St Joseph's College (formerly St Joseph's Convent School) is a coeducational

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day school in

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. In September 2010, it changed its name to St Joseph's College to reflect the move into co-education from being a girls' school. The junior section is known as St Joseph's College Prep School. It was a member of the

Girls' Schools Association The Girls' Schools Association (GSA) is a professional association of the heads of independent girls' schools. It is a constituent member of the Independent Schools Council. History The GSA can trace its history back to the Association of Head ...

until the move into coeducation. The school is now a member of the

Society of Heads The Society of Heads, formerly the Society of Headmasters & Headmistresses of Independent Schools (SHHIS), or "S of H", is an association of Headmasters and Headmistresses of various types of independent schools in the United Kingdom, and was forme ...

. It won the TES Independent School of the Year award in November 2015.

History

St Joseph's Convent School was founded in 1894 by the Sisters of St Marie Madeleine Postel, whose aim was to provide a good education in a warm and loving atmosphere. Julie Frances Catherine Postel was born in Barfleur, France in 1756, and was a pioneer in education, basing her teaching on the De La Salle method. She took the name Marie Madeleine after being made a

superior Superior may refer to: *Superior (hierarchy), something which is higher in a hierarchical structure of any kind Places * Superior (proposed U.S. state), an unsuccessful proposal for the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to form a separate state *Lak ...

, died in 1846 and was canonised in 1925. The Sisters continued to run the school until 1981 when the Rev. Mother Provincial decided that because of the changing role of the Sisters, the school should close. However, after intervention by the Parents’ Association and with the co-operation of the Superior General, the school was able to continue as an educational trust whose members form the governing body. The first lay headmistress was appointed in 1981. In September 2009, the board of governors voted for the school to become a fully co-educational school. St Joseph's Convent School became St Joseph's College in September 2010 to reflect this change.

Curriculum

From age 3, the curriculum follows the Early Years Foundation Stage, with specialist teaching in Music and PE. Curriculum throughout the Prep School is broad, with specialist teachers increasing as pupils move towards Year 6. During Years 7 to 9, pupils study Mathematics, English, Modern and Classical Languages, Science, History, Geography, Religious Studies, Design and Technology, Food and Information Technology, Music, Drama and Physical Education. Students also study electronics in the specially built lab. In Years 10 and 11 students are prepared for public GCSE examinations. They all study the core subjects of Mathematics, English, Science and Religious Studies, with up to four further subjects chosen. In the Sixth Form students may study up to four A Levels. The school hosts many music concerts and school plays. It is considered as a leader in Music and Dramatic Arts locally.

Activities

Pupils are encouraged to be involved in a wide variety of activities and non-academic pursuits. A wide range of clubs and societies are open to all pupils throughout the College. Many take place during the lunch break and include string and brass groups, wind bands, choir, theatre studies, science club and a variety of sports. There are opportunities to be involved in the community through a well planned enrichment programme which includes

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competitions and charity events in aid of

CAFOD The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) is an international development charity and the official aid agency of the Catholic Church in England and Wales. It aims to tackle poverty globally. Through local Catholic Church and secular pa ...

and

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Notable former pupils

Marianne Faithfull Marianne Evelyn Gabriel Faithfull (born 29 December 1946) is an English singer and actress. She achieved popularity in the 1960s with the release of her hit single " As Tears Go By" and became one of the lead female artists during the British I ...

, singer *

Alma Cogan Alma Angela Cohen Cogan (19 May 1932 – 26 October 1966) was an English singer of traditional pop in the 1950s and early 1960s. Dubbed the "Girl with the Giggle in Her Voice", she was the highest paid British female entertainer of her era. C ...

, singer *

Sally Oldfield Sally Patricia Oldfield (born 3 August 1947) is an Irish singer-songwriter. She is the sister of composers Mike and Terry Oldfield. Early life Born in Dublin, Ireland, Oldfield was raised in the Roman Catholic faith of her mother, Maureen. Sp ...

, musician *

Anne Hardy Anne Hardy (born 1970) is a British artist. Her art practice spans photography, sculptural installation and audio. She completed an MA in photography at the Royal College of Art in 2000, having graduated from Cheltenham School of Art in 1993 w ...

, political activist and philanthropist.

References

External links

Profile
isc.co.uk; accessed 22 October 2014.
Independent Schools Inspectorate Reports
accessed 22 October 2014. * http://www.gbsswimschool.com/

Women's Lacrosse World Cup The World Lacrosse Women's World Championship (WLWWC), formerly known as the Women's Lacrosse World Cup (WLWC), the international championship of women's lacrosse, is held every four years. From its inception in 1982, it was sponsored by the go ...

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Joseph's Convent School Independent schools in Reading, Berkshire Roman Catholic independent schools in the Diocese of Portsmouth 1910 establishments in England Educational institutions established in 1910