Lent Term 2023 Newsletter

Principal A message from the

As ever, I am both proud and amazed when I reflect on the achievements and adventures of our students and staff in a single academic term. Some of our Lent Term events, trips and visits are highlighted in this Newsletter, as well as our regular feature on Staff with the focus this time on our Head of Prep Sport, Mr Wenham, and one of our Learning Support Assistants, Mr Taylor.

At the end of this term, we say a heart–felt thank you to Mrs Wood, our Vice Principal Head of Prep, as she, as she moves on to pastures new and a different career pathway. It is a lovely coincidence that members of her very first class at St Jo’s, now in the Upper Sixth, also leave this academic year – all with fabulous futures and pathways ahead. Mrs Wood has provided and ensured a safe and nurturing environment for our youngest pupils, not least through the challenges of Covid times and an engaging curriculum, with the introduction of Forest Schools and Engineering. The achievement of the Green Flag for Eco Schools and the year–round opening of our Nursery have all taken place during Mrs Wood’s tenure. She will be much missed by this community and we wish

her every happiness and success for the future. After Easter we will welcome our new Vice Principal Head of Prep, Mrs Childs, who has been a regular visitor to the College this term, working alongside Mrs Wood to ensure a smooth and thorough handover for the start of the Summer Term.

The Easter break is a busy one for many of our exam year students, who have important revision to complete for their GCSEs and Level 3 qualifications. I am heartened that over half of Year 11s are registered, together with a number from the Upper Sixth, for our intensive GCSE and A–level revision courses. External students will also be taking part. A huge thank you to Dr Stimson who has overseen this project, which has been growing year–on–year.

I wish all St Jo’s families a great Easter holiday – we very much look forward to seeing your children back at College on Tuesday 25 April for the start of the Summer Term.

Mrs Danielle Clarke Principal

Mrs Wood A last word from

I have always thought the most important thing for pupils at St Joseph’s Prep School is to be happy. Being happy is not just a fleeting feeling of joy, it is an essential component of overall well–being and success. It is so important that we allow pupils to thrive academically and socially. Research has shown that when people are happy, they tend to be more focused and open to new ideas.

When pupils are happy they tend to be friendlier, more empathetic and more inclusive, making it easier for them to make friends. Happiness develops self–esteem and self–worth. During my time at St Joseph’s Prep School I have been very happy, I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the pupils, parents and my colleagues. Creating a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere has always been my intention and I hope that pupils have felt included and empowered to achieve.

I feel our curriculum and pastoral care sets our pupils up for the modern world that requires young people to be able to think for themselves, to become independent learners and imaginative problem solvers with both courage and determination.

As my tenure as Head draws to a close I will miss the pupils’ smiling faces each morning, the joy and excitement I see when they accomplish the unbelievable and the magic I see in each and everyone of them.

Best wishes,

Mrs Wood Vice Principal Head of Prep

Fame Was the Spur to Four Nights of Musical Theatre Magic ‘Baby, look at me!’ The opening line to Fame’s most famous song summed up the exultation of ambitious young students of the Performing Arts. But who could tell where the exuberance of the show’s characters began and the joy of the girls and boys performing them took over.

Audiences packed DanceEast for our four–night run of Fame the Musical, and by the end of each performance the whole house was on its feet belting out the classic title song from the 1980 film and later used as the theme for the television series.

Fame the Musical has been brought up to date but together with the compelling songs, the story remains essentially the same: the journey of talented young people towards their goal of stardom and artistic fulfilment.

For our students, the annual musical is the highlight of the College calendar. It is both a rite of passage and an irresistible draw for the wider St Jo’s community. With a cast of 70, plus backstage and technical crews and a live band led by the Director of Music, Mr Layton, this was a lavish production.

Vice Principal Co–curricular, Mrs Harvey, said, ‘Our aim is always to deliver the best yet when it comes to the annual musical, the students – and arts specialist staff – unfailingly play their part. The show was a triumph and I could not be more proud because that success was derived from innate ability, creative inspiration and months of hard work.’

The College has also benefited from its partnership with Arts International, which brings leading performers from television, film and theatre into long–term relationships with schools. The input at St Jo’s was particularly evident in the superb choreography of ‘Dancin’ on the Sidewalk’.

With such an ensemble piece, it is always difficult to single out individual performers. The principals were supported by an excellent troupe of actors, dancers and singers. Students from Year 7 to Upper Sixth collaboratively lit up the sky like a flame!

Prep School News

Skillet Skills Tested for the Honour of the House

This article might sit in the Prep section of the newsletter but be in no doubt, our students’ interest in pancake racing does not stop at Year 6!

