College Newsletter - Summer 2023

Summer 2023

Principal A message from the

As I reflect on this past school year, I am proud of so many of our students’ achievements and the opportunities provided for them which have enabled their progress in so many different areas. Academically, we have made great strides with our Year 13 students (the Covid GCSE cohort) sitting public examinations with confidence, thanks to the outstanding preparation and support provided by their teachers. Year 12 students have sat AS examinations for the first time in recent years –this additional practice establishing academic routine and rigour, which can only enhance further their A-level results in August ‘24.

The new Sport Faculty has provided much to inspire great confidence in this key area of College life. I have been delighted to watch sports teams gather pace and momentum across both our Prep and Senior Schools, not least in the sphere of female football. Our performance sports - under the leadership of Mr Winter (Rugby), Miss Shorten/Mr Skuse (Football), Mr Bennett-King (Cricket) and Miss Rusivakula (Netball) from next term - will ensure your children have outstanding tutelage, coaching and opportunities to perform at the highest of levels, including experiences beyond the classroom.

The Arts have flourished further. Our new partnership with Arts International (artsintl.org) and established traditions, such as our annual musical (who can forget this year’s high-octane performance of Fame!), our Prep production of The Greatest Show and this summer’s Arts Festival, provide creative space for so many of our students to develop their talents and confidence.

Our Upper Sixth leavers’ service and prize giving was a special moment in time for students and parents – I always attribute the phrase ‘bittersweet’ to this time of year because that is exactly how it feels on both sides of the ‘family fence’. Our heart-felt good wishes go with all those taking

their next steps into the future beyond St Jo’s and especially to our 2022/23 Senior Prefects: Head Boy, Santos Ledesma; Head Girl, Amélie Clarke; Deputy Head Boy, Will Stace and Deputy Head Girl, Carys Smith.

In her leaving address, Carys epitomised the virtue of continuity and tradition, saying, ‘To the incoming senior prefects… Take pride in your role, keep the promises you make to any member of this community and treat everyone with kindness and respect. I speak for the four Senior Prefects when I say, this has been the greatest honour of our time at the College and any guidance you feel we can offer we would love to give.’

We look forward to seeing many of our senior students on campus from 14 August for preseason training.

Staff will be on campus as we welcome Year 12 & 13 for their AS/A-level/EPQ/CTEC and BTEC results on Thursday 17 August and Year 11 for their GCSE results on Thursday 24 August. The Sixth Form team will also be available post results day, to support with UCAS applications and university placements.

Please know that Support Staff and members of the College’s Senior Leadership Team are on campus and available across the summer to answer any queries you may have in person, by phone or by email.

I wish all St Jo’s families a very happy Summer break.

Mrs Danielle Clarke Principal

Mrs Childs A word from

How time flies! At the end of my first term as Head of St Jo’s Prep School, I feel incredibly proud to be ‘holding the reins’. So many people whom I meet around Ipswich ask me how I am getting on at St Jo’s and my response… ‘I am loving it, everyone should experience St Jo’s!’ I feel exceptionally fortunate to be part of our wonderful community, and especially so, having been made to feel so very welcome by everyone in it.

I cannot emphasise enough how amazing our children are in terms of their attitude to learning and life. Although our recent inspection was all about compliance, the children’s conduct was commended by the inspectors and that makes me proud. We keep the children very busy and they throw themselves into all that we ask of them; from colour runs to concerts and Sports Day to Celebration Day, all are approached with the same enthusiasm, which is wonderful. At the time of writing, my highlight has to be the Prep Prom in the Playground. This very special event involved all of the Prep children in a low-key concert, enjoyed by our families and friends with a picnic on the

playground. The children’s confidence and enthusiasm really shone through with some beautiful musical performances.

This term has been packed with activities and I would like to thank all the staff for their hard work and dedication to ensure that the children have the best education possible. Academics are obviously important, but so are the life skills we wish them to adopt in order to be their bestselves; none of this can happen without our fabulous staff.

I hope all our families have a really happy and safe summer and I look forward to seeing those who return in September.

Mrs Amanda Childs Head of Prep

Art for Arts’ Sake

… and for fun, inspiration, life enhancement, togetherness and learning

With its theme of Past, Present and Future, this year’s Arts Festival attempted to cover all time zones as well as a great many genres. With our partners Arts International at our side, the programme was more exciting than ever, with the added weight of input from theatrical professionals.

