Summer Term Newsletter 2021
Message from the Principal
‘Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.’ There is so much that could be written at the conclusion of a second academic year like no other! Instead, I want to use this opportunity to acknowledge and give thanks to members of our community for their many and varied positive efforts and contributions. • To our wonderful pupils in the Prep School and equally fabulous students in the Senior School for being so resilient across a second period of national lockdown and online learning - 10/10! • To our international students for their patience, good humour and positive attitude in the face of complex travel and quarantine arrangements - 10/10! • To our teaching staff for adapting so swiftly as regulations changed and amending practice to offer the very best to their students - 10/10! • To our support staff for their many different contributions - custodians of the campus, its operations and its transport. For welcoming in new families and for taking good care of our Boarders, Nursery children and all students’ medical, physical and emotional needs - 10/10!
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• To our parents and guardians. Your unstinting support of your children and the College - whether it was online or on campus – has been hugely appreciated - 10/10! • And last but not least, to our Governors for their generous time, considered stewardship and sound governance - 10/10! We are all so excited about the return to what we hope will be a normal routine in September, with no bubbles, no face masks, full and correct school uniform, Chapel at least once a week for all pupils and a full programme of sport, including competitive fixtures, clubs and trips & visits for your children to experience and enjoy. In addition, our year-round nursery will be available from September, providing enhanced facilities and provision for our families, and we will continue to run our programme of engaging holiday camps. I very much look forward to greeting our Year 13 and Year 11 students on their respective results’ days on Tuesday 10 and Thursday 12 August. Finally, I wish all members of our community a safe and refreshing summer holiday. Mrs Danielle Clarke Principal
A Word from Mrs Wood
We come to the end of another year in Prep School and I am so very proud to be the Headteacher of a wonderful caring community with supportive staff, parents and pupils. The pupils make St Joseph’s Prep School such a rewarding place to work, each and every one of them. They make my job interesting and productive, with many fun-filled days. I would like to say thank you to all of the Prep school staff. I do believe that ‘Teachers who love teaching, teach children to love learning’ and everyone who works in the Prep School encourages and supports our pupils each day towards being their best. Education is about far more than what happens inside the four walls of the classroom, and at St Joseph’s Prep we believe that every child should reach their full potential whether it be academic, musical, creative, enterprising or sporting. This year we have faced challenges, but within our ‘bubbles’ we have enhanced our curriculum with charity fundraising, competitions and recorded musical and dramatic performances. Our pupils have been joined together by the power of online meetings, allowing us to be together safely. As the year draws to a close I would also like to remind all of the Prep School pupils, the future doesn’t lie ahead of you waiting to happen – it lies deep inside of you, waiting to be discovered. Every pupil should be proud of themselves… not only for what they have accomplished but for their spirit and determination that has seen them all grow and develop this year. Each pupil is creating their own story and I would like them to remember that great books are made up of little chapters. Mrs Wood Head of Prep School 3
News from the Prep School
Drumming Up the Rhythms of West Africa On Wednesday mornings this term, Year 4 Prep School pupils have enjoyed the wonderful experience of playing West African djembe drums with Mr Layton, learning to play the bass, tone and slap strokes on the drums and playing authentic unison and call-andresponse African rhythms. The Music department has hired these drums from Ipswich County Library. As we went to press, the pupils were looking forward to showcasing their drumming skills at the Prep Summer Spectacular.
Generosity? Read All About It! Our Year 6 Charity Prefects created a book drop for Prep pupils to donate any unwanted items. They had a target of 100 books, but the amazing generosity of our Prep School children meant that over 350 were collected! The books are being donated to less fortunate children locally through the Community Shelf organisation. The Community Shelf initiative was launched in April when it became apparent that the coronavirus crisis was leaving many families facing unseen hardship. The scheme supports children and their families with food, toiletries, good quality clothing and home essentials.
Mens Sana in Corpore Sano for Children Today Brightly coloured clothing and physical activity were the requirements for celebrating Sammy the Sea Squirt Day, organised by Suffolk Mind. The charity is highlighting the link between being physically active and good mental health. Our boys and girls welcomed the arrival of Mr Motivator, Mr Kung Fu and Disco Diva at a Prep School exercise session for all the children and staff. Suffolk Mind is raising money to fund the provision of the Sammy Sea Squirt storybook across the county’s Reception classes. St Joseph’s sent off a donation of £74 for this worthy cause. 4
Down to Earth Week on week the children of Year 2 have been following a vegetable grower’s calendar. Pictured here we see the girls and boys planting and watering the potatoes they previously chitted. They are also shown towards the end of term carrying out the task of harvesting another of their crops, some juicy radishes. The exciting discovery of the crisp red radishes, ready to unearth, always repays the hard work. They enjoyed eating the radishes with their lunch and found they were spicy but delicious! Year 1 children have also proved keen allotment workers, eager to wield their child-size gardening tools. And, of course, when it comes down to it, there is nothing nicer than just taking the weight off your feet with your friends out in the fresh air, whatever your year group.
