2023 Christmas Newsletter

Christmas 2023

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Space to thrive

Welcome

As the Christmas term draws to a close at St Joseph’s, this newsletter provides the occasion to reflect on and share with you an overview of events, opportunities and achievements across our wonderful community.

It feels like an age since we were celebrating the academic results of our Year 11 and Year 13 students and the fabulous destinations secured by many of our Upper Sixth back in August.

It is always reassuring to hear how well our students are getting on in their new settings and how much they value the preparation and support provided by St Jo’s.

The launch of iPads and Microsoft OneNote has already enhanced teaching and learning across the Senior School. This has been evidenced in many ways, not least from feedback in student, staff and parent surveys. Our harnessing of technology – including virtual & augmented reality and artificial intelligence - will continue to be developed thoughtfully at the College to maximise the achievement and attainment of students and prepare them effectively for their futures.

We are pleased with the immediate improvements made to our catering provision through our partnership with Thomas Franks. Our new Executive Head Chef, Mr Louis Andrews, has exciting ideas about how to further improve your children’s nutrition and how to add excitement to menus and hospitality. We also look forward to the launch of Thomas Franks’ Parent Portal for St Joseph’s in January.

Highlights of St Jo’s Christmas term always centre on our community and as such, I thank you for your support of our Rugby Festival and Musical, as well as Grandparents/Friends morning and our Friday coffee mornings. As I write, we are very much looking forward to our Prep School nativity plays and carol concert as well as our beautiful candle-lit Carol Service on Thursday 14 December.

I hope you enjoy the articles in this term’s newsletter - please ensure that you take time to read the feature on our student Anti-Bullying Ambassadors, who are working under the direction of our Vice Principal Pastoral, Mrs Rowlands.

Wishing you and your family a happy, peaceful and blessed Christmas and a truly wonderful New Year.

Danielle Clarke (Mrs) Principal

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Summer 2023

At the time of writing, we are in full Christmas swing in the Prep School, having just had a wonderful morning as elves, helping Santa get ready for the big day. But this term is not all about Christmas; we have managed to cram so much into the term and most importantly, helped our new children and families become very much part of our wonderful St Jo’s community.

Since starting at the College, I have asked numerous people what makes St Jo’s special to them. The sense of community is definitely on the top of the list. We perpetuate this in the activities we offer and that the children, our families and the community participate in.

We have reignited our passion for our Houses in the Prep this term, boosting the system by introducing House assemblies and creating more opportunities for healthy competition.

We have staged House birthday card and 500-word story writing competitions, along with the usual sporting events which bring our Houses together. We have had two very successful cake-sales, where the Houses decided on their own charity and made cakes to sell.

The children love contributing to their Houses, both in the Prep and as part of the wider House system across the College.

The end of the longest term and the run up to Christmas is always a time of high emotion, tiredness and celebration – often mixed in different percentages depending on the day, time or event being attended. I hope that as every member of our school community finds some time to reflect on their term though, they are able to say that they always did their best, they have learnt many new things and maybe had a life lesson or two along the way. If not, I hope they resolve to make the most of the new year and seize every opportunity presented to them with both hands.

Wishing everyone a joyous Christmas break and I look forward to seeing you in January, raring to go!

Amanda Childs (Mrs) Head of Prep

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37 Rugby Festival

Space to thrive

St Jo’s sector-leading Rugby Festival enters a new era with global expansion about to get underway.

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‘This year marked a tectonic shift, not only for the Rugby Festival itself, but in the performance of St Joseph’s College,’ Director of Sport Mr Anthony O’Riordan enthused after the momentous weekend.

‘Following an 18-month period of review, repositioning and re-focusing of the College’s sport strategy, we were thrilled to see the fruition of our labour as the St Joseph’s Festival squad finished fifth overall in a competition featuring the cream of the country’s rugby schools. This event truly underlined the importance and significance of sport – not only of rugby – played here at the College.

‘Subtle changes had been made to the way in which the occasion was live streamed, additional concessions were incorporated and the VIP area had grown out of all recognition. We were over the moon with the performance both on and off the pitch and elated to have solidified our position as organiser of one of the world’s premier schoolboy rugby events,’ he added.

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The ‘Secret Coach’ reporting for NextGenXV, St Jo’s live-streaming partner, had to agree: ‘Once again, the St Joseph’s Festival showed it is a truly special occasion and should be cherished as one of the crown jewels of schoolboy rugby.’

‘What a step up!’ was, in fact, the comment on everyone’s lips as the 37th Festival played out after months of coaching and meticulous organisation.

The passion was unmistakable and the belief of the St Joseph’s players was marked. Here was a competition worthy of the teams taking part.

