St Joseph's In The Park

St. Joseph's In The Park
The Drive leading to St. Joseph's In The Park
Address
St. Mary's Lane Hertingfordbury , Hertfordshire , SG14 2LX England
Information
Type	Independent Prep School
Motto	Ora et Labora
Established	1898
Ofsted	Reports
Chair	Mr. Paul Chapell
Headmaster	Mr. Neil Jones
Staff	28
Gender	Co-Educational
Age	3 to 11
Enrollment	172
Colour(s)	Chocolate & Gold
Website	http://stjosephsinthepark.com

St. Joseph's In The Park is a single form, independent, co-educational, preparatory school in Hertfordshire for girls and boys between the ages of 3 and 11. It is set within Hertingfordbury Park on the outskirts of Hertford. Here is a description of the Park and the location of the original 17th century house from 1773, where the school now stands.

The situation of the Park House is on a gentle rise. The whole ground is of an easy form enriched with plantations and beautified by the flowing Lea and Mimram rivers which partly bound this estate. The prospects are particularly pleasing and the town of Hertford, softened by its distance, is a fine enrichment.

The Convent High School

As an educational establishment, St Joseph's In The Park is one of the area's oldest independent schools. It began life as St. Joseph's Catholic High School in St. John's Street, Hertford in 1898. The school was run by the Sisters of Mercy order of Nuns and provided a broad education for girls up to the age of 16. Boys were also educated up to the age of 11. The Convent moved to Park House in Hertingfordbury Park in 1947/48 and the school followed shortly thereafter. In the early 1950s a purpose-built school was established next to the Convent and by 1957 the upper age limit for boys and girls was 11.

In The Park

From 1957, St. Joseph's was run by the nuns as a primary school. In 1983 the nuns were recalled and the school taken over by a proprietor. Ownership of the school changed hands in 1996 and around this time the school changed its name to St. Joseph's In The Park for two purposes. Firstly it was to differentiate itself from the Catholic Primary school in Hertford which was established by the Sisters of Mercy at the same time as they formed the High School. Secondly it was to give the school a sense of place and of its history within Hertingfordbury Park. Finally, in 2006, the school became a charitable trust.

Moving on

Pupils at St. Joseph's In The Park go onto to a wide range of senior schools, both independent and maintained. Among them are the following:

Haileybury College · Princess Helena College · Presdales School · Queenswood School · St Albans School · St Christopher School · St Edmund's College · Richard Hale School

External links

• St Joseph's In The Park
• The Independent Schools Council