At St. Augustine's, we are deeply committed to living out the values of Catholic Social Teaching (CST) in all aspects of our school life. Catholic Social Teaching is based around the Church’s belief that we can all make a difference in making our world a better place for all. These teachings are rooted in Scripture and especially in the teachings of Jesus found in the Gospels. Christ shows us how to walk in his footsteps, bringing love and care to those both near and far. We use the Caritas Westminster: Rooted in Love framework as the foundation for our approach to CST. This framework helps us inspire and guide our pupils and staff in building a just, compassionate and inclusive community.

The six core principles of Rooted in Love are:

1. Care for Creation – We honour God by protecting and caring for His creation. It is our responsibility to care for and nurture our environment and all creatures and resources which share our common home.
2. Community and Participation – God calls each of us to contribute to the good of others. We are called to be involved in our communities, to live out our faith in active ways. Everybody can play a part to ensure no one is left behind.
3. Dignity of Workers – Every worker has the right to be treated with fairness and respect. Human work and creativity provide the means by which men and women enhance their human dignity. The dignity of workers reflects their contribution to the common good and the building of a fair and just society.
4. Human Dignity – Dignity is the foundational principal of CST. Every person is made in the image of God and should be treated with love and respect. This means that people are more important than objects. 
5. Preferential Option for the Poor – The preferential Option for the Poor reflects our Christian mandate to meet God in those people who are poor and marginalised. We amplify their voice and advocate for systemic change to provide a fairer and more just society for all people. Jesus calls us to care for the poor and vulnerable, giving them special attention. 
6. Solidarity and Peace – We should all work together to bring peace and harmony to our communities. Violence and conflict between communities is destructive. As Christians, we are called to affirm the dignity of our fellow human beings and seek just and sustainable peace between nations and peoples.

These principles guide our mission to educate not only the mind but also the heart, encouraging our children to live out the Gospel message of love, service and justice in the world, fulfilling their Faith in Action. It is our vocation to live as Jesus and saints throughout the ages, bettering our world for everyone. At St. Augustine’s we follow the 6 key principles of social teaching which help us to contribute to the ‘Common Good’. Throughout each half-term, the children from Nursery Class to Year 6 learn about a different Catholic Social Teaching theme as shown in the order below: