Christmas Term 2022 Newsletter

Principal A message from the

The Christmas Term is always a term of two halves from the sense of new beginnings and fresh starts in September, to a strong sense of belonging, community, shared values and tradition by the end. This term has been no different with a large number of new families joining the College in September and events such as our Rugby Festival, and Remembrance and Carol services evidencing the cohesion a school such as St Jo’s can bring to families from across the region and beyond.

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II also placed great importance on community, faith and tradition. In her final Christmas Day speech, she pointed to her platinum jubilee and hoped that it would be ‘an opportunity for people everywhere to enjoy a sense of togetherness; a chance to give thanks…… and also to look ahead with confidence.’

Her Majesty also stated in her speech ‘I am sure someone somewhere today will remark that Christmas is a time for children. It’s an engaging truth, but only half the story. Perhaps it’s truer to say

that Christmas can speak to the child within us all. Adults, when weighed down with worries, sometimes fail to see the joy in simple things, where children do not.’

It is a gift and privileged to work alongside children and young people, in particular those who have been entrusted to our care and especially at Christmas time. They all, no matter their age, bring joy, and a sense of togetherness and confidence in the future that is hard not to be inspired and lifted by when in their presence.

We look forward with confidence to the new year and a new term, our Lent Term, which starts for students on Thursday 5 January.

I wish all families a peaceful, restful and joyful Christmas.

Mrs Danielle Clarke Principal

A word from

Mrs Wood

The Christmas holidays are finally upon us and after a very busy term I think we are all ready for the joy that a family Christmas brings from the tinsel on the tree, wrapping of colourful presents, visiting relatives or singing carols in church.

This term we have enjoyed getting to know new families and the children who joined us in September are now old hands, even our Reception children know the routines and their way around the Prep School. Our pupils have enjoyed each other’s company this term in their classes, Houses, choirs and sports teams. They really are embracing everything we offer and our School Council pupils have even more suggestions for us to act upon.

In the last few weeks our pupils have been joyful. They have been positive in all of the things they have taken part in. Who couldn’t help but maintain a sense of sunny cheerfulness when taking part in a Nativity, Disco, Christmas party, Carol Service, theatre trip or a visit to Father Christmas. When I see our pupils with their wide smiles and glowing

energy I know they are experiencing the best of school life. As our pupils have shown us this term at the heart of being joyful is the sincere desire to feel positive.

I wish you all and your family a very merry Christmas and a joyful break.

Best wishes Mrs Wood

Space to thrive

Rugby Festival

Festival Showcases Amazing Sporting Potential

St Joseph’s College celebrated its 36th National Schools Rugby Festival, with 15 top rugby-playing schools from around the UK competing, including Millfield, who retained the title. Thousands turned out to watch the matches and talent scouts from Premiership Academy and Wales RFU were in attendance.

Several St Joseph’s College alumni who have gone on to make names for themselves in the world of professional rugby returned to lend support, including Lewis Ludlam, Luc Jeannot and George Wacokecoke.

Former England players Martin Corry MBE and Alex King were also in attendance.

Luc Jeannot, Coventry and Northampton Saints, recalled taking part in the Festival as a student here: ‘I came to St Jo’s a little bit late - at the start of Sixth Form - but when I got here, it was amazing how much emphasis there was on the Festival. You could tell that for everyone, from the boys in Year 7 upwards, it was everything they wanted to do when they got to the end of their time at St Joseph’s.

‘It was the pinnacle of what you could achieve. I was really lucky to be a part of that.’

Mr O’Riordan, Director of Sport and Business Development, said, ‘The talent on display never ceases to amaze me… It takes my breath away

when, the following year, you see some of the student athletes playing for premiership and championship rugby teams on the television.

‘It is humbling and inspiring to think that Ipswich and St Joseph’s College has played a part in that person’s journey into top-flight professional sport. We are immensely proud not only of our student athletes who represent the College over that two-day period, but also of the part we play in helping develop and prepare rugby players of the future.’

Old Birkfeldian Games

The OB Friday night pre-Festival rugby was played between relatively recent leavers on the whole; the oldest players had left just three years ago. It was an exciting game played in good spirits and with some very robust tackles being made. The match was superbly refereed by our own Mr Dixon. The slightly older team, captained by former Head Boy Bertie Kemsley, won against Cian Rothwell’s younger squad: 5 tries to 2 (29-10).  Our current Netball 1st team proved too strong for their alumnae opposition and won 40-28. Both sides played well. Thank you to all participants and to the very large crowd of supporters who turned out to watch.