Thank you to all who gave their time and expertise to ensure this was the best Festival so far; to all sponsors, including headline sponsor, NSX Sport, and to our catering partner, Thomas Franks.

Driven by its ambition to be the kingmaker in shaping future professional careers in sports, St Jo’s is about to take a leap of faith.

The St Joseph’s College Global Schools Sports Festival will grow to become a seven-stage extravaganza, offering a comprehensive experience for participants worldwide.

Thanks to our broadcasting partners, NextGenXV, the excitement will be shared across the globe.

Please see the College website for details. stjos.co.uk

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Prep News

Space to thrive

Saluting our early developers During a single term at the Prep School we have experienced so much on top of our interesting and inspiring daily lessons.

We • Brought our pets to school to share with friends and visitors • Learned to play instruments - some as beginners and others as accomplished musicians • Came to understand that everyone is different and that sometimes people can struggle • Performed in front of audiences full of big girls and boys and grown ups • Took on responsibilities - as House captains, prefects and buddies • Learned to be respectful of those who have served their country • Built up our physical skills and represented the school in fixtures.

Most important of all, we have learnt so much and at the same time, had so much fun with our friends!

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From near at hand to the vastness of space, our young adventurers have so much to investigate.

The Infant Woodland Explorer sessions have seen the children making talking sticks, creating ‘gods’ eyes’ from sticks and wool, mixing cakes in the mud kitchen and constructing bird feeders. They have worked with tools and thoroughly enjoyed burrowing into the leaf piles kindly gathered by our grounds staff.

The girls and boys of Year 2 have been pondering space – the final frontier.

Their English lessons took off when a rocket landed in the classroom with a payload of lost toys. The children’s job was to get them back to their owners by creating found posters.

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They also had fun building shapes from chunks of apple and raw spaghetti, investigating which designs gave the most strength and stability.

Decisions, decisions. When the children were given the option of a lunchtime walk or to stay and play at the Prep School, 25 chose to pull on their wellies and accompany Lola. The children took turns holding Lola’s lead to ensure she didn’t lose her way. Humans and canine all enjoyed the Autumn stroll.

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Imaginations engaged inside and out

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Space to thrive

Prep Sport

It has been a wonderfully busy start to the year for sport in the Prep School, with a plethora of fixtures, festivals and sporting activities.

Amongst the highlights was undoubtedly watching our U11 players run out at the 37th National Schools Rugby Festival. The opportunity for the future stars of the game to run out in front of a crowd on the big stage was incredible, but we hope that it also marked the start of their journey as we organically grow the 1st XV of tomorrow.

Alongside this we hosted the first fixture in our U11 Girls’ Netball Evening Showcase series. It was a fantastic evening of netball under the lights and the standard of play was extremely promising as we head into the season.

Gymnastics has been the theme of the Physical Education curriculum throughout the school, focusing on balance, travel and sequencing.

This culminated in a first Physical Education trip, which saw our Year 3 and 4 classes visit Pipers 8

Vale to work with specialist gymnastics coaches and explore some of their incredible apparatus.

Between games sessions, masterclasses, P.E. lessons and clubs, we have seen every child in Year 3-6 represent the College in a competitive fixture. Our inaugural ‘Festival Week’ provided the perfect platform for our pupils to thrive and demonstrate their skills and understanding, whilst our traditional Wednesday afternoon fixtures have also brought us great success against local competitors. Impressive victories for our rugby teams over Ipswich School, Culford and Gresham’s certainly stand out, but we are also immensely proud of the development of our girl footballers, after the first full term of a football programme in the Prep.

Energising, challenging and full of action, our sports offering has continued to grow and in turn, our pupils have continued to thrive. It only gets more exciting as time goes on. stjos.co.uk

Mrs Georgie Ross Director of Performing Arts

Summer 2023

‘Choose a job you love, and you will never work a day in your life’ Like many students at St Jo’s, my love for drama began at school. I took part in many productions, studied for LAMDA exams and then went on to study a degree in Acting at Rose Bruford College. After completing my MA in Performance, I worked as an actress and lived in Sydney for a year before returning home to begin my teaching career.

I have always felt privileged to teach drama; creativity and self-expression are such vital skills and I have been fortunate to see many pupils develop their confidence through drama lessons, school plays and productions.

The next generation are entering a very different world which will be globally competitive, and I think the communication skills that we develop in the arts will become increasingly important for our school leavers.

I recently returned from living and working in Dubai, which was a fantastic experience for my family. Whilst stjos.co.uk

working there, I directed shows at the Dubai opera and on the QE2, I also directed a production of Macbeth, and we used camels rather than horses for our promotional photo shoot! Teaching in Dubai was a wonderful experience as there were over 58 nationalities in my school - I learned a great deal from my pupils about their different cultures and traditions.

