The family of St Joseph's is one in which each member is valued and respected for who they are. We aim to encourage and support the personal growth of each individual through living in our community, which is rooted in Christ and inspired by the Gospels

At St Joseph’s each child is encouraged and supported to be a successful learner and grow in their faith. We believe each individual is a unique gift from God and that our purpose as a Christian community is to nurture and develop each child. At St Joseph’s we provide a broad and balanced curriculum through which we seek to ensure high academic standards. We take great pride in our family ethos where children are encouraged to take responsibility for themselves and supported to develop respect and understanding for one another.

The school has approximately 150 pupils age 4 to 11 years arranged in five classes. St Joseph’s is part of the West Suffolk Catholic Pyramid of schools with the high school, St Benedict’s in Bury St Edmunds. The school originally opened in 1909 and over the years has been refurbished, most recently when the hall was built in 2012. St Joseph’s works in partnership with St Edmund’s Catholic Primary school and shares staff and resources. The children also participate in joint activities including a residential to Horstead in Norfolk and curriculum events.

We enjoy a strong relationship with the local parishes. We regularly celebrate our faith through Mass at school and the parish priest of Our Lady’s and St John’s is the school chaplain and visits regularly. We pray as a community each day at assembly, before lunch and at the end of each day. The celebration of our faith underpins everything we do as a school each day.

CHARACTERISTICS OF LEARNING

The staff across both schools in the partnership joined together to reflect upon and identify what we considered to be the characteristics of an effective learner. We believe that the 10 characteristics which are included within the handprint underpin everything that we do in our schools and everything that we want our pupils to be. The 10 characteristics are both discreetly and explicitly taught throughout all that we do in school and we strive for all children to leave our schools with the foundations of lifelong learning having developed these characteristics.

The school council has worked hard to develop learning bricks which focus on each one of the characteristics in turn and help all children form an awareness of how to help themselves develop these 10 characteristics.

We aim to encourage and develop the following qualities in all the members of our community.

Ambitious
Collaborative
Inquisitive
Resilient
Respectful
Motivated
Independent
Confident
Resourceful
Faithful