Prep School News

Exploring the Heritage of the United Kingdom

We all like going ‘off curriculum’ every now and then. The children at the Prep School thoroughly enjoyed working in their Houses to explore the theme of the United Kingdom. The girls and boys tackled Scottish shortbread and the work of Scottish composer Anna Meredith. They envisaged Welsh dragons and they reflected upon the pinhole camera (which has an Irish connection).

Parent and Industry Expertise Enriches Children’s

Understanding

Our Year 3 and 4 girls and boys were captivated by the talk given by parent Mrs Scheffler Gonzalez all about Mexico’s Day of the Dead. The children learned about offering sweets at the shrine of their loved ones. After the talk they enjoyed making and decorating their own Day of the Dead figures. Our Year 3 and 4 bright sparks were also fascinated and forewarned by visitors from UK Network, who gave an engaging presentation on the dangers of electricity.

England wasn’t overlooked, of course. English country dancing provided lots of fun and proved a wonderful bridge for the generations, too, when it coincided with Grandparents’ Morning. Placing the spotlight on our own county, the children of Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 were lucky enough to visit the Suffolk Punch Trust, a charity dedicated to help protect the critically endangered Suffolk Punch through its established breeding programme.

Demonstrating Our Green Credentials

Members of the St Joseph’s College Prep School Eco Committee proudly showed off their Eco-Schools Green Flag, celebrating the commitment of the whole St Jo’s Prep community to protecting the environment. Building on previous work, the committee spearheaded a number of initiatives in and around the school’s, focusing on Waste, the Marine Environment and Energy. Recognising the efforts made, award organisers wrote, ‘It’s been incredibly heartening and inspiring to see how fully your pupils have engaged with the programme and the work that they’ve done has simply been astonishing. Great work everyone!’

Eco-Schools Green Flag is an international accreditation that has recognised and rewarded young people’s environmental actions for over 25 years. It is the perfect way to acknowledge, reward and celebrate the ecological achievements of pupils.

Sage Advice for Hedgehog Lovers

Our Infant Woodland Explorers made bird feeders to cater for our feathered friends on the campus. They also enjoyed playing in the mud before warming up with cups of hot chocolate.

Older Prep School pupils have also been thinking of the creatures with which we share our parkland setting. Visited by experts from Suffolk Wildlife Trust, and joined by members of our Sixth Form, they learned about hedgehogs and how the little mammals use leaves for insulation. The pupils collected leaves and constructed nests, using scientific methods to test the efficacy of the insulation.

The children used their knowledge of engineering to build inviting homes for hedgehogs on the campus, using recycled materials, and they took a hedgehog quiz. They were able to verify their answers the following day when Mrs Gillard brought in her pet hedgehog, Sage.

Honesty is the Best Policy

Reaping what you sow was the theme of a delightful Harvest Festival assembly hosted by the children of the Prep School. The pupils sang, acted, read and recited with confidence and led the hymn, Colours of Day, with particular gusto. Well done to them all.

More Prep School News

Students Rise to the Occasion

A visit to Clip ‘n’ Climb in Ipswich was undiluted fun for the girls and boys of Years 3 & 4. The youngsters had impressed the company with their designs for a new climbing wall and were invited to spend an afternoon scaling the wide range of obstacles.  It was also up, up and away for the Year 12 A-level Business students when they visited the same venue, but they combined the thrills with a business presentation. The students also took the opportunity to quiz one of the owners, Mr Patterson, a St Jo’s parent and former staff member. He explained how he started the business and talked about the challenges it has overcome.

Honorary Joeys Thank our Generous Parents

While the annual National Schools Rugby Festival may be over for another year, our iconic red and white hooped shirts continue to be worn at matches both home and away. Now the strip is also getting an international airing and gracing playgrounds in Africa, thanks to a donation of kit delivered by Year 3 teacher, Mr Weaver.

In his role as chair of trustees for the Porridge and Pens - Ghana charity, based in Brightlingsea, Mr Weaver spent time at the Brightlingsea Academy, a school the charity runs for children living in poverty, and the Girl Power Centre, which supports girls living on the street or in extreme conditions. He and colleagues also visited the homes of some of the children to see what further support is needed.

