Religious Life
Prior Park College has a strong Catholic tradition. Indeed, the school was originally founded as a Catholic College shortly after Catholic emancipation. The College sits within the Catholic Diocese of Clifton and several former Catholic Bishops resided at the College. Many of our current Day Houses are named for former Bishops in this part of the world – Baines House, Clifford House, Brownlow House, and Burton House all take their names from Roman Catholic prelates who strongly supported our school.
In 2024, the Trustees of Prior Park took the decision to change the school’s designation from that of a Catholic school to a Christian school. Prior Park continues to warmly welcome Catholic students alongside students of other Christian denominations, other religions, and those of no religion. Many parents choose the College because of its strong Christian community which underpins our values and our ethos. A Christian spirit and Christian principles inform all aspects of the school community. We continue to enjoy a close relationship with the Catholic Diocese of Clifton, a recognition of the central role that the Catholic faith played in the formation and history of our College.
Today, Catholic students at our College are supported in their faith and weekly Mass is available for all students who choose to attend. Our Boarding Community has a weekly Service in our beautiful College Chapel – Our Lady of the Snows. This service takes the shape of a Catholic Liturgy of the Word. Catholic students are also supported in their sacramental preparations due to our excellent links with our local Catholic parishes. Prayer remains a regular part of life in our College, and our students all have an opportunity to pray each day.
Prior Park College welcomes pupils from all faith backgrounds and ensures that the teaching of other major world religions (such as Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism) is delivered through our Religion, Philosophy, and Ethics Course. This course is taught throughout the school, with GCSEs and A Levels being an option which all students can choose if they wish.