Reassurance for Year 6 from our Sixth Formers Who better for our Prep pupils to ask about moving up to the Senior School than the big girls and boys who have gone before them? Thank you to Oscar Bolton (L6), Joshua Le Roux (L6) and Imogen Milner-Moore (U6), who shared their experience of transitioning from Prep to Senior with our current Year 6 pupils.
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Castling – A Gambit for Lockdown Times
Under the Eyes of Dragons During the past term the children of Year 1 have been working on the magical and thrilling topic of Dungeons and Dragons. Clearly inspired, they got creative and sculpted captivating dragons’ eyes in clay. The end results were certainly striking.
In any normal period, the children of Year 2 might have expected an educational trip to a castle, but not when covid rules apply! All was not lost, however, and Orford Castle came to them! The girls and boys learned all about the castle, which was commissioned by Henry II in the 12th century to consolidate royal power in the region, and they became builders themselves to complete a model of it. Top job Year 2!
Entrepreneurs Share Their Business Acumen Year 5 had the chance to talk to Mr Patterson from Clip and Climb Ipswich and Mrs Searle from Panache Ice Cream to find out why they started up their companies and what it is like to run a business. The girls and boys also enjoyed working together in teams to create a product or service and to begin to understand what is involved in developing a concept through to production and marketing. 6
Sweet Success Our Year 6 students used well-founded engineering principles to building some fine bridges using innovative materials.
A Tale of Two Woodys What Caring for Animals Has Taught Us
Woodpecker Spotted
Everyone knows the tortoise wins in the end, so when Mrs Wood, Head of the Prep School, voiced some initial hesitation about rehoming one of the little reptiles there, the odds were against her. Her concerns centred on who would look after the tortoise out of term time, but animal loving Mr Weaver and his Year 3 and 4 class decided to allay her fears.
Meanwhile, elsewhere near the Prep School… Year 2 took their learning outside when they discovered a Great Spotted Woodpecker chick in the chestnut tree on the Prep field. They were excited to find out more about woodpeckers and observed the female and chick whilst making their own sketches of the distinctive birds.
The children wrote to Mrs Wood on behalf of her namesake, Woody, explaining that they would all pitch in to care for him. Mr Weaver himself would be very happy to take Woody home during the holidays to join his other pets - dogs, cats, guinea pigs, snakes, spiders and the rest of the menagerie – so there would be no chance of little Woody being lonely. Impressed by the spirit, content and handwriting demonstrated in the letters, Mrs Wood agreed it was time Prep had a tortoise to call its own and Woody moved in. It can be a little daunting moving to a new school, but the warmth of the welcome and the excellent new accommodation provided ensured Woody soon came out of his shell.
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Prep School Sport All at the Prep School were over the moon to be able to return to fixtures during the Summer term. The online learning and covid restrictions allowed our pupils a brilliant opportunity to fiercely focus on physical literacy and health and well being skills. It has really paid off! The standard of batting, bowling, striking, fielding and athletic movement has gone through the roof. At the beginning of the half term, Years 5 and 6 worked really hard developing their leadership skills as well as their tennis ability. They put these to use incredibly well by planning and running a mini tennis festival for Years 2 to 4. The children playing had a fantastic time and the feedback and leadership of the older children was amazing.
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The Under 11s kicked our inter schools fixtures off with a bang, playing some great cricket v Framlingham and there were matches throughout a very busy second half term. We were extremely proud of Guy P and William D, who were selected to play for North Essex and made incredible progress as all-rounders. Both boys are bowling quicker and more accurately than ever before. Lara S and Cerys R both bowled excellently in the A team and we hope to hear of them taking the plunge into club cricket very soon. The boys and girls were excited to be able to sneak a Netball and Football fixture into the Summer term too. We were delighted to welcome Finborough School and both Mr Skuse and Miss Wingate were ecstatic to see the skill level on show. They cannot wait to welcome some of the Year 6s into their elite Senior School programs. Alex B has continued to shine in the Ipswich
Town academy and with the combination of Arthur H, Lucas W and Jack C, the U11s’ team really has been a force to be reckoned with. Outside of school Evie H has achieved rosettes around the country in equestrian events far and wide. We have loved hearing about the competitions and seeing her awards in sharing assemblies. The Sports department and Prep school look forward eagerly to the Sports Days that will round our year off and cannot wait to welcome Dan the Skipping Man to our Prep Sports Day. Mrs Logan has done an amazing job during online learning, finding us new challenges and ways of staying fit and healthy. Her skipping skills will be on show on Sports Day and I am sure we will all learn some cool new tricks from Dan.