‘It is a privilege to be part of the Porridge and Pens team and I take every opportunity to share the experiences I have had in Ghana with the children at St Jo’s to develop their awareness of other cultures and instil a sense of charity within them,’ said Mr Weaver.

Whilst he was visiting the school in Kumasi, Ghana’s second largest city, Mr Weaver spotted bunting made by St Joseph’s Prep School pupils a year ago as part of their topic on Africa, still proudly strung in the playground. He also mounted a new display using art-work created by all our Prep children.

Porridge and Pens has recently received a grant to install the internet at the Brightlingsea Academy and purchase some additional computers, so the potential for some exciting collaborations in the future has grown.

Further supporting the developing relationship between the two schools, Mr Weaver delivered a large amount of older style St Joseph’s College sports kit, donated by parents. The Ghanain girls and boys wasted no time changing for PE and becoming honorary Joeys in the process.  Porridge and Pens Ghana

Prep Sports News

All children have had the chance to flourish in the Prep School sports programme this term. From swimming to gymnastics and football to squash, children have been exposed to a plethora of physical activity and all excelled in the process.

Our Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 children have been enjoying a block of physical literacy and gymnastics; focusing specifically on balance, methods of travel and coordination. They have also worked on netball and rugby in their games sessions, instilling a love for sports which we hope will continue throughout their St Jo’s journey and beyond the College gates. Moving up the school, it has been an action-packed period for our Years 3 and 4 children. Amongst swimming lessons and gymnastics routines, they have worked diligently on their football and netball respectively. This has included showcasing their talents throughout a comprehensive fixture list against other schools in the area.

Meanwhile, the Year 5 and 6 pupils have been focusing on their athletic development. We have been extremely lucky that, under the guidance of our Head of Athletic Development and Physical Wellbeing, Mr Foster, our pupils have enjoyed speed, strength and power modules. These pupils have also benefited from increased contact time with our coaching professionals within our performance sports, improving our skills and tactical understanding in preparation for a transition into senior school sport. This culminated with the boys U11 rugby competing at the East of England IAPS festival and performing extremely well. We look forward to the girls getting their opportunity to attend the IAPS netball tournament next term. Amongst all of this we have had our inaugural Prep House Sports Afternoon. This event saw Years 3 to 6 integrate and compete together for the coveted trophies; congratulations to Goldrood and Orwell for winning the Girls’ Football and Boys’ Rugby respectively. Whilst the pupils’ hard work has certainly been reflected in the results, the most pleasing thing to see is that, as ever, St Joseph’s pupils have consistently won on their own scoreboard. They relentlessly demonstrate sportsmanship, respect, resilience, perseverance and positive mindset to an outstanding degree and all done with a smile on their face!

Focus on a Teacher

Mrs Hosking-Burtle Head of English

For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a teacher. From the age of five or six years old, I’d practise taking the register for hours on end with my imaginary class, roping my long-suffering twin sister and parents into participating in my threehour long ‘lessons.’ This passion remained, and many years later, whilst at the University of Leeds, I began teaching willing participants and ‘real’ lessons to refugees who had recently arrived in England.

During my final year studying English, I joined the AIESEC (Association Internationale des Etudiants en Sciences Economiques et Commerciales) Leadership Programme and connected with a school in rural China. For three months, I worked in Ningbo, developing and leading an English Summer School for Chinese students aged between three and sixteen years old. Not only did this spark my desire to make a difference to young people’s lives, but it also cemented my love of travelling.

I graduated with a degree in English and loved every moment of my time in Leeds, competing for the university netball and rowing teams, and enjoying all that the city had to offer! In an attempt to prolong student life and avoid adult commitments after graduating, I travelled around South East Asia, spending time in Vietnam, Cambodia, Lombok, and Bali.

I joined the teaching profession through the Teach First Leadership Development Programme, returning to Suffolk and completing my first seven years of teaching in the state-school sector.

Through Teach First, I have visited, and taught in, a number of outstanding schools in Suffolk and London, and in recent years have travelled to Estonia to observe, teach, and present on the

educational landscape in Europe as part of my Masters research.

I have learnt that, regardless of the setting, working with young people is a privilege. As Steinbeck summarises perfectly, ‘teaching might even [be] the greatest of the arts, since the medium is the human mind and spirit.’ I am excited to have joined St Joseph’s College as Head of the English Faculty, and the students and staff have made my first term here an excellent one.