From Nursery to Sixth Form, the girls and boys were keen to take up a frying pan and run. The popularity of the seasonal competition extended well past Shrove Tuesday as the races were organised into a house competition. Participants raced in relay, each flipping their pancake no less than five times en route. Excellent stuff, with Orwell eventually battering the competition in the nicest possible way!

Bookmarking the Endless Opportunities of Reading

Everyday is a book day at St Joseph’s College. We love reading and an assembly led by the English Department reminded us why. Reading takes us to different worlds and times, let alone unfamiliar countries and lifestyles. The power and enjoyment of reading – plus the privilege of easy access to books of every kind – was the theme of the assembly held to celebrate World Book Day.

In the Prep School, the children marked the occasion with paired reading, sharing their favourite books with pupils from other year groups. It was wonderful to see the joy on their faces as they talked about their favourite characters and plots with such enthusiasm.

First Steps in Taxonomy

Our Year 6 students have been going a little wild in their Science lessons, learning about animals and their habitats. As part of their Curious Creatures project, they were asked to design and create a unique critter and then to classify it. That’s an imaginative way to learn about the amazing diversity of the animal kingdom and the rudiments of taxonomy!

Four and Twenty Blackbirds… and the Rest!

Children throughout the Prep School are fortunate in being able to spend lots of time in the fresh air enjoying the wildlife which shares our campus. In January they ‘gave back’ by participating in the RSPB’s Big Schools’ Birdwatch. This is an annual tally which helps the charity keep tabs on which species are thriving and which need extra support. Our observant ornithologists spotted 1,234 birds, including house sparrows, blue tits, starlings, wood pigeons, blackbirds, robins, chaffinches and magpies. The children raised money for new bird feeders around Prep School so they can continue to keep an eye on their many feathery friends.

Geometry Hits the Sweet Spot for Year 2 Mathematicians

Our Year 2 pupils have been very busy in their Maths lesson constructing 3D shapes. They had to count the number of edges using lengths of spaghetti and the number of vertices using marshmallows! The children created cubes, cuboids, triangular prisms and pyramids, and were very pleased with the results.

More Prep School News

Shaking off the Shackles of Gravity

Years 3 and 4 visited the Kinetic Science Centre in Claydon and relished the hands–on activities. With a mission to Innovate Inform and Inspire, the centre offered a programme called ‘It’s Rocket Science’, which helped the pupils to learn about the International Space Station and the life of an astronaut. Activities included exploring the gravity room and correctly sizing playdough planets.

China on Our Minds

Painting willow pattern artwork, learning greetings in Asian languages and a Punjabi Bhangra dance class – no wonder the Prep School children enjoyed their mini House team tournament introducing them to the continent of Asia. Chopsticks were wielded!

Our resident experts on the subject, our Chinese students delighted us with an enlightening assembly about Chinese New Year. We all attempted a little Mandarin, learned about the Chinese zodiac and listened to two lovely piano pieces, played by Sarah (Y3) and Lemon (L6).

Prep Sports News

After a remarkable term in Prep School Sport, it would appear that Spring has well and truly sprung upon us. From festivals to five–a–side and rackets to rugby, it has been action–packed since January. Whilst we may have experienced what has felt like every season out on the sports pitches, the infectious joy continues to beam from our pupils as they relish the sporting opportunities on offer to them.

In Reception, Y1 and Y2, children have been working on a rackets module in Physical Education, focusing specifically on how to strike a ball, relevant scoring systems and game play. In their Games lessons, they have continued to build their team sports of football, rugby and netball. Meanwhile, Y3 and Y4 have been developing their rackets skills, whilst also experiencing an introduction to athletic development movements with our specialist coaching team to increase mobility, speed and core strength. Out on the field, they have shown remarkable progress in rugby and hockey respectively, particularly with the introduction of contact fixtures for the older children.

The hard work and dedication of our Y5 and Y6 pupils has been profound and we are so pleased that this has been reflected in their development and performance. Most notably, our U11 girls’ netball team won the inaugural U11 St Joseph’s College Netball Festival, while our U11 boys won the Northampton Saints U11 Festival. They also put in clinical performances against Colchester in a floodlit fixture.

The recent expansion of our sports offering has meant that we now have every child in the Prep School taking part in at least one sporting club or activity outside of their timetabled curriculum lessons. Add to that, the number of different sports offered to children has doubled. As the programme continues to grow, we look forward to our trip to Loughborough Lightning Netball before we welcome current England and Loughborough player Hannah Joseph to the school to talk to our pupils and deliver an unforgettable master–class. We are also excited to see the U11 Boys travelling to Rugby School to take part in their live streamed Bicentenary Celebration of Rugby.

