MALVERN ROAD

MOORDOWN

BOURNEMOUTH

BH9 3BY

Telephone 01202 528811

Fax 01202 532875

Headmaster: Mr Robert Dare

Number on roll: Over 450

The school is a Roman Catholic mixed primary school with grant-maintained status. The age range is 4+ to 11+ years.

The Doctrine given is in accordance with the teachings of the Catholic Church.

St Walburga’s School exists to further the work of Christ and this fundamental truth is the essence of all that we are and all that we do. We aim to be a warm and welcoming school reaching out and forging links with those whom we meet.

We are part of the Catholic diocesan family of Portsmouth. The governors, staff and parents aim to work together as a friendly, caring community for the benefit of all the children in the school. In this way we can ensure that all aspects of school life are firmly rooted in Christian ideals. The aim of the school is to prepare the children for the years ahead, fully aware of the needs of others, so that each child may learn to live as a member of God’s creation at peace in a multi-cultural society, in the following ways:

• SPIRITUALLY as members of a living, loving, reconciling, worshipping community with Christ at its centre, witnessing to society at large.

• SOCIALLY & MORALLY respecting the unique value of each person created in God’s image thus upholding the teachings of Christ which encourage a true sense of self-discipline, social responsibility and mutual respect.

• ACADEMICALLY developing the children’s talents, abilities, skills and understanding to their full potential through a broad and balanced curriculum.

To achieve this, the school looks to the partnership with parents for the development of the faith and religious commitment to their children. Parents are the first educators of the children and our school sees itself as an extension of the family.

The life of the school and the whole curriculum are based on our living faith. We hope to share that faith by introducing it to some, rekindling it for others and deepening it for many, by giving witness to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We aim to foster a personal spiritual life and a love and understanding of the sacraments in all the members of the school community through prayer, worship and example.

Princess Walburga was the daughter of Prince Richard, the son of a Kentish king whose wife was a relative of St Boniface. At the age of twelve, Walburga was sent to Wimborne Benedictine Community which had five hundred members and was renowned for the education of its novices, its missionary work and literacy achievements. In 748, St Boniface wrote to Abbess Tetta of Wimborne requesting help in his work to convert the German pagan tribes. St Lioba, Tecla and Walburga left Wimborne with a group of thirty nuns for missionary work under the guidance of Archbishop Boniface and Bishop Buckhard of Wurzburg. They established under St Lioba the first monastery at Tauberbischofsheim, the second at Oschenfurt and the third at Kitzingen. Tecla became the first Abbess of Oschenfurt and later the Abbess of Kitzingen. Walburga’s two brothers Willibald and Winnibad were responsible for the founding of a monastery at Heideheim. Winnibad was the Abbot. Willibald became the Bishop of Eichstadt.

In 760, when her brother died, Walburga - already Abbess of the female monastery - took over the running of the male monastery until her death in 799. Her remains were buried in a hollow rock and the cave became a place of pilgrimage after Walupris oil, which was considered to have miraculous healing qualities, exuded from the rock.

St Walburga’s principal shrine is at Eichstadt where a Baroque church has been built in her name near the cave. At a later date, her relics were moved into the Church on her feast day which in Germany, is kept on 1st May.