Outside of teaching, I love spending time with our four-legged family members: our wilful but wellloved horses, Basil and Percy, and our Labrador Nelly. When I’m not covered in mud or straw, I enjoy weekends visiting friends, gym classes (swiftly followed by eating out in our favourite restaurants), and spending time by the coast.

Senior School News

That’s Why St Jo’s Goes to Iceland!

We can only imagine what a shock it must have been when Viking settlers met the trolls of Icelandic folklore for the very first time! The feeling was mutual and it has been argued that many of the trolls turned to stone, the usual evidence for this being huge, troll-like basalt rock columns which were evident when 28 students, accompanied by Mr McNicholas, Mrs Medhurst and Mrs Hall, went to Iceland at the beginning of November.

Iceland is a volcanic island, and over many thousands of years, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes have created a unique landscape which inspired awe and wonder for all participants on the GCSE and A-level Geography field trip.

To wear waterproofs or not to wear waterproofs was the question as the intrepid explorers: visited spectacular waterfalls; wore crampons to walk on a glacier; stood in the rift between two continents; endured the sulphurous whiff of the impressive geysers and visited the black sands of Reynisfjara, learning never to turn one’s back to the sea.

Night-time swimming at The Blue Lagoon, visiting a lava tunnel and watching a lava show were all included. There was a final meal at the Hard Rock café in Reykjavik, too. But did we see the Northern Lights? Debatable! All in all, it was a most memorable school trip to a quite remarkable country.

Christmas in Cologne

Forty-eight students travelled to Cologne to experience the magic of Christmas time in Germany. They left before dawn on the Friday, arriving to see the sun light up the majestic white cliffs of Dover. Time flew on the ferry as we enjoyed a cooked breakfast and played games.

Brezel, Kinderpunsch and churros were the culinary highlights of the Christmas market that evening. On Saturday, the group visited the stunning Dom (cathedral) and were amazed by their Advent Wreath and the craftsmanship of the building. After a quieter look around the market, they set off for the Chocolate Museum.

The tourists sweltered in the tropical garden, watched their own chocolate bars being made and met the Lindt bunnies. For many, the highlight of the day was playing football and basketball on the roof of the German Olympic and Sports museum as well as seeing how many people it took to lift 70 kg!

In the evening, the group returned to the market for a final round of snacks and gifts before a rousing chorus of ‘We wish you a Merry Christmas’ by the cathedral.  On Sunday, after a filling German breakfast of rolls with cheese and ham or chocolate spread, they set off home.

Fish and chips were well received and further Uno battles undertaken before arriving back in Ipswich. The students showed aspiration in practising their German with stall holders, respect in soaking up a new culture and confidence in navigating the busy market.

More Senior School News

Guests Become Hosts to Enrich Day of Languages Celebrations

We celebrated the European Day of Languages, but even that is dwarfed by today’s global society. St Joseph’s is also diverse, as was reflected in a special assembly There was music from China and Spain, plus many interesting language notes.

A number of tutor time language activities reinforced the pleasures of language learning – including Spanish spelling and translation bees, and a treasure hunt. Year 8 practised their Spanish whilst trying out games and activities from the

House Reps Give Helicopters a Whirl

Our school houses are on an ongoing mission to raise money for numerous good causes. A charity close to Goldrood’s heart repaid the favour by inviting a party of students into HQ. As the charity was East Anglian Air Ambulance, this was a fabulous behind-the-scenes look at the 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week operation.

Senior House Prefects Nelle and Arthur (both U6) and Prep House Prefects Evelyn and Meghan (both Y6) were accompanied by Miss Lowe, Head of Goldrood, and Mr Atkinson, our Transport Manager, who knows a thing or two about helicopters. The visit provided a wonderful insight into the charity the house is supporting with fundraising events such as the colour run.

Students explored offices at the base and tried the helicopters for size, meeting the pilots on duty and learning more about the work of the charity, which operates in Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire.

Spanish-speaking world. These were organised by our fantastic short-term boarders from Tenerife. Our students learned about traditional Canarian food as they sorted their papas arrugadas from their ropa vieja. Some tried their luck and cunning in Perudo and new card games with a baraja española - an entirely different (and entirely confusing) set of playing cards.

