Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The final week of the Church’s liturgical year begins with the Solemnity of Christ the King (this year – Sunday 24 November), which we now celebrate annually as World Youth Sunday. On the following Sunday, the First Sunday of Advent, its new liturgical year begins and the readings from the Holy Scriptures at Mass gradually build a sense of joyful hope and expectation which reaches its peak with the celebration of the Nativity of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.  

A week later, on 1 January, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Mary the Holy Mother of God, and the calendar year of the world is renewed. The liturgies of Advent, Christmas and the Mass on New Year’s Day are suffused with hope and joy. Hope and joy are among the baptismal gifts given to every Christian person and are the birthright especially of children and young people as they start out on their journey of life.

The theme given by the Holy Father Pope Francis for upcoming Jubilee Year 2025 is ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ and so this Advent our Catholic schools and educational establishments will be inviting children and young people to deepen their relationship with God, and to prepare to celebrate with hope and joy the birth of His Son in flesh and His promise to be with us through His Holy Spirit until the end of time.

An essential principle of Catholic education is the primacy of parents as the first teachers of their children. It recognises that, “Families are the first place where the values of love and fraternity, togetherness and sharing, concern and care for others are lived out and handed on” (Pope Francis – Fratelli Tutti, §114). The Catholic education provided by the Church’s schools, colleges and universities can only build upon that faith which is lived within the family and the home; but they are also communities of Christian hope and learning where that faith can grow in our children and young people and help them flourish.

Ahead of the coming holiday period, therefore, I would like to offer my sincere gratitude to school leaders, teachers, learning assistants, chaplains and all those employed in our diocesan schools, colleges and universities, for their dedicated work within the Catholic education sector.

In a similar way, I would like to express my thanks to the governors and trust boards of all our Catholic educational institutions, who give so generously of their time and expertise to volunteer in ensuring the highest standards of education are maintained.

I pray that the Lord will bless you, your families and loved ones through these hopeful days of Advent and Christmas, and may He keep you safe throughout the Jubilee Year of 2025.

With the assurance of my prayers for you all, I remain,

Your servant in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Rt Rev Marcus Stock
Chair of the Catholic Education Service
Bishop of Leeds

St Mary’s (pictured), one of four Catholic universities in England, has announced plans to open a new school of medicine on its Strawberry Hill campus in Twickenham.

The announcement comes after the General Medical Council (GMC) provided assurance that St Mary’s is currently on track and making good progress towards required standards for medical education. The university will initially be recruiting international students and plans to welcome its first cohort in September 2026.

Speaking of the news, St Mary’s University (SMU) Vice-Chancellor Professor Anthony McClaran said: “The launch of a school of medicine is a cornerstone of the university’s plan for strategic growth and is in keeping with our tradition of delivering a sustained, positive impact on society.

“The school will not only contribute to the workforce development demands in the UK for more doctors and medical professionals, but it will also train global professionals able to work anywhere in the world. Our approach to developing the whole person during students’ time at SMU will mean medics of the future will leave this university with the technical and personal skills they need to deliver truly holistic, compassionate, patient-centred care.”

Interim Founding Dean of the School of Medical Professor Michael Bewick added: "Complemented by the existing successful Allied Health and Sports Science provision, St Mary’s is the natural place to establish a forward-thinking centre of medical training. I am delighted we are making consistent steps forward in making this ambition a reality.”

In a further development, SMU has also signed a new curriculum partnership with the University of Central Lancashire. The partnership will see SMU use the University of Central Lancashire’s Bachelor Medicine Bachelor Surgery curriculum in the development of the School of Medicine and their commitment as SMU’s contingency partner throughout the GMC accreditation process.

Pro Vice-Chancellor (Health and Campus Development) Professor Cathy Jackson was the Founding Head of the University of Central Lancashire’s Medical School. She joined the institution in 2014 to set up the university’s medical school and led the team through to full accreditation of the programme by the GMC.

Professor Jackson said: “Opening a brand-new medical school will present St Mary’s University with the ability to teach the next generation of professionals in a modern way.

“When the University of Central Lancashire opened its new medical school, my team had the unique opportunity of writing a curriculum from scratch that would be fit for the long-term future.

“The University of Central Lancashire’s Medical School will now support St Mary’s new medical school as it’s contingent partner as it progresses through all the stages to full GMC accreditation, and I’m delighted they’ll now deliver the curriculum we created to their new cohort of students.”

St Mary's new school of medicine will benefit from the latest technology, new facilities, and advanced teaching practices, building on its proven history of teaching excellence and student satisfaction. SMU is currently placed in the Top 10 nationally for student experience and the Top 5 nationally for teaching quality in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024.

The GMC oversees both undergraduate and postgraduate medical education and training in the UK. Any institution looking to establish a new medical school or training programme must demonstrate that it meets the GMC’s standards by being subject to an extensive period of quality assurance. SMU is pleased to have been granted permission to move to the next phase of its School of Medicine and the University will be submitting further evidence to GMC as it works towards the final timetable.

Once complete, SMU’s new medical school will operate alongside health and medical schools at England's three other Catholic universities: Birmingham Newman University, Leeds Trinity University and Liverpool Hope University.

Find out more about the School of Medicine

Watch Prof Anthony McClaran and Prof Michael Bewick discuss the St Mary's School of Medicine

The following are tried and tested methods discussed at a recent training session arranged by the Diocese of Westminster Education Service.

Warning signs could be falling rolls every year, and not being the first choice for increasing numbers of pupils.  

Potential solutions:

• make contact with local pre-schools and nurseries, ensure school’s marketing materials displayed and available 

• invite pre-schools and nurseries to use school’s resources and attend taster days

• arrange reading sessions for pre-school and nursery children with school’s Year 6 pupils

• Record in database contact details not just of every prospective parent emailing the school to enquire about places, but also those phoning up or visiting reception

• use database to invite prospective parents to open days, at which school choir sing

• write to thank prospective parents for attending open day, invite them to ask questions

• email Christmas messages to prospective parents – ie ensure regular contact

• plan a school tour route for prospective parents, choose and carefully train pupils in how to be guides

• without clear instructions pupils may spend the tour focusing on their favourite or least favourite parts of the school, which may not align with what a prospective parent needs to see 

• headteachers could attend Mass in nearby churches and introduce the school, and be available to talk to prospective parents at the end

• spread these responsibilities across several staff members, make sure everyone aware of efforts to reverse falling school rolls

• don’t leave it all up to one already very busy staff member

The training was delivered by education marketing consultancy Grebot Donnelly Associates - for a free one-to-one meeting contact Aimee Monteith at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

For further advice on increasing pupil numbers for schools, contact your diocesan education service or schools commission