The exciting journey of Prep Sport continues…

Arts trip & Bletchley Park

Capital. Simply Capital!

Imagine a group of friends from overseas were coming to visit London, but could stay for only a couple of days – what would you recommend they see? Some of the world’s great masterpieces perhaps, in the Royal Academy of Art or Tate Britain. Or maybe they would prefer the decorative arts and fashion in the V&A. Perhaps their interests are scientific (the Natural History or Science Museum and the Sea Life aquarium) or maritime (Greenwich). Or perhaps they like seats of power and should visit Westminster and the Tower of London.

Between them, our lucky Years 7, 8 and 9 students have seen these sights this term and experienced some of the best the capital city has to offer. Their trips have also included blockbuster musical shows, Frozen, & Juliet, and Moulin Rouge.

Some of our Senior School Art, Photography and Textiles specialists also made a cultural trip to London this term to visit major galleries. They viewed street art around East London with a guide, and saw some highly ranked street artists in action. They also watched an uplifting performance of ‘Back to the Future’.

A Cracking Day Out for Year 8

Fifty–two Year 8 students had an amazing Code Cracking experience at Bletchley Park as part of Science Week. After previously spending time in their Maths lessons decoding secret messages using their own handmade cipher wheels, they were keen to learn about the history of this important historical site.

The day offered a true insight into what it was like to work at Bletchley Park back in the 1940s. The students were able to get hands–on with several activities. Once the top–secret home of Second World War codebreakers, Bletchley Park is now a heritage attraction. Our students learned about the extraordinary achievements of the men and women based there and the techniques used to crack German codes.

Focus on a Teacher

College and I have ‘kept tabs’ on the place since. I have always wanted to work in an environment that is unapologetic in its pursuit for sporting excellence.

As a sports department, we have already made remarkable strides this year and I’m incredibly excited to see where we can go. The canvas that we have to reach our ceiling is starting to take shape and it is an extremely invigorating time to be part of sport at the College.

What sports do you play in your free time?

I do struggle to find the time to play team sport at the moment, with school commitments, coaching men’s rugby and my role as a coach mentor. A nasty spiral fracture of my fibula at the age of 19 also hampered my top–flight competitive rugby playing days.

However, I do love exercising and regularly go to the gym in the morning, recently taking to CrossFit training. Aside from that, I still strap on the boots or pads for invitational rugby and cricket sides.

Have you any interests that don’t involve sport?

Perhaps somewhat deceivingly, I was quite the ‘thesp’ in my youth and actually made a difficult decision at the age of 18 as to whether to choose sport or a career in acting. Despite the path I ended up taking, I still massively enjoy the theatre and have a guilty pleasure for a crime drama in the evening. I also play the trombone, having played the national anthem at both Twickenham and Lord’s as well as performing with Jools Holland on a number of occasions.

What has been your favourite overseas destination so far and do you enjoy travel?

Did you enjoy your school days and were you always keen on sport?

I absolutely adored my school days. Having moved through numerous primary schools in a range of countries owing to my father’s role in the Army, I attended boarding school in Kent from the age of 11. Although I was initially sceptical of leaving my parents to return to England for the first term, I soon began to loathe holidays and was desperate to return to school to see my friends and immerse myself in the chaotic boarding life. It was here that I also first fell in love with rugby and actually all sports that I stumbled upon and a large reason behind me going onto read for a BSc in Sports and Exercise Science and MSc in Sports Coaching. What attracted you to working at St Joseph’s College and has it lived up to your expectations?

St Jo’s is a school that has always been on my radar. The sporting pedigree and rugby playing heritage was something that attracted me to the

I have been extremely lucky with travel, with my dad’s role in the army. I have lived in Cyprus twice and learned to waterski before picking up a rugby ball. I have also lived in Germany, Scotland, Australia and New Zealand and fortunate enough to have a Grandfather that lived in the south of France for my entire lifetime, which has played host to many a summer holiday. More recently, I have travelled to Portugal, Italy, Greece and Paris, with a smattering of ski holidays thrown in along the way.

If you could give your eight–year–old self a piece of advice what would it be?

My eight–year–old self would be easy – embrace every opportunity and realise how fortunate you are for your upbringing. That, and make sure you let your parents come and watch you play sport! I used to hate being watched by my mum and dad and trying to stop them is one of my biggest regrets.

