Welcome to St Richard's Catholic Primary School

A welcome from our Head of School - Sydney Bridges:

My name is Mrs Sydney Bridges, and I am immensely proud to be the Head of School of St Richard’s Catholic Primary School, a vibrant, inclusive and aspirational learning community. We are a medium-sized primary school situated in Chichester, West Sussex, with approximately 315 pupils on roll, and we are part of the Bosco Catholic Education Trust.

St Richard’s is a diverse and multicultural school where every child is known, valued and respected as a unique member of God’s family. We have high expectations for all pupils and are committed to ensuring that every child is supported to achieve well academically, socially and spiritually. Our school was judged ‘Good’ with elements of ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted (February 2022) and ‘Good’ in our most recent Catholic School Inspection.

Our mission statement reflects the heart of our work:
“We take Jesus Christ at the centre of all that we do: To Know, To Love, To Serve.”
This mission underpins our curriculum, relationships and wider school life. We aim for pupils to leave St Richard’s knowing God and the world He created, growing in love for Jesus and for one another, and developing a strong sense of social responsibility by recognising and responding to the needs of others by serving both locally and globally.

We believe that children thrive when they feel safe, happy and challenged. Safeguarding and pupil wellbeing are at the centre of our practice, and we promote positive behaviour, mutual respect and kindness so that pupils develop strong attitudes to learning and take pride in their achievements. Children are encouraged to become reflective, responsible and resilient learners who are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

Our curriculum is broad, balanced and ambitious, carefully designed to build knowledge and skills progressively while nurturing curiosity and a love of learning. Teaching is underpinned by strong subject knowledge and informed practice, ensuring that learning is engaging, purposeful and inclusive. Our dedicated staff recognise each child’s God-given talents and individual needs, and classrooms are purposeful, creative environments where pupils are actively involved in their learning.

We further enrich the curriculum through specialist teaching in Spanish, visiting speakers, hands-on workshops, educational visits and themed learning days. These experiences support pupils’ personal development, helping them to develop confidence, cultural awareness and aspirations for the future.

If you would like to find out more about St Richard’s Catholic Primary School, you are very welcome to visit us. Our pupils are proud of their school and enjoy talking about their learning and sharing their achievements. If you are unable to attend an open event, please contact the school office to arrange a guided tour on 01243 784549.

Mrs Sydney Bridges
Head of School

To request paper copies of any of the documents found on this website, please contact the school office by calling 01243 784549 or emailing office office@strichardsprimary.co.uk. This service is free of charge.