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Staff in the Spotlight Mrs Stanmore Principal’s PA and Clerk to the Governors I was born in Ipswich and currently live within walking distance of St Joseph’s College. Upon leaving school, I completed a BTEC in Business & Finance and worked parttime at a local supermarket. This progressed to a full-time post and I was drawn towards administration – organising and planning ahead, skills I now use every day. I next worked for 14 years at a Further Education college, spending many years as an Examinations Assistant. I joined St Joseph’s College in 2013 as Administration Secretary. I have worked as the Principal’s PA since early 2018 and additionally as Clerk to Governors from September 2019. My role is very busy and varied, managing calendars, dealing with enquiries and assisting Mrs Clarke as required. Recent Covid-19 restrictions have changed the way in which many of us work and last year part of my role was to adapt quickly. I have successfully co-ordinated many meetings for the Principal, Senior Leadership Team and Governors, whilst minute taking, sharing presentations and resolving issues. It has been a huge learning curve and I am very proud of what has been achieved. It was certainly very strange for me to discuss school matters online in my conservatory, whilst Mrs Clarke was in her office (kitchen) at home, particularly when our pets made guest appearances! 10
Many years ago, my Dad worked at St Joseph’s as an electrician and after he sadly passed away in 2014, my Mum and I found his handwritten receipts, some of which referred to Birkfield House, where my office is now located. We have a plaque for my Dad in the College Chapel. The St Elizabeth Hospice is a charity close to my heart and I have volunteered and fundraised for it, taking part in various events, including running into the sea at Felixstowe one Christmas Day morning - freezing cold, but great fun. I like spending my spare time with my husband, two pet cats, family and friends. I enjoy travelling and Italy is amongst my preferred destinations. I love attending music concerts (Britpop and Indie) and I am patiently waiting for an Oasis reunion. I am also working on my family tree and recently had contact with a relative who worked as an administrator at a boarding school prior to her retirement – what a small world. One of the best parts of my role is attending College activities and I have modelled at the Fashion Show, read a poem at the Music and Poetry Evening, taken part in the Colour Run and helped at Rugby Festivals. I enjoy meeting students, parents and the wider College community whilst supporting Mrs Clarke at such events.
Focus on a Teacher Mrs Lim Teacher of English If someone had said to a 15-year-old me decades ago that I would not only be teaching today, but also in a far-away place from the quiet ‘kampung’ (village) I grew up in, I would have frowned, rolled my eyes and laughed. I was determined and vocal about not becoming a teacher. I went from wanting to be a detective (from devouring the Famous Five, Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys mysteries, and having a crush on Parker Stevenson who played Frank Hardy in the tv series) to a lawyer (you learnt about injustice quite quickly if you were treated differently and were powerless to fight back), and a hairdresser (I had a go at my brother’s hair when I was seven - it was a disaster, but I remember feeling exhilarated). But one day, not long after I started Sixth Form in my home state of Melaka, I received a letter that was to change the course of my life. It was a scholarship offer I couldn’t let go. Two months later, I boarded a plane, along with 14 other wide-eyed teenagers, heading for England to study English language and linguistics. I remember the trepidation and excitement, all rolled into one strange, overwhelming feeling that sat in the pit of my stomach for days as I missed home and wondered if I had made a mistake.
I returned to Malaysia in 1992, and taught for almost nine years in two secondary schools: one rural and one urban, in two different states, holding various roles besides teaching English. By now I was a bona fide teacher. By a twist of fate, I returned to England in 2001, and landed a job as an English teacher at St Alban’s Catholic High School, where I stayed until 2019. Leaving was not the easiest decision, but joining St Jo’s was the right one. I am very fortunate to work with incredible colleagues, especially those in my faculty, and our wonderful students. So, what happened to all those teenage dreams? They’re very much alive in the classrooms and at home. We investigate language use, we have a voice to discuss and debate all sorts of topics, and I graduated from cutting my late mum’s hair in the latter part of her life to ‘styling’ my son’s and our dog, Hugo’s hair today. In between, I enjoy cooking, travelling, cycling, hiking, reading and yoga.