Arts International specialists opened up the world of stage make-up and wigs during a number of workshops. They also sang at the inaugural assembly, introduced our students to

puppeteering and delivered basic and advanced classes in street dance.

As ever, the week saw the campus busy with all kinds of creative endeavour – from small ‘have a go’ sessions to large-scale productions. Chief among the latter was the Junior Production, The Greatest Show, full of ambitious choreography and choruses and cleverly staged in the Chapel. The costumes were outstanding.

The ‘Scottish play’, widely studied by Senior students, injected a shot of Shakespeare. Director of Music, Mr Layton, announced the next College musical will be Legally Blonde - a tale of

triumph through being true to oneself. The show will be performed at DanceEast from December 4 to 8. This is a new timing for the College and Mr Layton has been working hard to draw up a rehearsal schedule compatible with students’ other commitments.

Arts Festival musical highlights included the Rock Choir, Summer Term concert, Rock in the Quad, Saturday Unplugged and Stars in Your Eyes, which was run by La Salle House in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Dance and fashion up-cycling shared time in the limelight, too. Students were introduced to new skills and honed existing ones in workshops for henna art, LAMDA, Tunnock’s Teacake transformation, tie dye, face painting and samba drumming.

Our excellent week of fun arts activities was a resounding success, bringing together students of all ages, and fostering creativity, self-expression and a deep appreciation for the Arts.

A pleasure shared

Reading is not just about academics, it is about pleasure and an important life-skill. We love sharing books with one another. Our older children share their joy of reading with the younger ones during their weekly paired-reading session. Nor is it just about the reading, but also the patience and questioning skills that the children are learning. Special times!

Prep School News

Nursery trip to Christchurch Park

Our Nursery children had a fabulous visit to Christchurch Park, bird-spotting at the lake, playing on the playground and having a Teddy Bears’ picnic... All our adults made sure they had their teddy bears with them too!

Comprehending some of the harder truths of the modern world

As part of their Literacy studies, our Year 5 pupils have been reading the novel, ‘The Boy in the Back of the Class’,and sympathising with its protagonist, a young refugee who escapes his war-torn country in search of a better life. In a lesson which helped them appreciate some of the difficulties refugees might face, the students put themselves into cramped and uncomfortable physical positions. The lesson underlined the struggles sometimes faced by refugees and highlighted the importance of empathy.

Getting to grips with the building blocks of design

The girls and boys of Year 6 worked hard on their own version of the Lego League Challenge, using the amazing Spike Prime sets, educational kits designed to encourage critical thinking, data analysis and complex problem solving. Pupils put their skills to the test building the game environment, coding their robots and getting tournament-ready.

Cardboard chairs? An idea with legs

We are very proud that we have Engineering lessons in the Prep at St Jo’s as part of our STEM programme. After spending time learning some new ways to build with cardboard without using any adhesive, Years 3 and 4 competed against each other in the ‘Cardboard Chair Challenge’ to see which designs stood up! Sitting down was testing work.

Close encounter with cutting edge technology

The BT education workshop at Adastral Park provided a wealth of enjoyable educational sessions for Year 5. The children got to work with CrumbleBots, Edison robots and Micro:bits, and toured the innovation hub to learn about the latest industrial technology and have hands-on encounters with it .

A big thank you to BT Education for providing such an amazing opportunity for our pupils.

More Prep School News

Good messy fun - hue cannot be serious!

The whole College came together for the messy mayhem and fun of the Colour Run, raising £900 for East Anglia Air Ambulance in the process.

The students of Goldrood House did a wonderful job organising the event, which saw no shortage of energy and enthusiasm from runners and colour throwers alike. It was a fantastic way to start our coronation celebrations, played out in perfect weather.

Following our Prep and Senior School event, we hosted a scaled down version for our own Nursery children and those from three other local nurseries. Why should the big kids have all the fun?

We believe in fostering a sense of community and inclusion, and what better way to do that than by covering our little visitors in rainbow hues before sharing a picnic lunch!

In praise of our playground prom

We had an amazing early evening in the sunshine with our Prep Prom on the Playground. We were treated to a huge variety of musical items from the Prep children, many having been rehearsed mainly by the children themselves.

Our Parent Choir was also very brave and showed the children that we can all take ourselves out of our comfort zones! We finished with some rousing community singing by everyone attending. It was brilliant to see so many families involved - and a special thank you to Mrs Barker for putting it all together.

