Last week, I visited Savio Salesian College, Bootle, near Liverpool to talk to Mike Bennett (pictured above), Associate Assistant Headteacher (SLE), Head of RE and Chaplaincy Team member, about their 21st Century take on Church, School, Playground and Home.

Entering the bright, warm environment of the Salesian secondary school in Bootle and seeing the smiling, smartly turned-out students, it's clear that the school prides itself in working inclusively.

Associate Assistant Headteacher, Mike Bennett, outlined how Don Bosco's principle of loving kindness is applied by the staff to provide students with a nurturing environment that follows our founder's vision in going beyond offering a good academic education. All schools have a Continuing Professional Development programme for staff, but here, the Continuing Spiritual Development of staff ensures that everyone is "looking at the kids though Don Bosco's eyes", Mike said. The fact that there is no separation between Fr Jakub and Br Maciej, the Salesians of Don Bosco who form part of the Chaplaincy team, and the lay staff of the school in 'being Salesian', helps everyone to apply this consistent approach.

The homely atmosphere begins for a lot of students each morning at the very popular Breakfast Club, where 50p buys a healthy start to the day, and students can socialise before lessons begin.

The school's Bosco Group was founded over eight years ago on the Oratory model. Students meet each Thursday at lunchtime to talk, play or to work in one of the groups-within-a-group.

"There's a group for altar servers; a liturgy and drama group; some of the Bosco Group animate other events such as the Friday Mass," said Mike, "and some want to just sit and talk, and that's fine too." The school has close links with the Salesian parish of St James a couple of miles away, and a regular Prayer and Pizza event offers a very youth-oriented Mass which some parents also attend, followed by pizza and entertainment - with Bosco Magic provided by Fr Jakub, Chaplain and resident magician.

All students have the opportunity of a full-day retreat off-site, where spiritual nurturing is always accompanied by fun in the Salesian tradition. There is an active pilgrimage programme, with students visiting Lourdes, the Alps in the footsteps of St Francis de Sales, and an exchange with students at a Catholic school in Israel. The playground element is brought in to these pilgrimages by visiting the beach or the fair in addition to a full spiritual programme.

Mike said, "A lot of fundraising has to be done to cover the costs of trips to places such as Lourdes so everyone has the opportunity to go." He explained that the students are involved in fundraising activities like supermarket bag-packing.

With a great fundraising effort already under their belts, this year's Lourdes pilgrimage for around 40 students accompanied by 6 staff is in preparation. The pre-Reformation shrine at Holywell is likely to be the next destination; the school has intentions to invite Notre Dame Catholic College, Liverpool. The two schools have a strong bond, as they share the same Executive Head in Frances Harrison, who is a strong spiritual leader for both schools. In the Year of Mercy, groups from both schools walked to the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral together, where they entered the Holy Door and prayed the Stations of the Cross. The two schools have also been involved in Carols by Candlelight at Notre Dame, which has a long tradition in the school.

There is a lot of emphasis at Savio Salesian College on developing the leadership skills of students and involving them in preparing and animating activities for themselves. Hazel Fort, who was formerly in the RE department at Notre Dame, now volunteers with the Chaplaincy Team, where she runs the Peer Chaplaincy programme, an initiative set up in January 2015 by Br Joe. "It makes sure the kids are not just passive recipients of worship and prayer; they are active in their spiritual lives," Mike said. The Peer Chaplains accompany Hazel to collective worship in three form classes each week. "It's brought a lot of students out of their shells and it's great for leadership, but they are also wonderful role models, and it's also CDP for staff, seeing what they can come up with. They have real ownership of this."

The Chaplaincy Team has great plans for Don Bosco Day, and for Lent, and I can't wait to see the results.

I left Savio Salesian College feeling incredibly uplifted, having seen the dedication of staff and enthusiasm of students who are reinventing Don Bosco's Oratory model for their own place and time.