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Thank You for the Music It has been wonderful that music at St Joseph’s has returned in full force in the Summer term. Instrumental and singing lessons, and the busy schedule of choir and ensemble rehearsals has resumed, with over 20 clubs/ rehearsals taking place every week. There have been superb recorded student performances in whole-school assemblies and live-streamed lunchtime concerts from both Senior and Prep students. At the beginning of the year, parents of KS3 students were kindly asked to purchase a ukulele for their son/daughter so that practical music-making could continue safely in class lessons. The students have very much enjoyed this work, which has been supplemented this term by having access to a set of West African djembe drums. Mr Layton started a new choir for members of the 1st XV rugby squad and they have enjoyed singing classic songs such as ‘Delilah’ and ‘Sweet Caroline’. Arts Festival is always an incredibly busy time for the Music department and preparations were in full swing as we went to press, with every hope for the return of concerts and events on-site to live audiences, including the Summer Concert, ‘Rock in the Quad’ and the Sunday ‘Jamboree’. Stunning performances were lined up.
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Sixth Form members of Vocalise demonstrated their dedication to the group by returning to the College to rehearse.
Sadly, the College Musical, ‘Sister Act,’ was not able to take place this year, but the ‘Alan Menken Showcase’ was devised to give students across the Senior year groups the opportunity of performing songs and dances they had learned for that production as well as from other shows written by the composer. The Summer term has been a busy time for children in the Prep School with instrumental lessons, extra music ensembles for KS2 classes as well as preparing for three musical events at the end of term. The ‘Summer Spectacular’ programme featured every child and included some amazing songs, percussion pieces, recorder music and Samba drumming. Two world premieres, compositions by Mrs Alexander, were to be performed: ‘We’re Going on a Bear Hunt’ (kind permission from Michael Rosen for use of his words), sung by Reception, and ‘Two Note Samba,’ played brilliantly by the Year 3 Recorder Ensemble. Year 4 students were to perform authentic West African rhythms in unison and call-and-response. Year 6 rose to the challenge of learning seven different songs by heart for various public performances.
News from the Senior School ‘Ambulance. Is the Patient Breathing?’ Our students had enormous fun learning the important fundamentals of how to respond to an unconscious patient. As part of our enrichment programme, they have been covering CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and how to perform it.
We’re ready for Our Close Up, Mrs Wynn RADA teacher, LAMDA examiner and filmmaker Madeleine Wynn cast her expert eye over young St Joseph's College performers during an audition/workshop held in the Dance Studio. Mrs Wynn will be making a short film on the Suffolk coast this summer and needs some child actors. The would-be participants went through their paces, acting out scenes and simulating distress. There were word games as well to keep them on their toes and an activity in which each was chosen at random to jump into the role of a radio announcer or singer mid flow. Everyone had fun and few seemed to be put off by Mrs Wynn’s clear warning that filming entails very early starts and long periods of boredom. One of those taking part was Samuel Phillippo-Clapp (Y7), who has been selected for the Performers College Elite programme. This monthly, invitation-only intensive training is designed to challenge promising young dancers, musical theatre performers, singers and actors, and build their confidence. 13
Mathematicians Perform on World Stage
Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow
A team of Year 9 mathematicians performed outstandingly well in the World Class Maths Tests, organised by the World Class Arena (WCA).
More a case of ‘see you soon’ than ‘fare thee well’ as we watched our Year 11 students perform the traditional shirt-signing ceremony. We are delighted to say almost all were back on campus for the Sixth Form Induction Course in late June and will be returning in September as members of the Lower Sixth. We wish them a wonderful, carefree summer… Mind you, some judicious reading wouldn’t go amiss!