When we decided to return to the UK, we met Mrs Clarke and Mrs Edwards at a schools’ exhibition in Dubai. My daughters then settled into the school very quickly and I was really pleased to join them here as a teacher in January this year. The pupils at St Jo’s are really quite fabulous. I have spent a lot of time with many of them during rehearsals for ‘Fame’ and now ‘Legally Blonde’ and their creativity and commitment has been so impressive. I love the community here and apart from the occasional rainy day, I am so pleased that we returned to Suffolk to experience life at the College. When I am not teaching, you will find me at the theatre or walking in the beautiful Suffolk fields, which I never take for granted after four years living in a desert!

To quote my favourite line from Legally Blonde ‘You must always have faith in people. And most importantly you must always have faith in yourself.’

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Space to thrive

A new era of education at St Jo’s

The introduction of IPads is proving transformative In a ground-breaking move, St Joseph’s College has ushered in a new era of education by introducing iPads to every senior student this academic year. The initiative, led by Mrs Frost, Director of Digital Learning and Mr Orris, IT Network Manager, has not only revolutionised the way students learn but has also significantly enhanced their engagement in lessons.

The seamless integration of technology into the curriculum has been received with overwhelmingly positive responses from both students and staff. Each senior student at St Jo’s now possesses their own iPad, a versatile tool that has become an integral part of the learning experience. The concurrent adoption of Microsoft Teams and OneNote has played a pivotal role in fostering a dynamic and interactive educational environment.

One of the most noticeable impacts of this technological integration is the increased level of student engagement.

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The interactive features of the iPad, combined with the collaborative tools of Microsoft Teams, have transformed traditional classroom dynamics. There has been a further shift in the balance between students being passive recipients of information towards more active participants in their learning journey. The ability to share ideas, to collaborate on projects and to receive instant feedback has added vibrancy and inclusivity to the classroom.

Furthermore, the use of OneNote has streamlined note-taking and organisation. Students can access their notes from any device, facilitating a more flexible and personalised approach to studying.

No need to carry around heavy bags full of books around each day; everything is contained on iPad.

As we witness the positive impact of this technological transformation, it is evident that St Joseph’s College is setting a benchmark for innovation and student engagement.

This transformation has been accomplished after lengthy research and the significant hard work of many, particularly Mr Guy Layton, Deputy Director of Digital Learning, Mrs Cerys Gallagher, Assistant Head of Science, and Mr Harry Ng, IT Technician.

Nine weeks after the introduction, the use of iPads was reviewed and the findings presented to Governors.

As well as picturing the devices being used across the senior

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school in a range of settings, the presentation noted early ‘learnings’, including successful adaptations to ameliorate problems experienced by some students with handwriting by stylus.

Rate of take up of the devices by staff in lessons, level of satisfaction, training requirements for staff and rates of damage to the equipment were assessed. Governors were reassured to learn the technology did not lead to students working in isolation; teachers maintain an Apple Classroom overview of each class member’s device.

Headline findings included the vast majority of staff incorporating iPads into their lessons, 58% recording improved lesson preparation and delivery, and 84% either very satisfied or satisfied with the use of iPads in their teaching. An impressive 82% believed iPads had enhanced student engagement either significantly (62%) or to some extent.

Chair of Governors, Mr Perry Glading, was delighted to see the iPads in action, deployed during the regular school day. He said, ‘I recently had the opportunity to see for myself how well the iPads have been received by our teachers and students; the feedback from all was very positive.

‘I am very impressed by the roll out of this technology by Mrs Frost and the whole team.

It is such a credit to the College. I am looking forward to seeing how the students benefit from this exciting technical advance in our education provision, being a first amongst our local peer group. No need to carry heavy bags full of books around each day; everything is contained on iPad.’

Summer 2023

Teachers at the College have also embraced this technological shift, leveraging the capabilities of iPads to create innovative, interactive lesson plans. The use of multimedia content, virtual simulations and real-time assessments has made lessons more dynamic and captivating. This evolution in teaching methods aligns with the ever-changing demands of the 21st-century workforce, preparing students for a future where adaptability and technological proficiency will be paramount.

The introduction of iPads has also fostered a sense of responsibility among students. The devices are not merely tools for learning but also instruments of empowerment, encouraging students to take ownership of their education.

The switch has also contributed to a reduction in the use of paper, aligning with the College’s commitment to environmental sustainability.

