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“St Jo’s is special to me because it has truly changed my life. It allowed me to be myself while at the same time excelling academically and developing emotionally.”

– Carys Smith, Student

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COMMUNITY AT ST JOSEPH’S COLLEGE

We’re all in this together – every day and always

The community sets St Joseph’s College apart. The family feel and sense of being a valued part of something bigger make it a very pleasant place to come to school for students, for parents and families, for alumni and for staff.

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Thanks partner – together we can do so much

St Joseph’s College is fully committed to partnerships in the local community and beyond, believing them to be mutually beneficial.

Our students are encouraged to recognise themselves within the context of a wider community, region, nation and planet. For them and for St Joseph’s College as a whole, this context offers opportunities and responsibilities.

The school has strong and developing links with a number of organisations, with important partnerships in the areas of Sport and the Arts, including Ipswich Town FC, Ealing Trailfinders and Northampton Saints Rugby Clubs, Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme, Arts International, Arts Council England and NSX Adventure. Students receive access to high-level specialist support and pathways through these partnerships.

In turn, the school uses its in-house expertise, facilities and links to the benefit of local maintained schools and groups. St Joseph’s also works hard to support a large number of charities, including East Anglian Air Ambulance, local children’s and adult hospices, cancer charities, Children in Need, Comic Relief and the Ukraine Appeal. Support for the wider world begins at Prep School, with beach cleans, bird counts and Christmas appeals in aid of children in need both locally and internationally. Opportunities continue right through the College, with our Sixth Formers spearheading the annual People in Need appeal, now in its fourth decade.

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Our House system fosters student community and engagement

The house system at St Joseph’s College fosters enrichment, leadership and personal development

St Joseph’s College currently has four houses:

Birkfield (Red) taken from the name of the Georgian house at the centre of the campus. It is now the school’s administrative building.
Goldrood (Yellow) takes its name from the Grade ll listed mansion in use as a boys’ boarding house.
La Salle (Green) is named in honour of the College’s patron saint, John-Baptist de la Salle.
Orwell (Blue) celebrates the nearby River Orwell, which can be seen from the first-floor windows across the campus.

The house system at St Joseph’s College fosters enrichment, leadership and personal development. In 2018, the decision was taken to modernise and invigorate the system, making it fresh and relevant to today’s students. This was not a break from the past but a re-evaluation of what would work best for our current and future girls and boys.

Today’s version offers opportunities in charity, service, the Arts, Sport, culture and the social sphere. Competition is encouraged, allowing the students to experience the highs – and inevitable lows – of commitment and drive. Being part of something bigger has proved an excellent support mechanism for students as they develop their teamwork and sense of belonging. Houses group students vertically, with all ages (including staff) coming together for a common cause, and they are also effective in allowing everyone’s voice to be heard.

At St Jo’s we are proud to have earned the Anti Bullying Ambassador Award. This recognises that our school offers the tools needed to effectively tackle bullying behaviour and create a safer, kinder community.

WHO WE ARE

Meet our leadership team

Meet the team

Mrs Danielle Clarke

Principal

I feel both proud and privileged to be the Principal of St Joseph’s College working alongside an outstanding staff and a community which focuses successfully on personalised academic achievement and the positive social, emotional, physical and intellectual development of children and young people.

Mr Sacha Cinnamond

Deputy Principal

I joined St Joseph’s in 2016 and have over 20 years of experience in teaching, including managing my own Sixth Form successfully for 12 years. I am a consultant to the Historical Association and work as a masterclass presenter for the Gabbitas Truman and Thring Foundation.

Mrs Sarah Edwards

Director of Admissions, Marketing and Communications

I joined the Senior Leadership Team at St Joseph’s College in September 2019 to provide strategic planning and leadership in College communications, marketing and pupil recruitment. I have over 20 years’ experience working with some incredible brands across a range of different markets and channels to create excellent communications and deliver targeted results. I work with the Admissions, Marketing and Communications team to create strong brand dialogue and oversee UK and international pupil enrolment.

Mr Anthony O’Riordan

Director of Business Development & Operations

I joined the College in 2015 as Director of Rugby and teacher of Vocational BTEC Curriculum, later becoming Director of Sport & Business Development. I have overseen various sporting programmes and partnerships, including the successful introduction of male and female Football Academies at the College.

Mrs Victoria Harvey

Vice Principal Co-curricular & Head of Arts

I have over 23 years of experience teaching in both the maintained and independent sectors and continue to be passionate about developing young people’s lives through instilling a love for creativity at all levels.

Mrs Georgina Rowlands

Vice Principal Pastoral

I am dedicated to creating a safe and supportive learning environment for students, fostering their personal and academic growth, and ensuring their well-being through a committed team of staff who promote an aspirational and inclusive school culture.

Mrs Julie Keech

Director of Finance

Mrs Keech joined St Joseph’s in June 2022 as Director of Finance. A fellow of the Association of Chartered and Certified Accountants in England and Wales, she has over 20 years’ experience in both Financial and Commercial finance roles across businesses ranging from privately owned to listed and private equity backed companies.

Mrs Keech has worked in a variety of business sectors spanning healthcare, offshore renewable energy, subsea cabling and EV charging. She brings considerable experience in financial analysis, reporting and financial management.

The history of St Joseph’s College

1937

The School was established by the De La Salle Brothers, a Catholic order, at the urging of the Ipswich branch of the Knights of St Columba. Its mission was to provide a Catholic education for the boys of East Anglia. It opened at Oak Hill on 20 September 1937 with 27 boys, including four boarders.

1951

The ethos of St Joseph’s College is based on the values and teachings of St Jean-Baptiste de La Salle (1651-1719), patron saint of teachers. La Salle was born into the wealthy Moët family of champagne producers, but decided to forego personal wealth and enter the priesthood. He dedicated his life to service and to teaching the poorest boys in Rheims. Under his influence many similar schools were founded around the world. Like La Salle, St Joseph’s is committed to high-quality education for all, as well as importantly touching the hearts and minds of young people.

1967

The building of the impressive Modernist Chapel was completed. Chapel services had previously been held in what is now the College dance studio. The building rapidly became and has remained ‘the heart’ of St Jo’s, with assemblies, services, concerts and performances marking milestones in our pupil’s education in this very special place.

1986

The St Joseph’s College National Schools Rugby Festival was started in 1986 to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the College. Schools from both the maintained and independent sectors were invited to take part. The annual Festival has grown to become the nation’s premier 15-a-side tournament for schools.

1996

Here come the girls! St Joseph’s College merged with a local Catholic girls’ school, run by the Convent of Jesus and Mary, and gradually became coeducational throughout. In this year, too, St Joseph’s College became independent of the De La Salle order. Today the school is not aligned to the Catholic Church but continues to be guided by Christian values.

2008

Opening of the award-winning Prep School building. The innovative and colourful design cost £3.2m and has stood the test of time, fittingly housing a school that is not afraid of new thinking and inspiring children year after year. Humanitarian Terry Waite CBE performed the official opening.

2014

St Joseph’s College purchased the freehold of the campus. The 60-acre parkland campus continues to develop with a programme of improvements and capital projects, as the school evolves to meet the needs of the 21st Century.

2019

The Chapel was forced to close after water ingress took its toll on the 1960s’ design. The school and its generous community raised £750,000 to repair and revamp the building, which reopened in 2021.

TODAY

Alumni of the school, our old Old Birkfeldians of many generations, return to wonder at the changes in St Joseph’s College ‘since their day’. Once a Joey always a Joey we say! They love it being coeducational and marvel at the superb facilities, including the

All ages