Senior Level 3 Qualified Early Years Practitioner

St Joseph’s College, Reading

Situated in the heart of Reading, St Joseph’s College is the leading independent day school for boys and girls aged 3 to 18 in Berkshire.

For us, success is about more than just exam results or awards. We celebrate each pupil as an individual, and aspire for them to leave St Joseph’s as mature and confident citizens, ready to tackle life head on with energy and vigour.

The College is situated close to Reading University and convenient to the town centre and the M4. The College consists of the Senior School (ages 11 to 18) and the Prep School (ages 3 to 11). The Senior School and Prep School are located within a single campus.

St Joseph’s is a Catholic school, where our pupils experience a caring Christian community. Our strong moral and spiritual ethos naturally guides everything we do, enriching all aspects of school life. Pupils of any faith or no faith are wholeheartedly welcomed and encouraged to make an active contribution to the spiritual life of the school.

Our small class sizes mean everyone receives the individual guidance and support they need to achieve their potential. Staff, pupils and parents form strong links, with a focus on both the academic progress and the wellbeing of each pupil.  We encourage all pupils to develop an awareness of their own role in society.

In September 2021 Laura Stotesbury was appointed as Head of the College. Sharon Boccaccini was appointed as College Deputy Head (Prep) in January 2020.

Our Mission and Aims

At St Joseph’s, our mission is to encourage, inspire, challenge and support pupils to fulfil their potential in a community founded on Catholic Christian values.

We aim to develop life skills of commitment, collaboration, confidence, communication and compassion in each pupil, throughout each of their years at the school.

ISI Inspection

A full ISI Inspection took place over a week in May 2022. The five inspectors found that ‘pupils display a good level of knowledge across all areas of learning and are able to make effective use of this’ and noted that ‘there is an ethos of respect, support, kindness, and openness across the entire community’. They added that ‘pupils are highly confident and resilient individuals but without any sense of brashness or arrogance, looking ahead positively to what they can achieve.’

Educational Quality Inspection Report

The Educational Quality Inspection reports on the quality of the school’s work. It focuses on the two key outcomes:

The achievement of the pupils, including their academic development, and

The personal development of the pupils.

Their key findings were that the quality of the pupils’ academic and other achievements is good. They commented that ‘pupils have a strong focus in lessons and work positively both as independent and collaborative learners’.

They found that the quality of pupils’ personal development is excellent, noting that ‘pupils have a very positive attitude towards supporting other people both within the school and wider community’, and ‘pupils embrace positively the diversity of their school and respect and value their differences.’

The school scored highly in other areas too, with inspectors praising the co-curricular opportunities offered by the school, noting ‘pupils achieve success in a wide range of activities both within and beyond the classroom and they gain valuable new skills from their involvement’. Read our inspection reports on our website.

Why St Joseph’s?

At St Joseph’s we offer:

• A safe and happy environment in which academic and social skills are developed
• Education for boys and girls from age 3 to 18
• A varied curriculum and excellent facilities
• A strong sense of community
• High academic reputation
• Wide range of extra-curricular activities including a strong tradition of music and drama

Our teachers combine the best in traditional educational values with a sharp awareness of what is appropriate for pupils who need to be prepared for the 21st century. Our pupils are encouraged to be confident, questioning, independent learners, whilst at the same time developing a moral and spiritual sense of purpose in their lives and in their studies.

Working at St Joseph’s is rewarding. The College has its own salary scales, and staff are entitled to a fee discount for their children. There is a professional, friendly and supportive Staff Room and professional development is nurtured and encouraged. There is strong support for new teaching staff. Newly qualified teachers can undertake their accredited NQT year through the Independent Schools Council programme and a number of members of staff have completed teaching qualifications whilst employed at St Joseph’s.

Looking to the future, St Joseph’s will continue its ambitious plans to enhance and develop the College. However, we will ensure that as we grow, our caring ethos remains at the heart of the College. The warm and friendly nature, together with the way pupils display concern and respect for one another, are often commented upon by visitors and parents. We are proud of this and it is one of the most rewarding aspects of working here.