St Joseph’s is our outstanding parish primary school. Children attend from aged 4 to 11 and receive an excellent Catholic education. The school is located right next to the church.
Headteacher news
The exceptional and long-standing headteacher of our parish school, Theresa Kenefick, will be retiring at the end of 2024. Under her leadership, the school has flourished and is a part of the parish that everyone can be extremely proud of.
The governing body has successfully appointed a successor to Mrs Kenefick. Following a thorough recruitment process, Tim Hallett will become our next headteacher from January 2025. Mr Hallett has considerable experience, having previously been a successful headteacher of two Catholic primary schools. He is currently working as a school improvement advisor in one of the London boroughs and as a Catholic Schools Inspector. We look forward to welcoming him to our parish community.
Ofsted inspection
Following an inspection in December, St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School continues to be an outstanding school. Here are some extracts from the report:
- St Joseph’s is a community where pupils thrive and feel safe.
- The curriculum exceeds the demands of the national curriculum in several respects and pupils are taught by highly skilled adults.
- Teachers structure learning incredibly well and ensure that pupils benefit from frequent opportunities to revisit and remember what they have been taught.
- Pupils also excel in other areas of school life, such as providing a service to others, behaving responsibly, and developing their own talents and interests.
- Pupils’ behaviour is excellent in classes and around school. They play and learn incredibly well together.
- Staff have very high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. This helps pupils to concentrate very well in lessons. They are also extremely well-mannered and welcoming to visitors.
- Parents are extremely supportive of the school and are very happy with their child’s progress and development.
You can read the full report here.
A liturgy to start the new term
St Joseph’s School started the new term on Wednesday 3rd January with a liturgy reminding us that it is still the season of Christmas and that the Feast of Epiphany is coming. Onto our tree we pinned messages of the gifts we would like to give the world in 2024. In this way, we follow the guiding example Jesus, the new born King, gives us.
Religious Education
10% of curriculum time at St Joseph’s (about two and a half hours each week) is dedicated to teaching children about their faith, hearing the Word of God through the Bible and reflecting on each person’s call to serve.
We are guided by the RE Curriculum Directory – ‘To Know You More Clearly’ – and by ‘Come and See’ which provide us with a programme of study for lessons in all year groups.
Prayer and worship
We always pray at the beginning and end of the day and we give thanks in prayer just before we go to lunch.
There are liturgies throughout the week, both in class and as a whole school gathering. These are special moments during the week which both children and staff value and enjoy.
Our school grounds lend themselves very well to spontaneous prayer. We have a Way of the Cross, our Via Dolorosa, which we use at various times especially during Lent, when our parents join us to Walk the Way.
Coming to the church
The school comes to the church on every Holy Day of Obligation, on the Feast of St Joseph and at various other times during the school year.
Year Six prepare an evening Advent Service which is always a wonderful way to prepare ourselves for Christmas.
Year Five perform a moving Passion Play in advance of Easter, which is powerful in the way in which it prepares us for the events leading up to the crucifixion.
Year Four lead us in Lenten and Advent Reconciliation Services, an opportunity for children and staff to reflect on the way in which we live our lives and to celebrate the forgiveness that our relationship with the Lord promises.
Year One make their parents very proud when they present a carol service. It is always wonderful to hear children singing the many carols they have learned.
Reception provide us with the Nativity and it is a joy to see them so confident at such a young age.