Prep Sports News

A sporting revolution of opportunity

It has been fantastic to watch our pupils flourish on the cricket field. From Reception to Year 6, the entire Prep School has been playing cricket across games sessions, with every child in Years 3 to 6 representing the school on the cricket field. Cricket has also presented the opportunity for mixed sports, allowing our pupils to work together and develop each other. In Physical Education, pupils have been immersed in a comprehensive athletics programme in preparation for a hotly-contested sports day. In what has been a year filled with too many highlights to mention, the overriding theme has been ‘opportunity’. We have seen every child from Y3-6 represent the College on the sports field across a number of sports, children from the age of five have been coached and developed by some of the sector’s leading practitioners and, most importantly, our pupils have had the opportunity to learn and develop in a values-based sporting environment which fosters growth. From House sport to gymnastics performances, there has been an opportunity for every child to discover their best

and find what they love about sport. Opportunity, however, has not stopped at the breadth of sport that we have at the College; we have also participated in the Rugby School Bicentenary Celebration of Rugby, visited super league netball champions Loughborough Lightning, played in our own Football Festival, and had visits from England Netballers and cricket coaching from former internationals.

The culture we have created has also brought tangible success. Most notably, our U11 Girls winning the St Joseph’s College Netball Festival and our U11 Boys winning the Northampton Saints Rugby Festival, along with a number of other commendable performances across prestigious competitions around the country. There is no doubt that sport at St Jo’s Prep is heading in an exciting direction and that this is largely thanks to our wonderful pupils. Keep watching - the journey has only just begun.

Focus on a Teacher

Mrs Childs Head of Prep

How would the students at St Joseph’s College describe you?

It is early days but I hope that in time they will say that I am friendly but I expect high standards and for the children and everyone in the school to be their best selves.

What was it about the school that made you want to apply for the position at St Joseph’s College?

Firstly, I wanted to come back to Suffolk. I love the county with its beautiful countryside, coast and big skies. I grew up in Colchester and so this area of the country is home to me. When I arrived back, it was like having a warm blanket put around me. Secondly, I wanted to find a school which matched my values, a school that I could thoroughly believe in. I try to live by my values every day. St Jo’s could be described as ‘St Joy’s’, the people are incredibly friendly and the environment is supportive to everyone in it; its creativity helping the children to reach their potential. What more could you ask for?

How would you describe the ethos of St Joseph’s College?

Friendly, supportive and creative.

What was your path to becoming headteacher?

I have worked in a variety of schools during my 28-year career. I started working as an NQT in Clacton before teaching in Bangkok for a couple of years. I left there, returning to Clacton before heading to Dulwich College, London. Two Deputy Headships followed at The Grammar School in Leeds and Alleyn’s, Dulwich, before spending 13 very happy years at Ipswich Prep School, where I was Head of the Prep School.

How do you think a head can make a real difference to an individual pupil?

By having the best teachers and staff, knowing each of their pupils as an individual, taking them seriously and encouraging and praising them and providing them with the challenge and also support to take themselves out of their comfort zones and try something new.

Also, by working in partnership with their parents and creating a school environment where everyone feels happy and safe.

What is your most useless skill?

I can tap dance.

What are you known for?

My enthusiasm, determination, rapid walk, strong opinions, laughter and loyalty.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

I really did not enjoy my school days. Unfortunately, I was bullied at school and it was not dealt with very well. It sounds a cliché but I genuinely wanted to help children not go through what I went through if at all possible; so, I wanted to become a teacher from an early age. For a short time, I thought that a police officer’s role would also be good and that’s what I did my work experience in. My parents persuaded me to give myself options and go to university first and I did a teaching degree. I have not looked back since.

Who inspired you to teach?

I had an amazing teacher at Primary School called Gina James, she was kind and inspired me to be my best self. To become a headteacher though, would be Robert Emuss, he was the Headteacher of the first school I worked at. He was understanding and kind, whilst expecting high standards, and most importantly, the children always came first.

Bon voyage

Pupils adapt to life in France with élan

What better way to start your day in a French château than with early morning team games and le petit déjeuner. With an exciting programme including visits to caves and a goat farm, plus crazy golf in fabulous weather ahead of them, our Y5 and 6 girls and boys were living the dream on their visit to France.

The residential trip continued with a look around Europe’s biggest aquarium, followed by a sand castle competition and games on the beach, again in wonderful sunshine,

with an evening of camp fire activities before bedtime.