The Tests were originally created by the UK Department for Education to compare international standards and involve a gruelling two hours 30 minutes of computer and paper-based assessments. They test students’ ability to solve unfamiliar problems, using mathematical, analytical, and other higherorder problem solving strategies and, as they are designed for the top 10% of students, are incredibly demanding. They aim to assess a depth of understanding and application beyond the usual expectation for the age group and the St Joseph’s team delivered. ‘We are delighted with the outstanding set of results achieved by both individual College students and the St Joseph’s College team overall,’ said Mr Southgate, Maths teacher and event coordinator. ‘Our students collectively performed amazingly in the key areas of Algebra, Number and Statistics, where they were each rated Excellent (the highest grade) by international standards. The WCA estimates that this places them in the top 5% of all students internationally in their age group - not just those taking the tests - and in the top 10% for Geometry. ‘Facing the toughest of standards, Harry Willetts, Joseph Smith, Thomas Sharman, Toby Marshall, Tomasz Rafinski and Wallace Wong each gained a Distinction, placing them in the top 5% of all Year 9 students internationally. Congratulations as well to Lewis Hall for achieving a Merit and to Xanthe Baker-Woods and Fergus Cherrington on their passes.’ The event was held during the College’s Lower School Maths Challenge Week, which also saw our talented Year 7 and Year 8 girls and boys participating in the UK Junior Mathematics Challenge. The College has gained good results in this competition in the past, and is looking forward to receiving the results for this cohort in due course. A range of additional puzzles and code breaking challenges were also tackled across the Lower School, allowing all students the chance to practise their skills beyond the curriculum. 14
For the Upper Sixth Leavers, the wide world beckons. 'Life is precious. You have such an exciting time ahead of you!' Principal Mrs Clarke told their final Assembly. Head of Sixth Form, Mrs Simpson Jacobs, added, 'The warmth and comfort of St Jo's remains. Never, ever, ever hesitate to reach out; we will always be delighted to hear from you.' Wishing goodbye and good fortune to every one of them, wherever in the world they will be pursuing their lives, their studies and their careers.
Students Give the Government a Poor Mark We have all been delighted to see the gradual resurrection of all sorts of activities at St Joseph’s as pandemic restrictions have been eased. Debating came back to the Sixth Form after a long break and the inaugural motion was ‘We believe the UK Government effectively handled COVID 19’. After some powerful and well-constructed speeches, the motion was narrowly defeated!
Senior School Sport At the Top of Their Game – A Tribute to Harri and Sophie Head Boy 2020-21, Harri Williams truly embraced the values of St Joseph’s College since joining the school in Year 9. With a plethora of Joeys adorning the top flights of rugby across the UK and Europe, it isn’t surprising that many of the boys dream of following in their footsteps. For Harri, it wasn’t a dream, but a planned, well considered route. Harri joined us as a capable all-round sportsman (a past member of Colchester United’s Football Academy and nationally ranked in tennis), but he had already decided to focus on rugby. In Year 10, he led a highly capable squad to the quarter-finals of the U15 National Schools Cup. By Year 11, he was our 1st XV Scrum Half and contributed significantly to the team’s performances in both our own National Schools Rugby Festival and Rosslyn Park National Schools Sevens. He was further rewarded with a five-year contract with Scarlets. Selected to represent the Welsh U18 side in 2020, Harri has now been selected for the Welsh U20 squad. We would like to thank Harri for what he has given back to the College during his time here and to wish him the very best of luck in all his future endeavours. Pob iwc Harri!
Fellow Upper Sixth student Sophie Peskett has become the first professional women’s player in the history of Ipswich Town FC. Mr Pruden, Head of Football, said ‘It is a huge statement of intent from Town to offer their first professional contract to a female player and we are thrilled to have been able to support Sophie to achieve this. She has been an outstanding student both on and off the pitch, achieving top grades in her studies whilst displaying an outstanding work ethic in her training. I know she feels very proud to be continuing her career with the club whilst embarking on her university studies.’ Sophie combined performing in the fourth round of the FA Cup campaign with ITFC, with studying Sports Science and playing for the College team, current Independent Schools FA U18 seven-a-side national champions. The St Joseph’s College community is extremely proud of her.
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Cricket The campus has been filled with boys’ and girls’ cricket throughout the Summer term, with the sport being the first to host other schools and competitions as covid restrictions eased. This has been a great release for students during a difficult year, and the increase in participation and desire to play has been magnificent to see. Despite the first half-term being rain affected, we have consistently fielded 10 teams at weekends, with over 100 students participating. Individual performances of note include Helena Ringwood (Y10): 5 wickets v RHS; Zuhair Khan (Y10): 100* v Framlingham and Josh Bowyer (Y12): 186 v Woodbridge School. The Boys’ 1stXI made it through to the Area Final of the National T20 Cup competition, narrowly missing out by 10 runs. Our annual Cricket Week was due to feature even more fixtures, with U13 Boys’, U13 Girls’, U15 Girls’ and U12 Boys’ festivals, as well as U11 fixtures, the prestigious Old Birkfieldian game against our current 1stXI boys and a senior school block fixture v Culford. Unfortunately, the rain defeated the U15 Girls', U12 Boys Festivals and the OB match. In all, 14 teams and 10 schools participated in the week. Finally, the U12 boys competed in the County cup finals day on 22 June and finished third place.