Mr Wenham Head of Prep Sport

Senior School News

A Credit to St Jo’s in Suffolk Performing Arts Festival

Our students brought their A–game to the Suffolk Festival of Performing Arts when they showcased skills including public speaking, prose reading, repertoire, Shakespeare and solo/ duologue acting. We are proud to say that St Jo’s was well–represented in many age groups. Eleanor, in particular, shone and came away with four titles! Congratulations to all participants for their hard work and dedication.

Holly (Y5) 1st public speaking and 1st prose reading; Grace (Y7) 2nd solo acting; Isabella (Y9) and Josie (Y10) 1st duologue acting; Millie (Y9) 2nd solo Shakespeare and 3rd solo acting; Isabella 3rd solo acting; Ben (Y9) 3rd solo acting; Josie 2nd solo acting; Betsy (Y10) 2nd solo Shakespeare, 2nd drama repertoire and 1st solo acting; Eleanor (Y12) 1st solo acting; 1st solo Shakespeare, plus the Drama cup and the Shakespeare cup.

Eleanor Joins British Youth Musical

Year 12 student Eleanor, who joined St Joseph’s for Sixth Form, has really made her mark since arriving at the school, having performed in Fame and a musical showcase. Now she is looking forward to the summer when she will take up her place at the British Youth Music Theatre, the largest commissioner of new musicals in the UK. One of the 2,000 11 to 21–year–olds selected annually to work with the company, Eleanor will spend three weeks in university accommodation working on ‘#50 Days’, a hip hop/grime musical. The show will be performed at the Birmingham Hippodrome from 1–3 September.

Studying A–levels in Drama, English Literature and History (plus an EPQ), Eleanor has her sights set on a theatrical career and is as interested in directing as performing. Selection for the BYMT is a fabulous step towards that career. Prestigious alumni of the charitable organisation include Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith.

Future Generals Deploy their Assets on Miniature Battlefields

Our Senior School after–school clubs aim to offer something for everyone and plenty of opportunity to try something new. Activities covered range from Model United Nations and Warhammer to rugby strength and conditioning and textiles.

Pictured above is a session of the Tabletop Gaming Club, led by three staff enthusiasts, Head of Engineering Mr Kempin, Chemistry teacher Mr Stevenson, and IT Technician Mr Ng. The club is popular with girls and boys alike.

Science Week – We Had a Blast!

Science Week was a blast for our students with rockets, racing cars and chain reactions, but in the time–honoured way, the spectre of ‘Houston, we have a problem’ inevitably raised its head.

Monday morning’s whole school assembly featured a Goldberg Machine built by the KS3 after–school club. Cheers all round when various spherical objects were safely transported from one end of the contraption to the other without touch of human hand.

The Maths department took Year 8 on a trip to Bletchley Park, to participate in decoding and deciphering – see page 10 for a full report.

Year 7 designed and tested water rockets using their knowledge of pressure ratios between water and air gained in Physics lessons. They then used their knowledge of Chemistry in a lab experiment to plan the ratio of hydrogen to water for their hydrogen rockets before launching them on Pitch 1. The rockets’ payload of hard–boiled eggs sounded safe enough, but not all survived the landing intact.

Our Engineering department helped Year 9 students design rocket cars during their break times, and the finished models were raced across the Astroturf. Interested Sixth Formers also took up the project, using their Computer Aided Design skills. The light weight cars carried CO2 canisters and were launched along a wire.

At time of going to press we were still awaiting the much–anticipated launch of a St Jo’s teddy into the stratosphere. The Science department had to abandon the initial launch due to adverse weather, which would have seen poor Ted touching down at sea. But new plans were made. With the onboard GPS tracker built by Harry (Y11) and cameras, Head of Science, Mr Briffa, planned to chase and retrieve the balloon when a favourable weather window allowed the launch.

Debaters Make Their Point and Make Us Proud

We are very proud of our Intermediate Debate Team — runners–up at the Rotary ‘Youth Speaks’ Regional Finals in Cambridge. The boys put on a stellar performance, speaking for 15 minutes without any notes about the question ‘Climate Change – Should we really worry about it?’ They were narrowly defeated.

We had a chance to see Year 9 students Ben, Ademide and Alex in action when they demonstrated their speaking skills at a Whole College assembly. Speaking in front of their peers was a demanding test but they sailed through brilliantly.

The boys have already started to practise for their next debate, demonstrating their hard–work, dedication and sheer talent. The next date on their list is a debate at the House of Commons – watch this space!

Our Senior team of Georgia (L6), Tanaquil (U6) and Daisy (Y10) debated passionately about whether Britain should apologise for the Empire and won the local Senior heat for the fourth year in a row!

Debating and public speaking is one of the most popular clubs in Development Hour and includes students from across the year groups.