Maths Skills Put to the Test at Every Level

Students in Years 7, 8 and 9 took part in the Inter House Arithmetic Competition, testing their skills against the clock. With nearly 200 students participating, this was one of our largest House events. Each Maths group completed separate challenges geared to their skills and ability. Orwell won, followed by Goldrood, La Salle and Birkfield. A few Orwell reps are shown with the trophy. A House Problem Solving Competition was the next event hosted by the Maths Faculty. Fourteen of our top mathematicians raced against the clock to solve some very tricky challenges. Students from Years 7, 8 and 9 displayed excellent cooperation as they worked in teams of up to four. The contest proved incredibly close, but Goldrood triumphed. This was particularly impressive as the House depended on the skills of Tommy (Y8) and Jack (Y9) alone. Members of the Sixth Form helped the event run smoothly. A number of our most capable Sixth Form mathematicians put their own skills to the test by participating in the Senior Mathematical Challenge, organised by the UK Mathematics Trust. Well done to all who were awarded certificates: gold for Jerry (L6), Jack (U6), Brian (U6), Alexander (U6), Frank (U6) and Memo (U6); silver for Justin (U6) and Ronnie (L6); and bronze for Freddie (L6) and Lexie (L6). The Gold Certificate is awarded to the top 9% of those selected to take part in the competition, so St Joseph’s was thrilled that six students achieved that level. Further congratulations to Jerry, Memo, Jack and Frank, who went on to achieve merits in the UKMT Senior Kangaroo competition, placing them in the top 2% of mathematicians nationally selected to enter.  A few Orwell reps are shown (above) with the trophy.

The Reality Behind the Greasepaint

West End stars showering glitter in their trail also brought a healthy measure of realism when they spent a week at the College working with students from Year 7 to the Upper Sixth. While more students than ever may now be dreaming of a career on the stage, the workshops and end-of-week showcase left them in no doubt about the effort involved in appearing effortless under the limelight.

St Joseph’s innovative partnership with Arts International sees visiting West End artistes challenging and honing the students’ abilities on stage. Both enthusiastic seasoned performers and newcomers loved the intensive sessions.

Mrs Harvey, Vice Principal Co-Curricular and Head of Creative and Performing Arts at the College, said, ‘It has been a privilege to see first-hand how positivity and optimism has flourished through the arts. Watching our students work with leading stars from London’s West End has been a game-changing experience, an incredible opportunity for all taking part.’

The programme received some eleventh-hour changes to ensure sensitivity, coming as close as it did to the death of Queen Elizabeth II and, in fact, became a vehicle to help students understand and appreciate the long service of the late monarch.   ‘Using a unique combination of drama, dance and music, together with archive footage of the late Queen’s reign, our students have developed new insights along with a host of dramatic skills and stagecraft,’ Mrs Harvey added.

Students across the Senior School worked with Arts International’s professionals Amy Jessop, Vivien Carter and Craig Mather, who have an impressive portfolio of stage work under their belts.

Their fresh, contemporary vision and extensive experience ensured the Friday performance for parents and staff, The Opening Act, which ranged from Shakespeare to CS Lewis, was exciting, fitting and fun. More than 200 students took part.

Another showcase this term was the final of our Young Musicians of the Term competition. From Haydn to Eminem, the programme could not have been wider. The winners and runners-up respectively in each category were: Harry (Y11) on drums and Elliot (Y10) on electric guitar in Grades 1-3; singer Ella (Y7) and rapper Cameron (Y10) in Grades 4-6; and Alex (Y9) on piano and singer Eleanor (L6) in Grades 7-9. Nice work all round!

Year 10 student Bella, who is gaining recognition as a singer songwriter, performed an informal concert in The ARC to raise money for Breast Cancer Awareness.

The campus has also been resounding to the beat of Fame as our singers, actors and dancers prepare to take the musical on stage in February.

Sports Update

This term saw the return of football to Games lessons, and what an excellent term it’s been. Teaching technical and tactical skills to Y7 to Y10 from the basics through to the advanced, we have seen some amazing progress and stars in the making, with successes across the age groups and smiles on the girls’ faces. Students have also taken part in netball, cricket, hockey, more football and strength and conditioning sessions in development hour, lunchtime and morning sessions and it has been great to see so many participating.

In netball we have looked to stretch our girls further - and earlier - than ever before by entering both the Independent Schools National Cup and the Sisters n Sport Cup. Each year group from Y7-10 has competed, with all but one of our teams getting through to the second round and our U13s reaching the third.