Rugby • Leroy O’Neil joins Northampton Saints on a trial-based contract. • Gabe Jones, Ben Sams, Joe Pattinson and Gabriel Hawley have joined our official partners at Ealing Trailfinders and Brunel University.
Football Congratulations to our U18 Girls on becoming Women’s Independent School FA National Champions. Well done, too, to our U17 Girls on finishing third in the same tournament. • Justin Byles (Y11), having only just turned 16, was selected to represent the Cayman Islands in their World Cup qualifier against Suriname. • Ashdon Fowler (Y11) represented Suffolk U16 in a recent block of fixtures. • Summer Hughes (L6) - first call up for England U19 training camp. • Nina Meollo (L6) - attended England goalkeepers’ regional training camp. • Erika Lempek (Y10) - England rep at Real Madrid for training camp finals.
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Triathlon Ben Howlett (Y9) competed at the AJ Bell World triathlon event in Leeds and finished ninth in a packed field of the country’s top competitors. An impressive start after a long break. In the Inter Regional Championships qualification event, held at Ipswich High, Ben led in the swim and bike and finished in second place overall. He missed out on first place by only five seconds! His success qualified him to represent the East Region at the IRC national event in September.
Tennis Samantha Blaydon (Y7) and Natasha Mashonganyika (Y7) were part of the four-player team representing Suffolk in the regional County Cup. Suffolk won, with comprehensive victories over the cream of the region, including a very strong Cambridgeshire team. Samantha and Natasha won all their singles matches, before teaming up for the doubles matches and winning all of them too! Fantastic result girls.
Showjumping Ema Lewis (Y9), Freya Milner-Moore (Y9) and Imogen Mayhew (Y8) took part in a National Schools Equestrian Association qualifying competition at Forest Edge, winning the 75cm team event. They also qualified for the plate final in two further classes, including 95cm. Schools from across the region were competing. Freya also competed in the British Showjumping schools’ qualifier in Surrey. She and Spike took 2nd and 6th to qualify for the national finals in August, where they will be one of just 25 combinations from the whole country!
Netball Suffolk U15 County Academy: Caitlyn Wright, Lola Crawford, Olivia James and Gabrielle Turner. Suffolk U13 Satellite Academy: Robyn Dix and Catie Lloyd.
Hockey County selection this year for: U13 Squad, Charlie Cooper, Maya Edwards and Abigail Hodgkins; U14 Squad, Hannah McNicholas and Xanthe Baker Woods; U15 Squad, Zoe Tanner, Natalie Mashonganyika and Caitlyn Wright (on trial for performance centre which puts her on the England pathway); U16 Squad, Aimee Porter.
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Welcome to the New Prefect Team The Sixth Form team was delighted to announce the student prefect team for 2021-2022. All of the students put a huge amount of effort into their hustings speeches and we know that they are determined to action the array of events, clubs and activities they pledged during those declarations. Indeed, some stepped up to organise competitions and charity events during the final half term of the academic year. The student body as a whole is well-reflected in the academic, sporting and artistic skill sets of the prefect team, with students displaying a diverse range of interests, which they are keen to enthuse younger students about through clubs and workshops from September. Some of the students are relatively new to the College and others have been here since Prep days. As long as regulations allow, the prefect team will be far more visible around the campus than last year’s team was able to be due to covid bubbles. We would like to thank 2020/21 Head Boy and Girl, Hari Williams and Izzy Atkinson, their deputies and the whole prefect team for rising to the challenge of leadership during the lockdown year and wish them all the best as they move on from their schooldays. 18
Senior Prefect Team – 2021-2022 Head Boy
Dominic Binns
Deputy Head Boy Jacob Girling
Birkfield Presidents Oscar Bolton Isabella Cinnamond Callum Tickner
Heads of Orwell
Head Girl
Jemima Bestley
Deputy Head Girl Genny Booth
Imogen Cerely Cian Rothwell
Heads of La Salle Oskar Fortune Rosie Smith
Heads of Goldrood Roy Liang Mariam Pope
Heads of Birkfield
Sophie Barclay Smith Justin Cao
Charities & Events Prefects Lucy Huddlestone Eloise Ward
Arts Prefects
Billie Lee Arnold Adam Hayhoe Mariam Pope
Boarding Prefects
Judith Chidi-Lloyd Alice Han Remy Hudson-Clements 19
Community News
Our Sixth Formers, followed by Year 11, listened to an informative and reassuring talk about checking for signs of testicular cancer. The talk was delivered by Summer, a second-year medical student from the University of East Anglia, who is an Oddballs Ambassador. She pitched her talk perfectly for her audience. There were Oddballs hats as prizes for those quickest to answer questions on what they had learned. Whilst both girls and boys attended the talk, the boys stayed on in case they had questions they would rather air without the girls present.