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Senior news

Space to thrive

Speaking up for their country and cause Model United Nations delegates from Year 10 and Year 12 travelled to the American School in London to lay out their cases and advocate effectively. They were accompanied by Dr Briege Rice, Stretch and Challenge Coordinator. Having been given their respective countries and committees beforehand, the delegates spoke with passion about their beliefs. The meeting offered wonderful public speaking experience and was an opportunity to sharpen critical thinking. Our delegates are now looking forward to February, when they will attend a whole day conference and debate amongst 300 peers.

House maths With over 150 students from Years 7, 8 and 9 participating, the Inter House Arithmetic competition was on a mega scale and more than 5,000 questions were answered between them. Challenges were geared according to skills and ability and the overall results collated.

Judges tried hard to find an overall winner, but there was nothing to separate Orwell and La Salle and the prize was shared.

Seven magnificent mathematicians Seven of our Upper Sixth Maths students took part in the Senior Maths Challenge, a national competition organised by the UK Mathematics Trust. This 90-minute problem-solving task required skill, insight, patience, and quickness of thought.

Only the best students are entered and only half of the candidates earn certificates, so it was especially gratifying that all seven St Jo’s representatives achieved Bronze, Silver or Gold-level recognition.

A particular mention has to go to Jerry for being the top student in the school for the second year running. Amazing work!

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A group of GCSE and A-level students went to Madrid in October to experience life in the busy Spanish capital and boost their knowledge of the Spanish language. On their first morning they walked through the centre of Madrid to the Academia Paraninfo for their first Spanish language class.

The classes focused on boosting speaking skills as well as cultural understanding.

The party’s first cultural activity was a visit to the Centro Cultural Reina Sofía, and Guernica, Pablo Picasso’s iconic painting depicting the Spanish Civil War. With art and architecture part of the Y12 course, what a treat for students to see works they study with their own eyes.

Next up, a visit to the home of football in the capital, the San Bernabéu Stadium.

On Sunday they toured the sprawling Rastro flea market. The students perused the stalls and practised their speaking skills to get bargains to take home. A treasure map challenge followed, and it took in the Mercado San Miguel, a must for foodies.

At the class on Monday, the A-level students discussed Spanish films and idols. Afterwards, they made their way to the famous San Ginés Churrería, to dip freshly made churros into thick chocolate sauce under the gaze of famous clients looking down from photographs.There was an afternoon visit

to the Palacio Real and the day was crowned with a performance at the Tablao Flamenco Las Carboneras, a semi-improvised display of dance, singing and guitar.

After lessons on the last day came the final lunch.

The St Jo’s linguists chatted with locals as they engaged with everyday Spanish life and culture, making their teacher, Head of MFL, Ms Morag Strong, very proud indeed.

Royal Navy visitors share top advice on teamwork

A bit of TLC and forward planning never goes amiss

Senior students and Sixth Formers seized the chance to learn team building and leadership skills from the best – the Royal Navy. They happily stepped forward to take on design, engineering and presenting roles, proving the old adage that one volunteer is worth 10 pressed men.

An RN outreach team took on successive year groups and adapted exercises to help them listen carefully, work collaboratively and think creatively. The students participated enthusiastically in the tasks, as they designed, built, priced and ‘sold’ their products, Dragons’ Den style.

The trainers, representing the diverse modern Navy, included men and women of a number of ethnicities and had widely varied years of service to their name. This was not a recruitment exercise, although a few likely candidates were told they were excellent material for a Services career! The skills learnt should prove useful in home life, at school and in future workplaces.

A school journey involves lots of new beginnings.

St Joseph’s College always tries hard to smooth the way. Here are two examples: Our Year 9 Ladies who Lunch event provided a fantastic opportunity for girl talk. New students were welcomed into the year group and soon realised they were among friends. This innovation at the start of the term proved a highly beneficial way to spend lunchtime before an afternoon of Games in the sun.

Later in the term our Year 6 class had a blast experiencing all the exciting opportunities that await them in Senior School.

Prep ‘big kids’ were buddied up with some of our Year 8 students and looked very much at home as they participated in Engineering, English, Drama and IT. A celebratory lunch rounded off proceedings.

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Spanish sojourn

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Performing Arts in the Pink

Space to thrive

Exuberance shone from the stage as St Joseph’s College senior students and Sixth Formers powered through four performances of Legally Blonde, a story first made famous by the MGM blockbuster.

Vitality was key as the players took to the stage of DanceEast after months of rehearsals and the excellence of the choreography and sheer enjoyment of the cast carried the packed houses along every evening.

The College’s established partnership with Arts International showed in the injection of professionalism. The routines were complicated and witty – try singing whilst jumping over a skipping rope – and carried off in style.

Legally Blonde combines a romance and a morality tale. The setting could not be more American, but thanks to TV and the movies the themes are readily accessible to a British audience. We might not have sororities, but we know what they are, and American legal terms are equally familiar to us.