The good life reached its peak with a trip to chocolatier Beussent Lachelle. The children learnt about the process of making chocolate and REALLY enjoyed sampling le chocolat lait, blanc et noir! A cultural visit to Rue was also packed into the day.

Senior School News

The ecological responsibility we all share

Adding the polish to our students’ life skills

As part of our commitment to our students’ careers education and guidance, we collapsed the normal timetable for a day to host Barclays Life Skills. Students attended in business attire and learned about CV writing, and preparing for and performing in interviews. Thank you to the Barclays team for top tips on securing first jobs. This was a fantastic opportunity for Year 10 to explore the transition from education to work.

Thanking Barclays for the workshop, Mr Fletcher, Senior Pastoral Manager and Head of Year , said, ’The Life Skills event was a great success. The students had an excellent time and really represented the College’s ethos and expectations. I was amazed by just how much they took away from the event and impressed that they found it all interesting and relevant.’

Some more age appropriate life skills have also been assimilated by Year 6 students during fortnightly classes this term. These ranged from cleaning shoes, washing up and making sandwiches to first aid and letter writing - all useful accomplishments for now and for the future. To add a touch more fun, a friendly shoe shining competition was held.

Professor Leanne Hepburn from the School of Life Sciences at the University of Essex gave a thought-provoking Birkfield Talk on sustainability and the impact of increasing levels of CO2 in the atmosphere. She spoke of the need for action to preserve our planet and of the personal responsibility we all share.

Professor Hepburn, whose research interests include marine conservation, coral reefs, the ecosystem function of oysters, and sponge and fisheries ecology, talked about exciting job opportunities in the field of Life Sciences and the rising demand for experts in sustainability.

Ten years of LAMDA examination success

For the tenth year, St Joseph’s College welcomed a LAMDA examiner to our Private Exam Centre for two days of examinations in Solo Acting, Duologue Acting and Public Speaking.

Students from Year 4 to Year 12 demonstrated their skills at grades 1 to 8. Grade 6 (bronze) and above are worth valuable UCAS points and once again wonderful St Jo’s candidates excelled! All passed with flying colours, achieving high merits and distinctions. Well done to all and particular congratulations to George and Eleanor for excelling in their Grade 8 (gold) Solo Acting exams.

Barcelona revealed in all its historic, artistic and culinary wonder

Our Year 9 students enjoyed an amazing trip to Barcelona, exploring the city and its culture. Having learnt to navigate the Metro like locals and to order helados (ice cream) to the manor born, they toured the historic centre of the city and the Picasso Museum. They fortified themselves with traditional Spanish food, from tapas to paella, and discovered flavours and ingredients they hadn’t tasted before.

A boat trip from the harbour gave the party another perspective of the city, with added sea breeze and views of the stunning coastline. The students also walked through ‘Gaudi’s Barcelona’, marvelling at the iconic architecture of Sagrada Familia, Casa Batlló and other landmarks.

Finally, they visited the Boqueria Mercado, a colourful and bustling market where they saw and tasted all sorts of delicious fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses and sweets, further expanding their culinary horizons and having fun in the process. Overall, it was an unforgettable experience and offered a wonderful opportunity for practising language skills. ¡Viva Barcelona!

Roll on those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer!

The University of Suffolk hosted a UCAS Conference that gave Year 12 students a valuable insight into various university programmes, admissions processes and potential career paths. It provided a great opportunity to consider options and build up a better picture of the educational journey ahead.

Our students made the most of their access to university representatives from Oxford, Cambridge, Bath and London Metropolitan, among others. So the business of the morning proceeded…

From Ipswich Waterfront they travelled to Southwold beach, to celebrate the completion of their AS Level examinations and the approaching end of the academic year. Fun, sport, fun, peer bonding, fun, ice cream and fun were the order of the afternoon.

Year 9 mathematicians take on the world

A team of Year 9 mathematicians took part in the World Class Maths Tests and performed to an extraordinary level. Completing the gruelling two-and-a-half hours of computer and written assessments, the girls and boys were testing themselves against the best in the world, with fellow competitors coming from the USA, Australia, Hong Kong, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

The St Jo’s team collectively performed best in the area of algebra - arguably the most difficult category - gaining the highest possible ranking. They earned a place in the top three percent of all students internationally in their age group (not just those taking the tests). They were also in the top five percent for number and spatial awareness.

All seven St Joseph’s students were also recognised for their individual achievements. Congratulations in particular to Ademide, Emilia and Joshua on gaining the Distinction Award for a place in the top five percent or better.