Pursue Engineering at St Joseph's College Like Philip Yeung OB Engineering is recognised at St Joseph’s as a fantastic subject for creativity and engagement and for our students’ future employability. We have courses to suit all kinds of builders, designers and tinkerers, but don’t just take our word for it. Successful design engineer Philip Yeung OB, with the agreement of his boss, Sir James Dyson, has created an excellent film, available on YouTube, which charts his career journey from St Joseph’s College. (Philip also demonstrated his versatility at the school, being a Music Scholar too.) Take a look at the video here https://bit.ly/3eWPc3r.
Prep Pupils Love Having Harrison Back at St Jo’s The boys and girls of the Prep have really enjoyed having OB Harrison Ward back at the school. Harrison has been shadowing Mrs Logan and Mrs Bestley and using the skills he’s been learning at Hartpury University to bring some youthful pizzazz to PE and games. A football specialist and all-round sportsman, Harrison, has been studying for a degree in coaching since leaving St Joseph’s last summer. 20
St Joseph’s is proud to deliver dedicated Engineering lessons from the Prep School through to Sixth Form, as well as extra-curricular engineering-based clubs. From September we will be offering BTEC Level 2 & 3 Engineering. Level 2 is the equivalent of GCSE and Level 3 is the equivalent of A-level. Throughout the Level 2 course students will develop a range of practical and theoretical engineering skills, including machining techniques, materials science, mathematics and drawing design. Students who enjoy and successfully complete this course can progress on to the Level 3 in Engineering, which may be taken alongside other BTECs or A-levels.
Teens and Selfies: What Parents Need to Know By Amy Morin, Licenced Clinical Social Worker
While some teens would never post a selfie on Facebook, others can't seem to resist posting them on Instagram at least a few times per day. For parents, the whole selfie phenomenon can be a bit perplexing. Why would you want to take 50 pictures of yourself standing in a bathroom and then choose the one that you think makes you look best and post it on your profile so people can give you feedback? Well, in some cases, it's just harmless fun. But for other teens, selfies can actually be part of a much deeper-rooted problem.
Selfies and Self-Worth For some teens, their self-worth is highly dependent upon the feedback they receive from their selfies. The more likes, hearts, or positive comments they get, the better they feel. If some teen attracts negative attention—or worse yet, no attention at all—their self-esteem may plummet. They may declare that they are unattractive and unloved if they don't get the response they hoped for. Often, the need to get a surge in self-esteem becomes addictive. Teens become obsessed with taking attractive selfies in an effort to gain positive attention from others. Teens with mental health issues may be at an especially high risk of becoming obsessed with selfies. There have been reports of some teens spending hours each day trying to take a perfect selfie that could help gain accolades from people on social media. Unfortunately, the quest for the perfect selfie can become so severe that it interferes with a teen’s social life and education.
Selfies and a Teen’s Reputation Although most teens aren’t likely to develop an obsession with selfies, there are other dangers that exist. If teens aren’t careful about the type of pictures they share, a selfie could ruin their reputation. Many teens are sharing scantily clad photos for the entire world to see. Others expect that the selfies they’re sharing will remain private if they send them to only one or two people. They don’t realize that selfies can be easily shared with the world once they’re out there in cyberspace.
A teen who shares a partially nude photo with a dating partner, for example, may be surprised to discover that they have shared it with their friends. Or worse yet, if they break up, that photo could be posted on social media in an act of revenge.
Physical Dangers of Selfies A common trend among teens is to take selfies that include action shots in the background. Teens are taking photos of themselves in front of burning buildings, while standing underneath waterfalls, or while performing various stunts. Sadly, some teens have died trying to take risky selfies that they thought would make them look cool. Another danger of taking selfies is that many teens unknowingly reveal their location.