The story chimed beautifully with our Latin motto – Fides, Labore et Tenacity (Faith, Hard work and Tenacity). Here was a vacuous young woman learning to have faith in herself to be something more than a sorority princess, and discovering that 14

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hard work opened doors to a world with more meaning.

Tenacity then wins the day, with our heroine becoming a fine legal mind, holding on to friendships in the face of moral quandaries and winning Mr Right.

The lead role of Elle Woods was shared by two of the College’s most seasoned performers. Grace (L6) and Bella (Y11) each brought her own take to this demanding part.

They were supported by a large cast, including 11 principles. The College encourages all students to ‘have a go’ at the annual musical and some of the players were making their first foray onto the boards.

Outstanding among the performers was Eleanor (U6), pictured on our front cover, playing wise and kindly Paulette. She acted, danced and sang wonderfully well and in the side story of her own romance showed a brilliant comedic quality, too. Paulette and her muscular swain Kyle (Ronnie U6) were both endearing and hilarious.

Mrs Harvey, Head of Creative and Performing Arts said, ‘The standard of the performance is the result of

collective effort and unwavering support. I want to express my gratitude to our audiences, dedicated volunteers and generous sponsors. We are particularly grateful to our creative partner, Arts International, and especially to Lucy May Barker, who worked tirelessly with our students to refine their skills.’

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Senior sports

Space to thrive 16

Rugby

Show Jumping

We have enjoyed nearly 100 fixtures this term, with all sides demonstrating improvement from last year both in performances and results.

With player development at the forefront of our programme, we have expanded the provision still further with more masterclasses in skill development, performance analysis, athletic development and more. A large number of students attended each.

This has led to further recognition of talent from professional academies continuing with over 30 players enjoying involvement with County/DPP rugby squads, and an increased number of players attending the PDG (Junior Academy) with Northampton: five in the Under 16s and nine in the under 18 squad.

First XV’s continued progress has been the highlight of the season so far, with a win rate of 75%, and a fifth place finish at the Festival, despite the squad being predominantly in the U17 year group, and with more high-profile games against Woodhouse Grove, Oakham and Brighton College as our fixture list continues to improve.

Equestriennes Scarlett, Imogen, Ema and Freya competed at Hickstead in the National Elite 1 metre Show Jumping final. After two intense rounds of jumping for each rider, the St Joseph’s girls finished national runners-up.

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Cricket Students have been focusing on improving their technical skills development this term. Both Prep and Senior students have attended in great numbers both at the ‘club’ and ‘small group’ provision before, at various times during the school day and/or in development hour after school. The sessions have enabled those attending to identify the areas of strength in their batting and bowling game that require development and sharper focus. It has been great to see the high level of interest, progression and commitment in the build up to Christmas.

Our indoor cricket nets were upgraded and refurbished over the October half term break.

The high quality bespoke netting system will ensure greater safety for all users. We will be adding a new mobile cricket cage portable netting system to the cricket facility provision for the Summer Term, to allow a greater number of students to access grass-wicket practice for the afternoon games provision.

Netball

Our U13 and U15 girls have progressed further in the English Schools National Cup competition than ever before. Our boys are taking part in a wide range of competitive fixtures, advancing their development in the game.

U12 Blue tournament 1 - 2nd overall; Blue tournament 2 : 1st place. U13 Sister in Sports Netball Cup Round 1 - St Jo’s vs Norwich School : Win 30-27; Round 2 - St Jo’s vs Haileybury : Loss 12-20. U14 Sister in Sports Netball Cup Round 1 - St Jo’s vs Malting: Win 42-2; Round 2 - St Jo’s vs Norwich High School: Win 27-26. U15 Sister in Sports Netball Cup Round 1 - St Jo’s College vs Culford - Loss 14-28 (Knocked out). Independent School Netball Competition Knockout Round 4 - St Jo’s vs Brentwood - Loss 49-9. U16 Independent School Netball Competition Knockout. Round 1 St Jo’s vs Norwich School - Loss 33 - 17 (Knocked Out). Independent School Netball Competition Knockout Round 1 St Jo’s vs Norwich High School of Girls - Loss 32 - 15 (Knocked out). U18 Independent School Netball Competition Plate Round 1 St Jo’s vs Samuel Academy - Win 24-22.

Association of Colleges League Round 1 St Jo’s vs Harris Academy - Loss 29-44; Round 2 St Jo’s vs Shenley Brooke College - Win 30-0; Round 3 St Jo’s vs Hill Road Sixth Form - Loss 59-34. OB game St Jo’s vs Old Girls - 31-29 win.