And very well done, too, to Alexander, Ewan, Joshua, and Jozef, who also achieved excellent results and WCA praise.

Olympian effort pays dividends

Harvey (U6) took part in the Chemistry Olympiad run by the Royal Society of Chemistry. This amounted to a very challenging voluntary chemistry exam. He performed amazingly well, gaining a Silver certificate, putting him in the top third of the 12,000 students who entered nationally.

Get on the desks!

Year 9 students dived into the captivating world of figurative drawing, and what better way to learn about the human form than through the iconic style of Giacometti? Their fellow students posed helpfully for the artists, who were able to fully embrace the elongated limbs and slender bodies of Giacometti’s distinctive aesthetic.

Senior Sport

Cricket

The 2023 season has produced a number of successful match results and individual performances in the first phase of our rebuild. Over 100 students attended pre-season training, enabling them to prepare effectively for the term. The 1st XI Boys competed in a range of testing playing formats over the term, including 30-over matches v the MCC and Culford, a 20/20 v Framlingham in the National Cup, three 45-over games against Gresham’s, Norwich and RGS Colchester, plus an exciting new fixture against the Lashings World XI.

The Lashings match was a fantastic showcase that provided our students with the unique opportunity to play with and learn from some of cricket’s greatest players, including Saqlain Mushtaq, Saj Mahmood, Owais Shah and Courtney Walsh. The match was presided over by legendary cricket commentator Henry Blofeld. Special mention to captain Callum (U6) for leading the team brilliantly this season and putting in some notable performances with bat and ball, brilliantly supported by Freddie (U6).

Both 1st XI Girls’ and 2nd XI Boys’ teams experienced short seasons but showed plenty of improvement and ability. Special mention to 1st XI Girls’ captain, retiring Head Girl and Suffolk U18 captain, Amélie, whose service and commitment to College cricket over the past seven years has been second to none. Congratulations on a fantastic innings! The U15 and U14 Boys trained well and though results did not go their way they can take momentum forward into the winter phase. Our U13 and U12 Boys and Girls also showed excellent commitment, ability, progress and potential in training, after school practices and inter school fixtures this term.

Finally, much praise to our U15 Girls, with their outstanding victories over Gresham’s, Brentwood, Ipswich High and Culford. This outstanding group demonstrated the power of unity and collaboration. Special mention to Maya (Y9) on reaching her first half century for the school this season. We look forward to helping them achieve more successes next year.

In summary, all students who have represented the College on the cricket field this term can be very proud of their collective efforts and individual progress. We look forward to helping them develop and improve over the winter months.

Photo credit: Nick Garnham

Football

Let’s take another chance to salute our senior girls football squad. St Jo’s U18s achieved an unheard-of treble, first winning the Independent School’s Football Association trophy, then picking up the Suffolk Schools County Cup and finishing with the English School’s Football Association trophy. A landmark for the team, the coaches and St Joseph’s College

The boys have much to celebrate too. In our first year taking part in the East Region Independent Schools League, St Joseph’s College came first in the league rankings of the U13, U15 and U18s boys’ provision. The league includes the Suffolk, Cambridge, Norfolk and Essex areas. Looking ahead to the ’23-’24 academic year, we are excited about pre-season week, with every footballing squad starting from 21 August. We will continue to support all individuals and teams representing the College. On that note, a massive thank you from the Football Department to of all our students for their commitment, dedication and hard work throughout this year. Have a great summer.

Equestrianism

The St Joseph’s College Equestrian Team travelled to Hickstead in Sussex for the Eventers Challenge Championship finals. Highlights included finishing third of 47 teams in the Eventer Challenge final at 80/85 cm and winning the show-jumping in the 90/95 cm, with Scarlett, Freya, Ema and Imogen all completing fast clear rounds to take this class!

This was amazing work by the whole team, showing mutual support and true St Jo’s team spirit.

Athletics

Ella and Hanna competed in the Suffolk County and Schools Athletics Championships. Ella ran the U13 1500m and won, receiving two gold medals and achieving a PB of 5 minutes 11.5 seconds, which was 17 seconds ahead of the next competitor! Hanna competed in the U13 high jump and javelin, earning two gold medals for each event and then winning two bronze medals in the U13 long jump, with a personal best of 3.87m. That’s some haul!

