Our Ethos & Mission
Click here to learn more about what it means to be a Salesian.
Enlightening minds, uplifting hearts
Welcome to Salesian, our happy and thriving Catholic school and college community, a place where young people are nurtured to go out into the world and achieve great things!
Central to our mission is the belief that every child and student has God-given potential to make our world a better place and that the education and experiences they receive at Salesian, helps to provide the key to unlocking that potential.
Our mission here is characterised by the philosophy of the Salesian founder, St John Bosco. He stressed high educational standards but insisted on a friendly atmosphere in his schools where the idea of community could be fostered. Good relationships between all members of our community are key to everything we do. Our motto – ‘Enlightening minds, uplifting hearts’ – is taken from the writings of Don Bosco. We strive to ensure that every student feels genuinely loved at Salesian, in order that they develop into confident, capable young people who are determined to go out and make our world a better place; we call this “Building the Kingdom”.
We achieve these aspirations through strong pastoral support, excellent teaching and an extensive range of sporting, cultural, physical and social co-curricular activities. All this is delivered by an exceptional group of teachers and support staff who are totally committed to doing everything we can to ensure every child receives the best possible education.
Salesian has built a reputation for excellence that has been established since we were founded here in Chertsey over 100 years ago. Today, we are a mixed, comprehensive school meeting the needs of children of all abilities from 11-18 years. We provide for over 1800 students, including around 400 in our Sixth Form College, which is on its own specialised site. We are an academy and part of the Xavier Catholic Education Trust.
Our aspiration is to improve education for all and as part of the Xavier Teaching School Hub, we are dedicated to first class learning and teaching, professional development and supporting schools in difficulty. We also, through Xavier, play a key role in Teach SouthEast, the leading centre for initial teacher training in the region.
If you are interested in finding out more about learning, working, or training to teach at Salesian then please get in touch; we look forward to meeting you.
God bless,
Paul Gower
Headteacher
Don Bosco was a priest in 19th century Turin who, inspired by the work of St Francis de Sales, founded the Salesians to care for the young; today there are hundreds of Salesian orphanages, care homes and schools around the world. Don Bosco famously said “It is not enough for children to be loved; they must know that they are loved. At Salesian School in Chertsey, we strive to live up to his ideal every day.
Don Bosco’s ethos was centred in love, relationships and high expectations of the young people in his care. The success of Salesian school is built on these foundations. A deep love and care for the students, a focus on the quality of the relationships and a strict approach to standards and behaviour.
Salesian school was named the 8th best school in the UK according to The Times ‘Best state and grammar schools 2024’ list. It recognises the hard work of the wonderful students and staff at the school and the tremendous support it receives from parents and the local community.
Click here for full article from The Times.
Catholic secondary comprehensive school
Salesian School
Guildford Road
Chertsey
Surrey
KT16 9LU
Salesian College
Highfield Road
Chertsey
Surrey
KT16 8BX