We were thrilled to have a mixed Y8/Y9 team in a Y9 club league. The girls started strongly, with their three first games being really tight and finishing within three goals of each other. This has been a fantastic opportunity for our U14s to experience netball at the next level and to show off our ability in the sport. This league continues after Christmas.

A huge well done on securing places in the Essex and Suffolk County Academies for their age groups: Isla and Emilia (Y7), Eleanor and Esme (Y8) and Imi (Y9). On the national stage, being selected into Performance Pathways for London Pulse: Florence (Y10), Gabrielle (Y11), Caitlyn (Y11). Lauren (U6) and Gabrielle (Y11) have started on their journey to qualify as netball umpires!

Our First team made a great impact in their AOC regional league and are currently sitting fifth in the table. They also played in the England Netball Schools County Tournament, where they qualified second, and progress to the regional tournament next month.

Sophie (Y7) - Martial Arts, 1st Dan and Suffolk County Hockey Darcy (Y10) - Eastern Counties U16 Rugby, Essex County Cricket and Suffolk County Hockey Emilia (Y7), Clara (Y7), Maya (Y9), Abigail (Y9) and Hannah (Y11) - Suffolk County Hockey  Isla (Y7) - Suffolk County Cricket

Two of our riding teams travelled to Forest Edge Equestrian Centre, Norfolk, to compete at the National County Teams Qualifier. Competition was fierce but our teams finished first and third in the 85cm event. The winning team progresses to the final at Hickstead next May.

In football, we are very pleased with how our squads are progressing. St Jo’s has taken part in over 60 fixtures this term with performances improving across our 10 squads. Our U12, U13, U14 mixed teams and U18 girls remain in the English Schools National Cup. Additionally, our U13, U15 and U18 boys are sitting in the top two in the East Region Independent League, alongside our senior girls’, being unbeaten in all games to date.

Individuals representing national teams: England - Sarah (U18) and Kaci (U16), and ScotlandMegan (U19). Independent National Schools Female Squad – Leah, Zynia, Lauren, Kaci; reserve –Paige and Lila. Independent National Schools Male Squad – Devin Shepherd.

We have also enjoyed a fantastic term of rugby and made significant steps to expand the provision throughout the College. This investment will allow the development of the rugby programme to accelerate over the next few years.

First steps have included additional training sessions & skills master-classes, and investment into our performance analysis software and sports science practitioners. All of this, alongside the recruitment of a new team of coaches, leads to the beginning of an exciting chapter for rugby and sport in general at St Jo’s.

We had a productive block of pre-season training over the Summer, which led into some great block fixtures against local school competition, with the majority ending in wins at all age groups. Highlights

included impressive performances from the senior team against New Hall under lights at Ipswich Rugby Club, the U12s’ fantastic win against Ipswich two weeks ago, and the U11s’ development, from showcasing at the National Schools Festival in October to the East of England IAPS festival finals. As we develop the programme and introduce more challenging fixtures against better rugby playing schools we will be able to test and stretch the players further to support their development. With the senior team, we have a young squad that is developing each week, with over a third of the players currently coming from the U16s. With the experience and leadership of a handful of senior players laying the foundations, including captain Santos, we are at the beginning of an exciting chapter.

Mrs Keech Director of Finance

I was born in Colchester and had a great childhood, growing up in the surrounding area. Whilst in my final year at secondary school I was lucky enough to secure a job with Lloyds Bank in Colchester High Street, where I worked for four years before taking off to the bright lights of London to continue my career in banking.

After a number of years in banking I decided that it was not for me and chose to start a career in accounting, securing my first role as an accounts assistant working in Stowmarket. Over the next few years I completed my AAT and then my ACCA qualifications, which was certainly challenging whilst working full time. I have been very fortunate to work with some great colleagues and for companies that were going through many changes, whether it be selling, acquiring, new systems or restructures. Whilst it was certainly stressful at times and hours were long, it has set me up well in my chosen career. On a personal level I am very fortunate to have a close and loving family and I still live in the local area, never having moved more than 20 miles from where I grew up! That said, I have been very fortunate to have been able to travel extensively over the years and have been to some exciting countries and experienced great cultures; a particular favourite being Borneo, where I got up close to a baby orangutan. I love a challenge and trying something new. Over the years I have tried many things from flying a plane to scuba diving and many more things in between.