Ski Trip

During the February half–term break, 42 students from Years 7 to Lower Sixth travelled to Oberlungau, Austria, for a week’s skiing. After a 24–hour coach journey, with numerous ‘Jurassic Park’ films and McDonald’s stops, the group arrived, completed a rapid boot fitting and eagerly awaited the first day on the slopes.

Day 1 did not disappoint. The beginners learnt alternative meanings for ‘pizzas’ and ‘french fries’ – snowplough and parallel for those of a certain age! The intermediates took to the blue slopes and the advanced group mastered the reds. Each day culminated with awards for its heroes –those who had gone above and beyond.

The following days were similarly successful, as the group ventured to the beautiful slopes of Fanningberg, Mautendor and Lungau, with all skiers making excellent progress. Evening entertainment included yoga led by St Jo’s in–house instructor (Mr Zen–ham), swimming, and quizzing. The final day on the slopes saw students take to the snow in fancy dress, with Mario, Spongebob, a T–Rex and a princess among them.

Students returned home ‘confident in their ability’, having made ‘lasting memories they will not forget for a long time’, having had ‘the most amazing time making new friends’ and having made ‘tremendous progress… and fallen in love with skiing!’

End of Trip Awards:

Beginner 1

Best Skier: Sam J

Most Improved: Hassan A

Beginner 2

Best Skier: Rebecca S

Most Improved: Ellie L

Intermediate

Best Skier: Eleanor B

Most Improved: David P S

Advanced

Best Skier: Josh R

Most Improved: Teddy M

Top Overall Tourist

Will D

Senior Sport

Rugby

We have had a fantastic term of rugby, that has seen all age groups continue to develop their skills and understanding with a mix of training, master–classes, fixtures and festivals.

The 1st XV (Under 18) 15–a–side season came to an end with impressive home wins against Moulton College (Northampton Saints Academy link) and Bishop Wand School (London Irish Academy link). We have celebrated more than 50 pupils playing Developing Player Programme / County level rugby, with 11 going on to be selected for Northampton Saints or Ealing Trailfinders Academy across the Under 15 to 18 age groups.

All age groups progressed to Rugby 7s just before the half term break with the support of Great Britain and England star (and former St Jo’s pupil) Tom Emery’s guest coaching, and our sevens season got underway with the U11s, U15s, U16s, U18s all winning competitive festivals. We now look forward to the finale of our season, with a week at Rosslyn Park National School 7s Festival.

Netball

With the Netball term near to a close, we are privileged to celebrate all our girls have achieved, from their rankings in their leagues to the individual achievements of players and umpires. It has been a jam packed term!

Each of our teams achieved good positions in their league tables, with all teams remaining in A and B leagues for next year. In addition to the school leagues that we enter, we have also been fortunate to enter a mixed U13 and U14 team into

the Colchester club U14 league on Thursday evenings, where we are currently mid-table.

The achievements don’t stop with team successes: our Year 10 players have been learning to umpire and are now all ready to undertake their INTO award to become qualified over the Summer holidays.

Our Senior First Team achieved our highest ranking this year in the Netball National Schools event, making it through to the East Regional competition.

Best news of all – we have just hosted our second annual National Netball Festival. This was a truly successful day with 12 teams in attendance for U14 and Senior Netball. Although the weather was against us, it was a great day for all with some exceptional sport played across the competitions. A well done to our U14s, runners–up in their competition. Our Senior team narrowly missed out on third place in their own category. We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support and with another successful Netball Festival under our belt we are looking forward to building the event further next year.

Ipswich Schools League: U13A – 3rd; U13B – 3rd; U14A – 3rd; U14B – 4th (3 games outstanding); U15A – 2nd; U15B – 4th; U16 – 1st. Second Team – 5th (2 games outstanding). AOC Regional League: First Team – 4th.

Football

Individual Achievements:

• Devin (L6) is still consistently representing the ISFA National U16 Representative Squad, which recently beat Millwall Academy.

• Alex (Y8) has signed for Colchester United Boys U13 Academy.

• Sarah (U6) was called up to play in England Women’s U19 squad in two international games at La Nucia Stadium.

Team Achievements:

• Our U18 Girls are through to the English Schools National Cup Final which will be played at Stoke City Stadium in May 2023. Alongside this they are still a part of the ISFA Semi Final and Suffolk FA County Cup.

• Our U13, U14 and U18 Boys’ Teams are still in Suffolk FA County Cup Draws.

• Our U13, U15 and U18 Boys’ are still in the top two teams in the East Region Independent Schools League, with remaining league games to go.

As a department we are really proud of the progress of girls’ and boys’ provision.

