Welcome to Stella Maris Catholic Primary School

Our Gospel Values - Love, Trust, Care, Share and Respect

Stella Maris is a one form entry Catholic Primary School located in central Folkestone, and serves the parish of Our Lady, Folkestone.  We are one of 23 primaries and 5 secondaries that form Kent Catholic Schools' Partnership (KCSP) all of which are part of the Archdiocese of Southwark.

We are very much a family school and provide a caring atmosphere, an exciting curriculum, and great opportunities for all our children. Most, but not all, of our children are Catholics – those who do not share that faith still choose the school because of our family values and the work we do to teach the children about loving God and their fellow man. All the work of the school is based on our five Gospel values and we have two simple school rules:

Our School Rules: Treat Others As You Wish To Be Treated and Act Sensibly At All Times

Our Learning Values are the attitudes and attributes we work to promote amongst our learners:

• Independence: ‘In our school we want each person to have the confidence to develop their own ideas and the freedom to express them’;
• Interdependence: ‘In our school we want each person to have the attitude and ability to work together towards shared goals and aspirations in a secure and supportive environment’;
• Creativity: ‘In our school we want each person to be able to think for themselves in order to create new knowledge and to develop the confidence to solve problems’;
• Challenge: ‘In our school we want each person to surprise themselves by achieving more than they thought they could through having the security to value risks in their learning, playing and relationships’;
• Thinking: ‘In our school we want everyone to make a success of their lives by increasing their capacity for effective thought and then harnessing its power’;
• Spirituality: ‘In our school we want everyone to appreciate that they are on a personal journey where everyday experience contributes to valuing themselves and others, and reaffirms the meaning of their lives’.

We hope that you enjoy your visit to our website, and that you find the information you are looking for. Please feel free to contact the school direct with any queries you may have. It is always a pleasure to welcome prospective parents and you are warmly invited to visit the school.

Headteacher's Welcome

Welcome to our school community. It is a joy and a privilege to lead a place where our Catholic values are not simply spoken about, but lived out each day. They shape who we are, how we learn, and the way we treat one another.

At the heart of our mission is the belief that every child is a unique and precious gift. We work hard to create a nurturing environment where pupils feel safe, known, and encouraged to grow into the very best version of themselves. Whether in the classroom, on the playground, or through wider opportunities, we aim to help each child flourish academically, socially, and spiritually.

Catholic Social Teaching guides much of what we do. Principles such as dignity, community, stewardship, and justice inspire our curriculum, our relationships, and our commitment to serving others. We want our pupils not only to succeed, but to understand their responsibility to make a positive difference in God's world.

I hope this website gives you a sense of the warmth, ambition, and faith-filled ethos that make our school such a special place. We look forward to welcoming you into our family.

This is what our parents say:

 "It has a lovely community and feels like the teachers all genuinely care about the children. We love the schools values. It also offers lots of fun extra curricular activities which our daughter loves."

"The staff have created an amazingly nurturing environment for our children, and they are so welcoming and involving of parents. As parents we love the school as much as our kids do, thank you!"

"Stella Maris has a lovely, warm and welcoming atmosphere. My son is very happy here and I have recommended the school to many contacts. It has a great reputation in the town - deservedly so."

"My child is very happy at this school. There is a wonderful, welcoming, inclusive atmosphere as soon as you walk into the school, and the loving, supportive ethos comes across in everything the staff do. I would recommend Stella Maris to anyone, and do regularly sing its praises to other local parents."