St Joseph's College, Ipswich
| St Joseph's College | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
 | |
Belstead Road , , IP2 9DR | |
| Information | |
| Type | Independent day and boarding school |
| Motto | Fides Labore Et Tenacitate ("Faith, Work and Tenacity") |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Christian |
| Established | 1937 |
| Principal | Mrs D Clarke |
| Gender | Coeducational |
| Age | 3 to 18 |
| Enrollment | 600 |
| Former pupils | Old Birkfeldians |
| Website | http://www.stjos.co.uk/ |
St Joseph's College is a co-educational independent school for both day and boarding pupils between the ages of 3 and 18, in Ipswich, England.
The college is situated near the centre of Ipswich in extensive grounds, on the site of Birkfield House. The grounds of Goldrood House and the Birkfield Mews, now boarding houses, were a later addition to the college.
History
Founded by the St John le Baptiste de la Salle order of Catholic brothers. St Joseph College was established in 1937 and has been a co-education school since 1995.
![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (May 2016) |
Recent developments
Since May 2000, the college has undergone a programme of refurbishment and reorganisation and improved its facilities and resources, including a new teaching and learning centre, science computer atrium, new arts and photographic suite, computer networking, a music technology suite and enlarged boarding accommodation. A more recent refurbishment programme took place in 2007 with a multi-million pound, state of the art, eco-friendly, junior school being built. Goldrood House has now gone back to being a boarding house instead of Hilbrow House that was off of the college's campus. Recent development in March 2014 meant new sports facilities, including a new block of sports changing rooms and a P.E office.
Future Development
In 2015, the school announced that there would be some major changes including the movement of many departments and the Boarding houses. Plans also include the renovation of the current DT block to form the new Sixth-Form centre. Four new junior school classes will be added on to the existing building.
House system
The house system at the original Birkfield campus consisted of four houses: two houses for boarding students, Sherwin (blue) and Campion (green), and two houses for day students, More (black) and Becket (orange). The current houses are as follows: Celsus (green), Thevenet (yellow), Xavier (red), De la Salle (blue). The name Celsus comes from the proto-Indo-European word for "rock"; its other translations are "noble" and "arrogant". The name De la Salle comes from Saint John the Baptist De La Salle, who is the patron saint of the school. St Joseph's was previously a member of the 9 community until in 2014 when the school bought the grounds back from the brothers.
Boarding
Boarding students at St Joseph's College live in either Goldrood House or Birkfield Mews, commonly shortened to 'the Mews'.
Annual Rugby Festival
The Rugby Festival was started to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the College, but is now one of the annual premier schoolboy rugby tournaments. The sides that are invited to attend are from both the state and independent sectors across England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, bringing together the best of schoolboy 1st XV rugby. In 2016, the Festival celebrated its 30th year.
Old Birkfeldians
The Old Birkfeldians is the Alumni Association of St Joseph’s College.[1] It is named after the site of the original school (Birkfield House). It has been merged with the Alumni Association of the old Junior School (Old Oakhillians).
References
- ^ Old Birkfieldians
- ^ http://patmills.wordpress.com/2012/10/05/dredd-he-is-the-law/
- ^ Roth, Andrew (16 March 2001). "Chris Mullin". theguardian.com. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