Why You Should Talk to Your Teen About Selfies Selfies can be a healthy way for teens to express themselves. However, teens need some guidance about what’s appropriate and what isn’t. Help your teen understand how selfies can become problematic. Monitor the quantity and the content of your teen’s selfies. If your teen gives up time with friends or isn’t able to get chores done because they are busy posting selfies on Instagram, it could signal a problem. Have frequent conversations with your teen about the dangers of selfies. Ask questions about social media and what your teen thinks about people who post selfies. Educate your teen about how selfies could be viewed by future employers or university admissions offices as well. It's important for your teen to recognise that something that may seem like a harmless prank now could become a serious problem later on. 21
Boarding News An Extraordinary Year in Boarding It was fantastic to welcome new students into the boarding community this term. In addition to Alexander and Justin (Year 12) and Ziyu (Year 10), who join us as permanent students, it has been lovely being able to say bienvenue to Heloise (Year 10) and Mathieu (Year 6), who have joined us from France for a one term immersion course. They have both proved very polite in tolerating my attempts to practise my school-level French! The term has been a busy one, with a work hard, play hard approach. Students at all levels have faced lots of end of course assessments and tests and have proved focused in their preparation. When the whole boarding community is concentrating on its academic studies, our boarding students have a real advantage in feeling extra motivated to work. However, there have been many opportunities for fun too, with a rich array of activities on campus and off campus as lockdown has lifted. The purchase of a highquality karaoke machine means that the boarding bubble commonly features lots of enthusiastic singing. The final weeks of term will no doubt be dominated by Euros action, when our giant cinema screen will come into its own as we cheer on the home nations as well as Italy and France to reflect our international community. However, the warm weather has also made the College campus an easy place to enjoy the outdoors. It is very common to see impromptu cricket and football matches taking place in the grounds of boarding. Some of the best fun has been found in good old-fashioned water fights, where even staff have ‘enjoyed’ a good drenching! Off site, students have relished trips to Africa Alive, roller-skating, foot golf, and the everpopular go karting.
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Whilst we have thoroughly enjoyed welcoming new students, we have also bid sad farewells to our Year 13 students as they return home for a well-earned break following their summer assessments. By the time a student reaches their final year in boarding, it really feels like they are an integral part of the family. In fact, this year it feels that way more than ever, with most of Year 13 students staying in boarding non-stop since their return in August 2020, ticking off Christmas, Chinese New Year and Easter in Mews as well as a long lockdown period. As such, we shed some tears at the same time as celebrating their successes on a night out at the 92 Noodle Bar, Ipswich, where staff and students let their hair down and reminisced on all the shared memories of recent years. Mr Battye summed up our feelings perfectly in a well-made speech that made our students realise how much they mean to us all. Long may they keep in touch and let us know of their future successes as they continue in their diverse university courses, whether Biological Science at Imperial College, London, Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Warwick or Jewellery Design at Birmingham.
We also have staff members to whom we bid a fond farewell this term. It is this time of year that we say goodbye to our gap assistants. Mr Cerely OB and Mr Draude have proved an invaluable help, especially in such an unusual year in boarding. Mr Cerely has a reputation for prowess at chess, which has helped intensify a craze for the game. There is a match happening somewhere in boarding at all times now it seems; it is lovely to see age groups socialising together as they play. Mr Draude is akin to the Pied Piper, drawing large groups of students to chase around the astro at the slightest suggestion of a game of football. Fitness levels must certainly have increased with all the outdoor fun provided. Mr Draude leaves us to work at Harrow School Bangkok and Mr Cerely will also stay working in education as he continues on to teacher training. We will miss them but wish them well in their next steps. Dr Stimson Mews Housemistress
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Availability
Ages 8 to 14
Summer Day Camps
Week 1: 9th - 13th August
At St Joseph's College, IP2 9DR
Available Monday to Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Add 4-nights sleepov er for £275
Drop off: 8:30am - 9:00am Sessions: 9:00am - 4:00pm Pick up: 4:00 - 4:30pm
Multi-Activity Camp: Monday to Friday | £175 per person Netball Camp: Monday to Wednesday | £105 per person ITFC Football Camp: Monday to Friday | £175 per person
Week 2: 16th - 20th August
From only £35 per day
Multi-Activity Camp: Monday to Friday | £175 per person Tennis Camp: Monday & Tuesday | £105 per person PSA Rugby Camp: Monday to Friday | £175 per person (Ages 10-16)
Week 3: 23rd - 27th August Multi-Activity Camp: Monday to Friday | £175 per person ITFC Football Camp: Monday to Friday | £175 per person
Covid-Secure
Lunch Included
Ofsted Registered
8 Hours Supervised Care
Pay with Childcare Vouchers
Upgrade day camps to a Residential camp
xploreactivitycamps.com/day-camps
www.stjos.co.uk