Boxing

Alfie (U6) won a recent boxing match with a knockout in 47 seconds.

Karate Sophie (Y7) achieved a silver medal at the English United Karate Federation competition. In April she will compete at Leicester in the KUGB for Nationals.

Staff in the Spotlight

I was born in Margate (the home of Dreamland, Tracey Emin and that song by Chas and Dave) and spent much of my childhood on the golden sands there. Whilst at Sixth Form at Hartsdown Technology College, with the promise of £15 a week, I began to help other, younger students with their homework, in the school library. This can be considered the start of my path into the world of SEN.

I achieved an Honours degree in Religious Studies from the University of Kent in 2009 after three wonderful years studying the sacred and profane. My dissertation was entitled ‘Modern Druidry –Religion or Spirituality?’ and explored the origins and developments of one of the oldest Western nature–based traditions.

My adventure with St Jo’s started in 2014, with a twist of fate: I initially started in a temporary position in Reprographics when my wife left the role to pursue a lecturer post at the University of Suffolk. I thought I would only be here for a month! Yet here I am in 2023 as a Learning Support Assistant. There has never been a dull moment working with our delightful students. They are a studious and enthusiastic group and I feel it is my privilege to support them in their learning journey; from reading with Year 2s and supporting in the classrooms of the senior school, to scribing in GCSE examinations. I am proud of each and every student I have supported over the years.

When I am not dashing from classroom to classroom, I can be found miniature historical wargaming, playing computer games, researching my extensive family tree — traced all the way back to 1597— or spending quality time with my wife and three–year–old son.

Mr Taylor Learning Support Assistant

Safeguarding

Vaping and E–Cigarettes – the Facts for Parents and Carers

Vaping is the use of an electronic device to inhale vapour derived from a heated liquid. The main ingredients are vegetable glycerine and propylene glycol, but most e–liquids also contain nicotine, which must be no more than 2% or 2mg per ml, as well as small amounts of flavourings and sweeteners.

Smoking is much more harmful than vaping. Tobacco smoke contains carbon monoxide and tar, a sticky soup of around 250 toxic chemicals, 69 of which are known to be carcinogenic, causing disease, disability and early death.

VAPES ARE NOT HARMLESS Short–term effects can include: coughing, headaches, dizziness and sore throats. Long–term effects are, as yet, unknown.

Having Conversations with Your Child About Vaping

Find the right moment:

When you see someone vaping, walk past a vape shop or see advertisements.

Ask questions:

What do they think about vaping? Do they know people who vape? Why do they think people vape?

Listen to them:

Learn from them, but also use your knowledge to help them understand the facts and that vapes are not harmless.

Talk about your expectations:

Explain your concerns; tell them why you don’t want them to vape or smoke; make it clear that although neither are recommended, smoking is the far greater risk.

Let them know that you care about them:

Explain that those who knowingly sell vapes to under 18s don’t care who they sell to and they are just interested in making money.

Talk about the different reasons why children may vape: Give examples such as wanting to fit in, curiosity, stress. Talk through effective ways to respond if they ever feel pressured to try it and practise responding together.

If your child is vaping:

Try to understand why they are vaping by asking questions like ‘What do you enjoy about vaping?’ Or ‘How does vaping make you feel?’ Understanding this might help you to understand their needs and discuss other ways to meet those needs.

In 2022 the number of 11–17–year–olds in Great Britain currently using vapes rose to 7% compared to 4% in 2020. Whilst this increase is concerning, it is important to note that most vaping is experimental, with regular vaping mainly confined to children who currently smoke or have done in the past.

The increase in youth vaping has coincided with the arrival on the UK market of a new category of cheap and attractive disposable vapes that have proven particularly popular with children and young people and have been promoted extensively on social media.

How do vapes help smokers quit?

Like nicotine patches and gum, vapes containing nicotine are a useful aid to quitting as they deal with the cravings smokers get when they try to stop. Nicotine vapes are proven effective and have become the most popular quitting aid for smokers in recent years. However, vapes are not recommended for non–smokers, particularly children. It is illegal to sell them to under 18s, and for adults to buy them on their behalf.

talktofrank.com/drug/vapes

ash.org.uk/uploads/References–for–ASH–brief–for–local–authorities–on–youth–vaping.

pdf?v=1661868077

Community & Old Birkfeldians

A look at the multi–tracked career of Seán Micheál Lea OB

I was at Birkfield from 1975 to 1980 as a Boarder. Before that I was at Oakhill. During vacations and at weekends I was involved as a volunteer at the North Norfolk Railway. (My family lived in Cromer until 1978 then we moved to London.)

