in the 1970s of the five goals of Sacred Heart education, with the intention that these be followed by Sacred Heart students across the world.

These still form the bedrock of Sacred Heart schools today.

To have an active faith
To value intellect
To value social awareness that it impels to action
To build community
To value individual personal growth

Janet Erskine Stuart's inspirational teachings are also central to school life, as can be seen within our Janet Stuart Wellbeing Centre below and in images across the school.

The Importance of Sacred Heart Education

The mission of the Society lives on today, led by the Sacred Heart Sisters including the Provincial Superior for England and Wales, Sr Cath Lloyd RSCJ. The Sisters control our Academy Trust Company and oversee the work of our governors. Our Foundation Governors work alongside the sisters as mission partners, together with our staff who receive training on what it means to be a Sacred Heart educator.

Sacred Heart Education is seen as important:

for the formation of thought and critical consciousness (just as Sophie reflected on the values of those around her and came to her own opinion of what was important);
as an intentional practise, as a means to seek the truth and understanding of humanity as a whole;
as a means of seeking a common horizon. Education is a dialogue and partnership with people many of whom have different beliefs. Listening deeply to the cries of humanity and creation is seen to be important with a response of compassionate action particularly for the most fragile and vulnerable;
to embrace the universality of humanity and feel called beyond differences of nationalities, languages and faith traditions. Love in action is the means through which all experiences are valued.

We value the importance of each student as an individual. We help them recognise the importance of intellect; to value their own personal growth; to recognise the value of being socially aware and to have an active purpose to help others; to build community and understanding across the world; and to value an active faith.

Sophie once said that students would not leave her schools fully formed, but her aim was to set them on a path. They should leave as individuals who are ‘seriously begun’ and who can then flourish through their later lives, with faith and readiness to contribute meaningfully to society.