Boys Cup Rounds U15 Independent Schools National Trophy - Last 16 vs Latymer Upper (H) - 5-0 Win (Progressing to the Quarter Finals); U15 County Cup - Round 2 vs Claydon High U15 - (H) 4-2 Win (Progressing into the third round of the cup); U14 County Cup - Round 2 - vs Northgate (A) - 2-1 Win (Progressing into the third round of the cup); U14 English Schools National Cup - Round 3 - Gosfield (H) - 4-0 Win (Progressing into the fourth round); U12 have been progressing as a group, with positive performances against Ipswich High and Stoke School. Our December fixtures were moved to the new year due to opposition availability.

Girls Cup Rounds U18 Independent Schools National Cup - Second Round - Langley (A) - 17-0 Win (Progressing to the last sixteen); U18 Independent Schools National Cup - Second Round Haileybury (H) - 13-0 Win; U18 English Schools Final Group Stage - Peterborough Regional College 14-1 Win (Progressing to group stages); U13 English Schools National Cup - Round 3 - Edwinstree CofE Middle School - 8-1 Win (Progressing to the fourth round of the cup)

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Summer 2023

Football

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Space to thrive

Mrs Lucy Self: Event Planner

A brief Q&A with Lucy, our super-organised event planner.

Q. You arrived at the College in time to take on the organisation of the Rugby Festival, the largest event in the College calendar. Did you find that daunting?

Lucy: It was incredibly daunting, I really felt the pressure.

Everyone is so passionate about the Rugby Festival, there is so much history surrounding the event, the enormity of it never passed me by. It was, however, so fantastic, involving such hard work and dedication from a huge number of staff and suppliers in the run up, during and afterwards. The event cannot go ahead without a massive team effort making it such a wonderful festival to organise. The atmosphere across the weekend was captivating; you could not help but have a wonderful time.

Q. Could you give us a little history about your previous career and what prompted your move to St Joseph’s?

Lucy: I have worked in Marketing and Events for over 15 years with my last role being Marketing and Events Manager for eight years at an international agricultural manufacturer.

Prior to that I worked for a private client stockbrokers, based in Mayfair. I absolutely loved the commute and atmosphere that working in London brings. I have always loved organising and being involved in events from awards dinners, exhibitions and international sports entertaining trips to conferences and wedding coordination. Taking this role at St Jo’s meant I could concentrate on the aspect I enjoyed the most. There is certainly nothing glamorous about organising events - there’s a lot of running around, organising people, constantly clearing up - but I love seeing ideas come to fruition and people enjoying themselves.

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Q. Working in a school is quite a change from a commercial environment. What adjustments have you had to make and what are the advantages?

Lucy: Getting used to a timetable, when Period 3 or Break time is. It’s a world I had completely forgotten since I left school! What is lovely is that every day you are reminded of the reason we all work hard; to ensure the students get the most out of their time at St Jo’s, so they enjoy, are supported in and thrive during their time here.

Q. Can you tell us a little bit about your life outside work?

Lucy: Outside of work I dedicate my time to training and competing my horse. It’s a passion that I have had since I was able to walk and one that my parents were very keen to put me off… but that clearly never worked! I have weekly coaching sessions and compete in Dressage regionally and nationally throughout the year.

More enjoyably though, I love to spend time with my friends riding out on the horses, having a giggle and stopping at a few pubs or cafés along the way; we have become very skilled at carrying drinks and eating whilst riding at the same time!

I am very much an adrenaline junky; horses are not a safe and sensible hobby! I absolutely love skydiving and any other sports that get the adrenaline going.

Anti-Bullying

Summer 2023

A new badge can be seen about the College – a green square bearing the head of the late Diana, Princess of Wales. It denotes an Anti-Bullying Ambassador, trained and supported by the Diana Award’s Anti-Bullying Campaign.

The eight St Joseph’s College ambassadors join over 50,000 young people across the UK determined to reduce bullying in schools. The programme here is led by Mrs Gina Rowlands, Vice Principal Pastoral.

Our ambassadors undertook training before the half term break. During the day at Hassenbrook Academy they acquired skills to enable them to change attitudes and behaviours tending towards bullying. Their confidence grew with their skills and they came away feeling ready to address situations both off and online.

The Diana Award’s free Anti-Bullying Ambassador Programme sees facilitators working with students and other young people to change the attitude surrounding bullying both across the UK and beyond. The programme has a strong peer-to-peer focus, with facilitators giving young people the skills and confidence to become Anti-Bullying Ambassadors to tackle bullying in their schools long after the training has finished. The Diana Award’s anti-bullying work is recognised as world-class thanks to this sustainable approach.

