This text provides a concise and authoritative account of why the Catholic Church provides schools and what constitutes the Catholic ethos of a Catholic school. It further clarifies the Church’s requirement that those holding key posts in Catholic schools should be practising Catholics, and explains what that means. This is a clear, systematic document which will help many people, including Catholic teachers, parents, and governors as well as non-Catholic educationalists and government officials, to understand the mission of Catholic schools. The questions examined include: What are the fundamental characteristics of a Catholic School? How do these make Catholic schools distinctive? Who are Catholic schools provided for? What is a Catholic school’s ethos? What does the term ‘practising Catholic’ refer to when applied to key school posts? What are the requirements for appointments to key school posts?