Swimming and Triathlon

Ben (Y11) won gold in the 200m backstroke, silver in 100m backstroke and bronze in 400m freestyle in the Swim England Regional championships, qualifying for the Swim England National Summer Championships. He is ranked in the top 25 in his age group for 200m breaststroke in Britain and is ranked in the top 50 in his age group in England for both 50m and 100m backstroke. After the first two races of the National Triathlon season, Ben is in 13th position in the British Triathlon Super Series rankings, with four further races coming up.

Squash

Brothers Bator and Almos continue to make their mark in the sport of squash, with Bator (Y4) now ranking No 1 nationally at U9. Almos (Y7) won the East Regional Squash Grand Prix, topping the Y7/8 category. Great work, boys.

Photo credit: Craig Hobbs Photography

Staff in the Spotlight

Over his career, Mr Shaw has completed overseas exercises in places as diverse as the Falklands, Kenya, Belize and Jamaica, to name but a few. He also has a wealth of experience in operational theatres, including Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan. During his second of three tours of Afghanistan, he was awarded a NATO Commander’s commendation for his continued and substantial achievements whilst part of an Afghan Army-mentoring advisory group in a testing and demanding environment.

When not on operations, Mr Shaw has instructed at the highest levels future Army commanders, teaching non-commissioned officers from the prestigious Household Division, the Parachute Regiment courses, and the British Army Training Unit Kenya. He has also instructed members of the University Officer Training Corps and worked with young officers under training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

Mr Dan Shaw Estates & Facilities Manager

Mr Shaw, who joined St Joseph’s College in January as the Estate and Facilities Manager, is local to Suffolk, having been raised in Sudbury. On leaving school in 1996 he enlisted into the Coldstream Guards and served for 25 years. On completion of his basic training, he was posted to Munster, Germany, and trained in armoured warfare. He also took part in a NATO exchange with the Danish Army.

In 1998 the Battalion returned to Windsor and he conducted state ceremonial and public duties, being part of the Queen’s Guard at Buckingham Palace, St James Palace, the Tower of London, Windsor Castle and as a member of various Guards of Honour for visiting foreign dignitaries. During this period, Mr Shaw developed a strong sense of personal discipline, attention to detail and teamwork.

He finely tuned his eye for detail when employed as a facility manager (Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant) for a group of 600 and is confident his training and experience will ensure the continued effective delivery of a well-managed estate and facilities for St Jo’s. Most recently he deployed to Afghanistan as the logistics officer; the deployment was the MOD’s contribution to NATO’s counter-insurgence effort.

Moving in to civilian life, Mr Shaw completed his education with courses covering leadership and management at Wessex Business School and Durham University. He acquired Health and Safety expertise and facilities management qualifications through the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management. He had moved into the education sector of the industry prior to his arrival at St Jo’s, working with the College Trust in Cambridge.

When not keeping our campus running smoothly and efficiently, Mr Shaw, who lives in Suffolk with his wife and children, splits his time between travelling and his commitment to the Reserve Forces.

Safeguarding

What parents and carers need to know about Influencers

In today’s digital age, social media influencers play an increasingly significant role in shaping the opinions, interests and behaviours of our children. While many of these individuals can have a positive effect, influencer culture can also present certain risks – such as encouraging consumerism, affecting self-esteem and blurring trustworthiness. To help ensure a safe online environment for young people, it’s vital to maintain open communication, set sensible boundaries, promote a healthy self-image and teach digital media literacy.

What are the risks?

Heightened consumerism: A major way that influencers make money is through brand partnerships and sponsored content. As a result, children who follow them may be exposed to a steady stream of advertising: this can lead to materialistic attitudes, unrealistic expectations and an increased desire to have the latest products. Many influencers have built huge brand empires around their large, impressionable following.

The soft sell

Some influencers aren’t always transparent about the motivations behind their posts, blurring the lines between genuine recommendations and paid-for promotions – and young people sometimes find it difficult to distinguish authentic content from advertising. Many major social platforms have taken steps to make sponsored content and ads easier to identify, but it remains an area of concern.

Privacy concerns

Inspired by their favourite influencers, children may start sharing more of their own lives online – which could reveal personal information or details about their daily routine. This openness can put them at risk or cyberbullying or even predatory behaviour. This is exacerbated by live streaming, which gives young people no time to consider the potential consequences of saying too much.

Undermining self-esteem

Many influencers share images and videos of themselves and their activities, which are often painstakingly curated and edited to present an idealised version of their life. Children who follow these influencers may develop distorted expectations about body image and the concept of beauty, which can potentially lead to negative self-esteem and even mental health issues.