Aside from trying out new things and cycling in my spare time, I am a volunteer Guide leader at my local group and I am also learning to play the piano, fulfilling an ambition of mine.

Bringing the Subject of Mental Health into the Light

The College’s Mental Health Action Group led an informative assembly to mark World Mental Health Day. Members introduced themselves to their fellow students and talked about dispelling the stigma around mental health. They urged those feeling bad to talk to a trusted adult and highlighted our pastoral/ safeguarding team.

Special activities took place that week on the theme of mental health. For example, it’s hard not to laugh when you’re skipping!

Students and staff were invited to go out into the sunshine and reawaken their skipping muscles, and good time was had by all!

Our Prep girls and boys thoroughly enjoyed their skipping session and generally brightened the world by wearing a splash of yellow in support of Young Minds, a charity championing young people’s mental health.

Other activities in the Prep included Year 2s making worry dolls to remind them to talk to their grown-ups or teachers if ever they have a concern. And Year 5 creating self-soothe boxes.

Putting the WOW into Brownies

‘It was literally here I started Bwownies,‘ entrepreneur Keelan Waldock OB told a packed Sixth Form centre. ‘It seems yesterday I was coming in here and putting brownies in that fridge over there. It’s been a pretty amazing journey. My aim is to have the best brownie business in the world.’

In terms of a lifetime, it is ‘only yesterday’. Keelan is still just 22-years-old, but he has crammed in the learning, ramped up his social media presence, ticked off the business milestones and shown brilliant strategy for broadening his contact list in those short years. Passionate is an overused word, but Keelan is passionate about Bwownies, about taking business risks and making money whilst young and unencumbered by mortgage and other responsibilities. He is responsible however! In the early days, he stuck at his job at McDonald’s dreaming of the moment his Mum would be convinced of Bwownies’ longevity and give him the go-ahead to quit. He plugged away at the business whilst at university, limiting the amount he went out, getting up ‘super early’ to cook brownies, followed by four hours academic study then back to the kitchen of his shared house in Exeter to cook again.

Orders always had to be fulfilled and housemates were kept sweet with a continuous supply of offcuts. The business flourished and Keelan obtained his 2:1.

He has enormous confidence in his product and he is incredibly determined. He obtained a five-star hygiene rating for the kitchen at the Exeter house, the lease for which precluded running a business! Twice he has canvassed every catering company in an area to find commercial premises – once in the South West and now around Sudbury as he has returned to Suffolk.

Communication is key for him. Emails, of course, but also letters – he takes the time to win over those he is seeking to bring on board.

He is ingenious in getting through to the right people: those on the cusp of becoming influencers but before representation shields them from unsolicited messages.

This Black Friday he aimed to sell 500 boxes. (Half as many as were sold in the previous 12 months.) The 500 were sold in first 10 hours –840 over the weekend.

‘I was making money while I was sitting in your seat. Sixteen to 30. That’s when you should take the biggest risks. Starting a business, making money, that’s something to put on your UCAS application.

I was not academic. I played cricket and I worked at McDonald’s I genuinely believe Bwownies is why I got into university.’

‘I set up my business here in the Sixth Form and St Jo’s encouraged me.’

A Time for Reflection

Former military personnel from our community and students who are currently members of cadet organisations proudly took part in our Service of Remembrance. We paid our respects to those who have fought for their country, to men and women serving in the Armed Services and to all who have been hurt by war in body or mind. Lest we forget.

How Very Nice to See You

We’re a friendly place and love to welcome visitors – both old and new. Among our speakers this term was Professor Thomas Hennessey from Canterbury Christ Church University. Hosted by the History department, he spoke to the Sixth Form about university courses and also delivered a fascinating lecture on the birth of British Intelligence. Another inspirational speaker was author Lauren North, who writes psychological suspense novels. Her passion and insight were snapped up by avid readers and aspiring authors across the College.

It was terrific, too, to welcome back Joel Sou OB, currently studying for his Masters in Psychotherapy at the University of Saint Joseph in Macao, and Jerran Zhou OB, a second-year student of Nutrition at Leeds. Both caught up with old friends from Boarding and among the staff.

Two Score Years and Counting

Two stalwarts of the St Joseph’s College community have each celebrated 20 years’ service this term. There were flowers and presents for Senior Science Technician, Mrs Turner, and College Nurse, Mrs Debenham. Both are familiar to many hundreds of students and staff colleagues through ‘doing their day job’ in the Science block and the medical room, but both have other valuable strings to their bows.