The training looked at bullying in different situations, including direct and indirect, face-to-face and online. At the end of the day, pupils made an action plan of how to approach bullying issues that may arise in their schools and committed to their roles as Anti-Bullying Ambassadors.

Our St Jo’s ambassadors have an information board in the library and regular sessions in the Wellbeing Hub in the Chapel, at which students are invited to chat over hot chocolate.

The ambassadors introduced themselves at the Whole College Assembly at the start of national Anti-Bullying Week (13-17 November). They talked about the difference between banter and bullying and how kindness and inclusion could be promoted by witnesses speaking out if bullying behaviour was seen.

The students quoted Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, who said, ‘What hurts the victim most is not the cruelty of the oppressor, but the silence of the bystander.’ stjos.co.uk

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Old Birkfeldians

Space to thrive

OB matches are more of a family affair than ever It really could not have been a wetter day prior to our traditional OB sports events, writes Mr David Kemsley, Futures Advisor. The rugby match under the lights followed on after a super competitive netball game versus our current First team girls.

And a final word of thanks to Jona Crisp and Albie Sayer. Both left St Joseph’s well over a decade ago, but both showed the younger men how many more years ahead they could be performing in this fine fixture, a superb precursor to the Main Event.

Well done and thanks to all 40 Old Birkfeldians for turning out for the annual fixture. Many had travelled quite far through the dreadful weather.

The slightly older boys, mainly students 21 years +, in red defeated the younger men, leavers from the past two years, by 27-17.

Thank you all for supporting this fixture and thank you to Mr James Ingle, Deputy Director of Sport, for refereeing the game. Jamie Colcomb received a head wound and Thomas Morris, who had travelled up from Exeter, dislocated his thumb in his first play. It was expertly put back in place by a local parent, a surgeon, by the side of the pitch.

Please support this fixture again next year; it was a most enjoyable and competitive affair. And don’t be put off by the injuries - both Jamie and Tom were right as rain! Many thanks to Cian Rothwell, the Tillett boys and the Kemsley boys, not only for playing but also for the huge amount of help they gave in recruiting players for the evening.

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Unique atmosphere for the Netball

Mrs Maria Lutua, Head of Netball and Fiji International player was delighted by her first OB v 1st VII event. She said, ‘I want to extend my sincere gratitude to the 11 Old Birkfeldian girls who participated in the match against our first team.

It was truly a memorable and exciting event, and we appreciate the effort and sportsmanship demonstrated by both teams.

‘The matchup between the Bestley and Lander sisters playing against each other added an extra layer of excitement to the game, creating a unique and special atmosphere on the court.

‘In the end our first team came out as victors with a 31-29 win over the OBs. Thank you to everyone involved, from the players to the spectators and to Miss Rebecca Dennis, Trainee Teacher of PE and Boarding Tutor, for umpiring a great match. All contributed to the success to this event.’

Summer 2023

Daisy Hubert OB

A decision to take on an apprenticeship rather than head straight to university without passing go paid off brilliantly for ex-head girl Daisy Hubert OB

I joined St Joseph’s College in 2007, starting at the Prep School in Year 5. Despite opportunities to move to competing institutions in Suffolk, I remained at the College for the rest of my schooling, having decided from early on it was the place for me!

Having secured strong grades at GCSE, I went on to study Biology, Geography and English Literature at A -level, with the wonderful Mrs Simpson-Jacobs.

As Sixth Form and, sadly, my eight years at St Jo’s drew to an end, I decided a career as a chartered surveyor was the avenue I wanted to pursue.

I had applied and received offers from multiple universities to study real estate but after discovering commercial apprenticeships into the sector I jumped ship and set my sights on securing a place at the biggest one on offer – CBRE. For the next four years I embarked on full time work at the London headquarters, alongside completing my BSc degree in Commercial Real Estate. As part of the scheme, I rotated around the business and gained experience working in a variety of key roles within the commercial surveying practice, including the disciplines of valuation, lease consultancy and investment.

Having graduated in 2021 officially from Reading University with a First Class Honours degree, I was already a year into the two-year process of undertaking my ‘Assessment of Professional Competence’, ominously known as the ‘APC’ in real estate circles. This qualification would allow me to practise as a chartered surveyor.

After a long road, although somewhat shortened by the apprenticeship route opposed to the pure university route, I qualified last summer to my delight and continue to work for CBRE in the investment properties team. My role is essentially advising investors on purchase and acquisition strategies for the commercial real estate they hold;

my remit consists mainly of offices on a national basis.

A usual week comprises a mix of client meetings to discuss up-coming or on-going projects, property inspections, reporting, underwriting assets for pricing decisions… and the odd fancy lunch if I’m lucky!