Advice for parents and carers

Keep talking

Chat to your child about the content they consume on social media and the influencers that they like. Encourage them to think critically about what they see and hear online, and listen to any concerns they might have. Maintaining this line of open, honest communication can help your child to make informed decisions about which individuals they follow and what content they engage with.

Support a healthy self-image

Reinforce your child’s awareness that real life isn’t usually as picture-perfect as it may appear on social media – and how some content (particularly that of influencers) is often curated, staged or edited to look more glamorous. If possible, highlight examples of other influencers who share authentic, relatable material which acknowledges their imperfections and struggles as well.

Set some boundaries

Agree age-appropriate boundaries for your child’s social media use, including time limits and privacy settings (the two major operating systems on mobile devices, Android and iOS, have these controls baked in). Try to keep an eye on your child’s online activity and discuss it regularly with them – including reminding them of the potential risks that can arise from following influencers.

Promote Media Literacy

Talk to your child about the concepts of sponsored content, advertising and potential influencer bias. Teach them to critically evaluate the information they’re presented with online and to consider the possible reasons behind content creation. This can help young people develop the skills to make healthier decisions about the influencers they choose to follow and the content they consume.

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Community & Old Birkfeldians

St Joseph’s Donates Science Textbooks and Apparatus

With its mission to enable practical science teaching in developing countries, LabAid is a charity we are proud to support. This term, the Science Faculty was able to contribute more than 300 books, including GCSE Chemistry, Biology and Physics textbooks and revision guides, along with beakers, pipettes, test tubes, crucibles, gas jars, galvanometers and oscilloscopes. The kit was surplus to our requirements but will make a massive difference to classrooms in poorer parts of the world. Who knows where across the globe the cure for cancer or the secret to cheap, safe energy may be discovered.

Mrs Baker Woods is Director of Ipswich and East Suffolk Alliance and Mr Turner is Head of Workforce Intelligence and Planning for NHS

Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board. They confirmed the NHS is a brilliant place to work, offering opportunities across a huge range of professions.

Those wishing to know more could watch the NHS video, Live 1000 Lives.

England Netball Centre and Wing Attack player

Hannah Joseph was an extremely popular guest when she ran some training sessions with the Prep School children and speak to the Sixth Formers.

We are always grateful for our inspirational speakers

Former Badminton World Champion and Olympic Silver Medallist, Gail Emms MBE, delivered a powerful assembly to our Year 8s on the subject of friendship, bullying and accepting others. She also talked about overcoming adversity and the hardships of top-level sport. Thank you, Gail. Your inspiring words resonated with our students. Thanks, too, all the speakers who have given inspiring Birkfield Society careers talks this year. Our final speakers were Mr Giles Turner OB and St Jo’s parent Mrs Maddie Baker-Woods, who spoke about National Health Service management and the careers available.

Hannah made her senior debut for England in 2016 in the test series against Australia. On the domestic front, she is one of the longest serving players for Loughborough Lightning in the Netball Super League.

There’s more than one route to the desired destination

We were delighted to hear from a past student who is making her mark in the world of veterinary physiotherapy.

My name is Adelaide Chinn and I was a student at St Joseph’s College from 2011-2017.

I came to St Jo’s after the closure of Amberfield School in 2011 and was warmly welcomed into the community. I enjoyed my time with you but I started to struggle with anxiety in my final two years. Instead of staying for A-levels, I went to Otley College to study Level 3 in animal management, before heading to university where I have now achieved a 1st class (distinction) Master’s degree in Veterinary Physiotherapy. Also achieving 90% in my post-grad dissertation and presenting my research at animal science conferences. Ultimately, I am very grateful to the staff members at St Jo’s (Mrs Hall, Mr Southgate, Mrs Harvey, Mrs Clarke, and Mrs Debenham to name a few) for keeping me afloat during those difficult times. Without whom I wouldn’t have made it to where I am today.

I’m sure the staff often wonder what happens to students after they leave, especially those students that may not have had an easy time at school. I wanted to share my story with you in the hopes that it brings some positivity to those that supported me in my time, and reassurance that I was still able to go away with the valuable skills that enabled me to be successful.

I have attached a recent photo of myself with one of the many canine patients that I now treat. Once again, thank you to St Jo’s for being part of my journey and helping me achieve my dreams.

