Boarding at St Joseph’s College is filled with days that start with excitement and end with fulfilment. In between, they’re fueled with nutritious food, self-growth opportunities and camaraderie with diverse talents from around the world. During weekends, sports, quizzes, karaoke sessions and trips take centre stage, expanding a boarder’s horizons further.
Whether it’s in classes or during downtime, the atmosphere at St Jo’s is often wonderful, with laughter and chatter ringing throughout campus. Students respect and support each other. They’re confident, courteous and eager to help. They have big aspirations and even bigger enthusiasm to achieve them. They’re reaching their full potential – academically, socially and individually.
What’s the school’s secret? Below we dive into the three reasons why St Jo’s is a top choice for parents all over the world:
Outstanding pastoral care
St Jo’s is committed to delivering pastoral care that makes students feel happy, safe, valued and known — a feat that’s been recognised by The Independent Schools Inspectorate as “excellent.” Studying and living here has a family feel to it, with teachers and staff standing in as family in a home away from home.
Such an approach is crucial. It is in adolescence that children foster the skills that will carry through into adulthood, such as how to sustain good mental health and take action when things go wrong. In the shorter term, such consistent care and support ensure emotional security, which in turn empowers boarders to learn more effectively.
“We produce happy and fulfilled young men and women,” says Deputy Principal Sacha Cinnamond.
Home away from home
Boarding here strikes a good balance between study, development and enrichment — with plenty of support along the way. Boarding tutors ensure students are on track with their academic endeavours and learning behaviours, as well as act as a sounding board, mediator and confidant to boarders who are missing home or just need a lending ear.
“For me, boarding at St Jo’s creates community cohesion and develops rules for life, like being on time, being polite and avoiding loneliness!” shares Pierre.
Boarders hail from as far as Bangladesh and Hong Kong. Such an international community offers many benefits to its residents. “Boarding is not only a place to make friends but also a place to learn English. And there’s a lot of biscuits!” enthuses Chinese boarder Ruby.
Strong academic support
Each boarder is assigned a Form Tutor, who is their first point of academic monitoring, mentoring and advice. They ensure students feel they are truly secure, seen and heard in every aspect of their school life — a foundation that makes for effective learning and for pupils to be curious instead of being afraid of making mistakes.
St Jo’s exam results are a testament to how it gets academic support right. The average UCAS points per student is 130, equivalent to ABB and 45% of students achieved A* to A grade or equivalent.
Impressive and engaging extra-curricular provisions
Sports is an integral part of a St Jo’s education. With the College’s partnerships with professional sports clubs such as Ipswich Town Football Club, Ealing Trailfinders and BUCS University Sports, it’s little surprise that they are among one of two independent schools in the country that’s a TAAS (Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme) accredited school. This demonstrates the school’s commitment to supporting student-athletes to reach their potential in education alongside achieving success in their sport.
That’s not all. St Jo’s has also been awarded a GOLD Artsmark Award. The Artsmark Award is the only creative quality standard for schools and education settings, accredited by Arts Council England.
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