Mrs Turner has always thrown herself College activities, ranging from trips, musicals, and fashion shows to the Rugby Festival, Aerobathon and CCF. While Mrs Debenham has been a cool and constant reassuring presence for all. Beyond her nursing remit, she is St Jo’s First Aid instructor and organises our equestrian team. Thank you, ladies!

It’s a particularly busy time for Joel, who along with his academic studies, is also finding time to learn the trade at his father’s architecture firm.

Boarding

Primed and Ready for Action

Hello, hola, bonjour, 你好, habari, ciao, grüezi! Just a few of the ways we can greet the 17 nationalities living with us this year. We have welcomed many new students into boarding this term and they have certainly made a splash, especially in a term that is accompanied by a stream of World Cup action. It has provided our community with experiences that are rich in excitement, vibrancy and fun.

Even before the football was on, weekends have been busy, with lots of take-up for trips and activities. Teenagers seem always to be hungry, so in-house activities have often involved food and drink! This term has seen sushi making, pasta production, bubble teas, and a steady flow of popcorn for Mrs Pope’s regular film nights.

Whilst these activities have been staff led, there is much entertainment that is also student led, with highly sociable kitchen parties, hotpot nights, games of Uno or Mah-jong, and enthusiastic karaoke sessions. Saturdays have also seen us lend our hand to arts and crafts, with students creating some impressive, tie-dyed T-shirts. It is also always a pleasure to see our many artists at work in the house, developing clever and creative spreads across their sketchbooks. This creativity also shone during a trip to local ceramics café, Pernickety Pots.

Getting off campus is important for all of us in boarding and, with Covid restrictions a thing of the past, we have been making the most of the opportunities available to us. The long hot summer now seems a distant memory, but whilst we were still enjoying it we took a big trip out to Colchester Zoo. The students loved seeing the variety of animals, especially those allowing visitors to approach, such as the lorikeets.

The students’ insatiable appetites follow them whilst they’re out and about, and they made impressive use of a wide variety of food outlets as they walked around the zoo. It seemed only fitting that a trip out to Framlingham Castle later in the term with Mr Battye coincided with a major sausage festival, too!

Despite lots of students originating from warmer climates, it has also been wonderful to see them embracing cold weather pursuits. Ice-skating and Ringos have both been popular activities, and it is lovely seeing diverse groups of students helping each other during them. Another event that heralds the colder weather for us Brits is our 5 November fireworks traditions. For many of our boarders, this

was a new idea; our explanations of the origins of the night met with some bemused looks. All were willing to celebrate however, with a large trip out to the Suffolk Fireworks festival at Trinity Park led by Mrs Rowlands, where everyone was treated to an impressive display as well as the opportunity to watch live bands Top Loader and Liberty X in action. In recent weeks, students have shown their competitive edge as they battled to free themselves at Escape Ipswich. There was important work to be done in rescuing hostages, fixing generators on a decommissioned submarine, and ghostbusting at the Unicorn Inn. Staff at Escape Ipswich commented on their superb communications skills and teamwork, solving multiple puzzles in each room against the clock.

Our boarders’ ability to battle in a competitive environment was also demonstrated at a fun session of Laser Quest, although there were some dubious tactics. Students soon learned that they could boost their point scores if they focused on shooting slower and less agile members of staff!

With restrictions reduced in most of the world, staff, students, and parents are relieved that international travel is again a relatively straight forward affair. After a long term, with lots of hard work alongside all the fun, everyone is ready for a well-earned break.

Space to thrive

15Enough of our students have progressed from St Jo’s to the world of professional rugby to make up a 15-man squad c a p p e

dasEngland Internation a l s N i n e o fourfemale footballershave b e e n

Four A-level students achieved a Merit in the UKMT Senior Kangaroo Competition placing them in the top 2% of those selected to take part nationally

Distinctions awarded to 90% in LAMDA and 100% in Level 3 Performing Arts

Our Head of Learning Support, Miss Cunningham, has completed 13 marathons, including the 50km London Ultra-Marathon.

Two-thirds of GCSE Fine Artists achieved Grade 9; 100% Grade 5 or above.

Four members of St Jo’s Senior Leadership Team awarded National Professional Qualification for Headship in 2021

Nineteen pairs of shoes in lost property