Surveying as a profession offers a great mix of technical and social, with an extremely wide variety of opportunities within the sector depending on your interests.

We had a mantra at St Jo’s throughout my time there which was ‘Be your Best’. Very simple but I often still revert to it when faced with challenges and the road gets a bit tough. I would encourage anybody who wants to perhaps stray from the ‘normal’ path to go for it… you never know where you might end up! I am happy to be contacted for any career advice in surveying via Mr Kemsley, Futures Advisor.

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Space to thrive

Boarding

As we bid farewell to another enriching term within Goldrood and Mews boarding houses, we’re excited to share the highlights and achievements that have made these past few months truly memorable for our students. From cultural outings to collaborative learning, this term has been a whirlwind of fun and educational experiences.

Navigating the River Cam A day trip to the historic city of Cambridge provided our students with a chance to punt along the tranquil River Cam. The breathtaking views of the university buildings and lush landscapes served as a picturesque backdrop for a day of relaxation and camaraderie, as well as raising aspirations for future university ambitions.

Mixing, Measuring, and Munching The aroma of freshly baked treats wafted through our boarding house on numerous occasions as students engaged in delightful baking sessions From luscious brownies to decorated cupcakes, from rolling and perfecting sushi making to steamy hot pots, the kitchen is often a hub of creativity and deliciousness. It is also a wonderful space for our students to connect with one another, including those with whom they do not share classes, and allows opportunities for cultural exchange and friendships to be formed that may span across many miles and years.

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Our students delighted in watching their fellow boarders and classmates perform Legally Blonde.

We witnessed a captivating performance that left a lasting impression on our young minds.

University Ahead As the academic year progresses, many of our students are diligently preparing their university applications. It’s heartening to witness the collaborative learning environment in our boarding house, with students supporting each other in the challenging yet exciting journey towards higher education. The introduction of iPads has seamlessly integrated technology into our learning landscape, facilitating efficient research, communication and collaboration.

Christmas Extravaganza ‘Tis the season of joy and what better way to usher in the holiday spirit than with our spectacular Christmas party!

The halls were decked and the atmosphere was filled with merriment as our students came together to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year. They embraced the joy of giving with our thoughtful Secret Santa gift exchange, met with gratitude and excitement. We played entertaining games and took part in a series of holiday-themed activities.

Compliments to the Catering team for a delectable Christmas dinner.

The energy, enthusiasm and commitment our students bring to Boarding and the dedication of our staff continue to make our boarding community happy, vibrant and fulfilling.

We wish everyone a restful and joyous Christmas break.

Summer 2023

Big Night Out

Unleashing the Inner Artist

Creativity knows no bounds, and our students explored their artistic sides during a pottery painting session. We headed to Pennikkity Pots and spent a calm and mindful afternoon exploring our creativity. Each piece reflected the unique personality and flair of its creator, with many colourful masterpieces produced just in time for Christmas giving.

Into the Swing A day at the golf driving range brought out the competitive spirit in our students. Whether they were seasoned players or trying their hand at the sport for the first time, the golf outing fostered teamwork and friendly rivalry. There was much debate about who our masters were, but everyone agreed this was a wonderful way to spend time with new friends. stjos.co.uk

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Community

Space to thrive

Minibuses used in the community Kindness on behalf of the College contributed to the social integration of the local Ukrainian community into their new surroundings. So wrote Mr Alan Cutting, Together for Ipswich Ukraine response lead, after two of our minibuses were deployed for the pleasant task of showing 29 grateful guests from Ukraine some of this area’s beauty spots.

St Joseph’s Transport Manager, Mr John Atkinson OB, and Student Futures Advisor, Mr David Kemsley, were drivers, tour guides and proud Suffolk advocates as they took the family groups of refugees respectively to Framlingham, Thorpeness and Aldeburgh and to Snape Maltings, Leiston Abbey and Dunwich.

Speakers illuminate the world beyond school

Four guys named Mo Just a hair’s breadth separates November from Movember and several staff members took on the challenge to grow a moustache for a good cause.

Harsh criticism and even ridicule were not enough to stop this gallant band. Now the ‘taches have gone and charities working in the area of men’s health are a whisker better off.

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The Birkfield Speaker programme has been of the usual high calibre this term, with a variety of brilliant talks. Speakers included a micro biochemist, Cambridge University admissions director, a psychologist, head of HR, and a team from the Civil Service. We also heard from an ex-professional cricketer, now CEO of a bank in Kenya, a retired professional footballer and an Executive Director of Waitrose. Our students greatly appreciated their time and wisdom.

Some of our Sixth Formers are seen meeting Jo Butcher, an Advanced Biomedical Scientist and Training Lead for the NHS.