OB Sportsman Travels the World

Exciting times for OB Joshua Apple, now a professional basketball player. Josh a former boarder at The Mews, dropped into the College recently to bring us up to date on his career since leaving St Jo’s in 2016. A first-rate rugby player, who had been in the reserve Festival squad and then the squad proper for 2015, his talent at basketball was increasingly evident.

Following a year at Copleston High School, Josh was offered a scholarship at East Central University in Oklahoma. He stayed at the College for five years – extended due to Covid provisions – studying Business marketing and Investment Banking. He wasn’t the only Brit in the school, which was also home to a softball player from Bury St Edmunds.

Having graduated, he came back across the Atlantic and has just completed his first pro contract, a year with Calais Basket. He is now considering his options and has promised to keep us posted.

Boarding

So Much to Enjoy in Boarding

Summer term is always the favourite of staff in boarding. Lighter, longer days and warmer weather lend themselves to a more outdoor lifestyle. It is good to see students out of their rooms, filling their free time with sport and lots of integration between year groups in games of football, volleyball and basketball around the boarding grounds. The Summer Term also contains a frenzy of academic study, too, with students preparing for external and internal exams across all year groups. As such, boarding feels productive and busy – just the way we like it!

As always, we are also keen to take students off campus. Early in the term, a big trip to Thorpe Park proved very popular, with students throwing themselves into the white-knuckle rides. Mr Battye is a known rollercoaster fan, and led the charge for the thrill seekers! Later in the term, another trip that proved particularly popular was led by Ms Maclean, cycling around Alton Water. It proved a warm ride on a hot day, but everyone came back smiling and asking for this trip to be repeated next year. Other weekends contained the usual mix of golfing, cinema nights, and bowling. Within the houses, Mrs Pope has also become renowned for her Goldrood parties, with big karaoke nights and coronation festivities. The life sized cut out of King Charles still remains in the Goldrood office, overseeing operations! Mews House tends to host big kitchen nights, from student led hotpots to the ever-popular sushi sessions. A new waffle maker and blender have also meant some sweet treats with delicious American style loaded waffles and elaborate milkshakes.

Sometimes the best fun in boarding is created in the simple moments. On hot days, water fights and ice-lollies have entertained even the most senior students in boarding. Who doesn’t enjoy water-bombing Mrs Rowlands or sneaking up on our graduate assistants with a fully loaded water gun? The biggest water fight of all however was reserved for the final weekend of term, when boarding students were joined by almost 120 students from years 7-9 for the Big Boarding Sleepover. Twenty-five tents were pitched for the night and students were entertained with visits to the Arts Festival, archery, table tennis, football and a late-night flood-lit volley ball game. However, it was the water fight that made the real memories, with almost an hour of frenzied attacks and air filled with the sound of shrieking teenagers. Sleep was in short supply in the tents overnight, and even more absent for Mrs Rowlands and Miss Jesenaiova who remained vigilant all night watching over the camp field.

Despite all the activity in boarding, there are moments of relative peace too. Surrounded by such leafy surroundings, we can sometimes forget that we are so close to the town centre and are surprised by the rich diversity in wildlife that we come across on campus. Squirrels, woodpeckers, foxes, stag beetles, are all frequently seen. More recently, we have also had more regular visits by local deer, who seem to be increasingly brave and wander close to boarding. Miss Dennis has proved particularly adept at catching them on camera. The summer term always means lots of emotional goodbyes as we see students leave for university or other pastures new. We also say goodbye to Mr Jakes and Mr Jones, who have worked hard as our graduate assistants this year. Goodbyes can be sad but those leaving will always remain part of the St Joseph’s boarding family. As remaining staff and students look forward to a well-earned summer break, excitement is already building for the autumn with news of many new students joining boarding. We look forward to welcoming old and new students to Mews and Goldrood in September.

Art, Photography & Textiles Exhibition

Students’ work provides a visual treat

What a summer for art! As well as our sensational, mass participation Arts Festival (see report on pages 4 and 5), the St Joseph’s community has been celebrating the excellent work of its GCSE and A-level Art, Photography and Textiles examination students.

We were delighted to welcome families and friends to two visually arresting exhibitions, offering visitors the opportunity to see and discuss what our talented students have been working so hard on over the past year. Prints, paintings, scrupulously detailed workbooks, innovative photography and fabulous 3D creations in textiles, paper and other materials filled the Atrium of the Sixth Form Centre with thought-provoking images and brilliantly coloured designs.

There would appear to be a sound basis for optimism about the exam results in August.