Former pupil and now the head of one of England's leading Catholic schools, Dr James Whitehead, told parents and pupils at St. Ambrose College of the very real challenges facing faith education.

Speaking at the Hale Barns Catholic Grammar School's annual speech night in the Bridgewater Hall, Dr. Whitehead, who is the first lay head at Downside in Somerset, said: “It is crucially important that we understand and help support Catholic schools to meet the challenges all faith schools but Catholic schools in particular face in our society today.”

Dr Whitehead who was a pupil at St Ambrose Preparatory School in the early 1980s before spending two years at the senior school and then moving in to Stonyhurst College, argued: “We must be very strong in recognising what Catholic education offers to society and promote that positive influence.”

Dr Whitehead, who went up to Hertford College Oxford with further degrees from Stirling and Manchester universities, and has previously taught at several of the country's leading independent and Catholic schools, added: “Catholic schools offer young people a grounding that makes them more aware of the values of service above and beyond their own material wealth. It helps young people grapple with many of the philosophical issues they will encounter in later life by recognising the value of prayer and the sacrament in all our lives. Those people whose lives are rooted in faith are stronger. Our faith should is something to be proud of not to be hidden.”

Dr. Whitehead also remembered his younger days, playing the Countess Olivia in Twelfth Night, adding:“Of course many of my current pupils would now think I should be playing Malvolio.”

He commented about the new £24 million St. Ambrose College building, “It's light. It's airy. It's a wonderful building, but what I particularly like is that you have built a chapel right at the heart of the college.”

St. Ambrose College principal James Keulemans said: “It was pleasure to welcome such a distinguished former pupil back to St. Ambrose and listen to him reaffirm the values we all hold close and are working to protect.”