I was given permission to set up the SJC Railway Society in my second year with the help of Mr Sparrow and was greatly encouraged by the new Headmaster, Brother Damian. He was more than happy for me to organise trips to the National Railway Museum York etc.

Whilst at St Joseph’s I was also the College Head Sacristan and Master of Ceremonies. Within that role I organised for the SJC to be formally admitted into The Arch Confraternity of St Stephen for Altar Servers. Because I organised weekly training for the school’s Altar Serving Team at the same time as the College Choir led by Brother Laurence Hughes was formed, SJC quickly gained a good reputation for the quality of its altar serving and music at Mass as per the Rubrics.

As a result, I contacted the Administrator at Westminster Cathedral and organised for the SJC Altar Servers to Serve Mass at one of the Cathedral’s Solemn High Masses presided over by His Eminence Cardinal Basil Hume. Brother Terence drove us to London in the minibus. Afterwards we had lunch

and visited the Imperial War Museum then crossed over the road to St George’s Cathedral were we served as a SJC team at Benediction and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.

In the Summer of 1980 Stephen Hook and I represented SJC on the Arch Confraternity’s 10–day pilgrimage to Rome and we stayed in the Vatican City. Both of us served Mass in all the major Roman basilicas and had front row seats during the Papal Weekly General Audience. Whilst in Rome we were invited by Brother Richard Allen, who happened to be in the city at the time, to visit the De La Salle Brothers Generalate.

Then in June 1982 I was selected to serve at the Papal Mass in Cardiff and also had the honour of a Private Audience with The Holy Father, Pope John Paul II. Also in Cardiff that day was Guy Pitt who was a day boy at SJC in my year. He attended The Papal Youth Event and presented a picture to the Holy Father on behalf of the Diocese of East Anglia.

I left SJC at the end of the fifth form and went on to do A–levels at a local grammar school before going to Surrey University, where I gained a BSc degree in Business Management. After leaving university in 1985 I spent most of my career in the leisure and hotel management industry. I was general manager of numerous venues around the UK including Eastbourne Pier, The Blackpool Tower Complex and Hammersmith Apollo London. I was also involved in the development of Cardinal Park in Ipswich and launched the various bars and nightclubs.  I then spent several years in Scotland as General Manager of The Balmoral Hotel Edinburgh, owned by Rocco Forte.

Simultaneously with doing the above, during my free time I have always actively pursued my other passions in life, which are heritage steam railways and Arsenal FC. I am a volunteer passenger train inspector guard at the East Lancashire Railway and also the Fans Director of Arsenal Manchester Supporters Club. We have over 1,400 members living in Greater Manchester and Lancashire. Fortunately, I get to go to every Arsenal match –home, away and in Europe. Being an Arsenal fan

living in Manchester is great at the moment whilst Arsenal are currently top of the Premier League. In February 2021 I was invited to become a Director of the East Lancashire Railway and I’m currently in role and loving every minute of it.

The East Lancashire Railway runs from Heywood in Greater Manchester via Bury for 12 miles up the beautiful Irwell Valley through to Rawtenstall in Lancashire. We operate a superb collection of restored steam and diesel hauled locomotives. Many of them arrived in appalling condition from Dai Woodham’s scrap yard in Barry, South Wales. It has been a labour of love over 20–plus years by our team of dedicated volunteers to restore these locos to their pristine glory. The actual railway is the second busiest tourist attraction in Lancashire. It also operates the prestigious Dining with Distinction Pullman–style service. Visitors can enjoy fine lunches, luxury afternoon teas and splendid four–course dinners in the most elegant of settings. Events include family spectaculars, wine tasting nights, murder mystery parties and comedy nights. See the East Lancashire Railway website for details and tickets eastlancsrailway.co.uk

A few years ago, at our Baron Street Locomotive Depot in Bury, we fully restored and overhauled the Flying Scotsman. The world famous A3 Pacific locomotive designed by Sir Nigel Gresley and built in 1923 in Doncaster for the London North Eastern Railway celebrates her 100th birthday this year. She was in full steam at the East Lancashire Railway in March and is absolutely magnificent. The railway is always on the lookout for eager volunteers and any fellow OBs who have settled in the Lancashire area are warmly invited to get in touch if they’re interested.

Parents and Friends Offer Students Insight into Their Professions

A career carousel gave Year 9 students the opportunity to speak to 11 professionals from diverse fields and learn about the paths they took to get to where they are today. Valuable insights were gained by these students as they are about to embark on their GCSE journey. We would like to offer our thanks to all those parents and friends of St Joseph’s who took time away from their busy schedules to pass on their wisdom

Our community heroes were: Mr Patterson, of Clip ‘n’ Climb Ipswich; entrepreneur Mr Blaydon; Mr Nicholson of Barker Gotelee; Ms Manda of Barker Gotelee; Mrs Rope of The Adecco Group; Senior HR executive, Mrs Patchett; Mr Russell of Paddy and Scott’s Coffee; Business transformation expert Mrs Strafford; Mrs Cherrington of Fladgate LLP; Mr Sparkes – Commercial Management and QS Services and, pictured with a group of Year 9s, medical practitioners, Drs A and A Adeyeye.

Boarding

An Atmosphere So Conducive to Study Some Day Students Are Dropping By!

Lent Term in Boarding has an air of calm, but look more closely and there’s a buzz of activity. With students in Years 11 and Sixth Form upping their learning ante for their mock examinations and as they work towards their final assignments and exams this Summer, the study rooms are quiet havens of industry. With mathematical equations being worked on in study groups and revision materials shared with classmates, we have even seen day students join us to best utilise their learning opportunities.

Boarding staff have been proud supporters of the Upper Sixth students who are already beginning to reap the rewards of their efforts with offers from an array of universities, including Bath, Reading, UCL and Exeter. Degree courses to be pursued include Archaeology, Zoology and Engineering. Pupil voice is essential to any school environment. Not only does it foster positive contributions within a community and a working–together approach to driving improvement, but it encourages those within it to be reflective; to ensure each feels valued, whilst developing a wonderful boarding identity. Our Food Councils and Boarding House Committees meet each term and bring about positive changes, which are shared through our Pupil Voice notice boards. Clear minutes alongside ‘You Said, We Did’ outcomes allow students to see their voiced ideas being put into action. This can be small things, like new brands of sausages at breakfast, to London trips provision, and new curtains added throughout Boarding, in addition to the existing blinds.

We encourage our young people to look after their mind and body alongside their academics and this has been emphasised through the wide range of activities we have been enjoying this term in Boarding. We particularly enjoyed learning about and sharing in the cultural celebrations of Chinese New Year and Ramadan, with students leading assemblies and talking about how these festivals are important to their cultural identity and values.

The body has been challenged through basketball training and matches, baking of healthy snacks alongside the not so healthy but super yummy pretzels, and trips to Clip ‘n’ Climb and Jump–In. We also embarked on an excursion to Anglia Indoor Karting, where students whizzed around the race track in competition for the top spot. It was most surprising to our older students who have already commenced driving lessons to be beaten to the top spots by some of the youngest within our community. Johnnie and Ruben do enjoy reminding them, in case they happen to forget!

We are also quite a cultured bunch and have delighted in taking in the excellent College musical, Fame, alongside paint nights, film soirées and taking in the city of Norwich.

With our ever–growing group of student athletes here in Boarding, there is always high demand to head to Portman Road for an Ipswich Town match and equally the television room has breached capacity at times when the international rugby is being aired, with allegiances pledged, shirts worn with pride, cheers and tears met with sportsmanly handshakes at the end of matches.

It really is wonderful to have the privilege to live and work in such a multi–cultural environment where our young people learn about and appreciate the cultural variety, becoming ever more respectful of differences and affording them an inclusive world view.

Together We’re Stronger

We love showing off St Joseph’s College, its splendid students and the beautiful campus, to visitors – particularly to those families who might choose to join us. This term there have been a number of events when visitors had the opportunity to join in a little St Jo’s magic. It’s a two–way process, too, as our students make excellent, friendly hosts.

Our annual Mission Impossible Day is a fun experience for our own Year 6 Prep pupils and prospective students geared to showing them that the transition to Senior School is a mission they are ready to accomplish.

Prep for Adventure was a new–style open event held on a school day. Our Prep pupils and visitors alike had an excellent time working through various ‘zones’ and taking part in the imaginative, educational activities devised by the teaching staff. As an added attraction, we were joined by a number of huge dinosaur puppets.

Children from three local primary schools also joined us for an outreach day led by our partners at Arts International. Working in mixed groups with our own Year 5 girls and boys, the children worked up short pieces from three musicals. The dynamism injected by Arts International’s three theatrical professionals (Daniel Loosely, James Westphal, and Jonathon Prestney) met with the participants’ joy and enthusiasm. Parents attending the brief showcase at the end of the event were thrilled with what had been achieved in so short a time.

The day was very enjoyable all-round and our own students benefited from the collaboration as much as the visitors. One of the visiting staff members said that due to the Credit Crunch this outing was her class’s first in a year. We are delighted that St Jo’s was able to facilitate it.