FOUNDATION OF THE MISSION
St Joseph’s Catholic College is a Catholic, Voluntary Aided 11-19 Secondary School founded in 1908 to work in partnership with Catholic parent/guardians to educate their daughters in the context of the Catholic Faith and way of life. This mission of providing pupils with education, growth in the faith and a secure foundation for future development as active members of the Church and of society expresses Christian belief and commitment.
• Sixth Form students have the opportunity to study up to 5 AS subjects in Year 12. The Advanced Subsidiary qualification is offered in 24 subjects. Most of these subjects can be taken forward into Year 13 to the A2 Level. Students are advised as to how many subjects they should study. It is envisaged that the majority will continue with 3 or 4 subjects to A2 Level. Progression on to Higher Education is actively encouraged.
• Our students may also study for an additional AS or Advanced Level Qualification within the Central Confederation. The Confederation includes the 14 – 19 Catholic Education Partnership and the Sixth Forms of St Bede’s, St Joseph’s and Yorkshire Martyrs, Central Confederation Schools and Colleges.
• Religious Education, Careers and Enrichment Education and General Studies continue to form the Core Curriculum in the Sixth Form.
• All Advanced Programmes last for two years, entry is conditional on performance in the GCSE examinations clearly stated in the Sixth Form Prospectus.
• Students may also study for a BTec National Diploma in either Science or Sport.
• The BTec Programme is available in Public Services, Applied Science, Health & Social Care and Business Studies. These courses are of one year duration, pupils can then progress onto either Advanced Level Courses or a BTec National Diploma in a wide range of subjects.
• Students are encouraged to develop intellectually, socially and spiritually through a range of extra-curricular activities too numerous to mention here. Opportunities for residential experience, retreats, fieldwork, work shadowing and work experience are open to all.
• A great deal of guidance is offered to pupils and their parent/guardians during Year 11 to ensure that an appropriate Sixth Form course is selected. Staff are available for consultation at an Information Evening in the Autumn Term, when the Sixth Form Prospectus is distributed. The Leader of Learning & Achievement Post 16 is available for consultation on all aspects of Sixth Form admission towards the end of the Summer Vacation. A full Induction Programme for students is held during the first week and subsequent weeks of the Autumn Term.
• Individual targets are set for each student and regular monitoring and reviews are conducted.
• Full details of all programmes are given in the Sixth Form Prospectus.
THE PRESENT MISSION
Today the College has the same educational Mission resting on the same foundation of belief: • that education is part of the Church’s mission to proclaim God as Creator, Christ as Redeemer and the Holy Spirit as Inspirer; • that the work of education and of human growth in every aspect- spiritual, moral, cultural, social, personal – is part of God’s plan for every person’s fulfilment and destiny. It is the message of the Gospel that the kingdom of God is our destiny and that this is built by love between people and between us and God and that this is the foundation of our educational enterprise;
• that this mission of proclaiming the Gospel in education can be fulfilled whilst, preserving and celebrating the freedom and conscience of every student whatever faith and culture – indeed regarding the presence of pupils of other faiths as a richness and a blessing for the College.
FULFILLING THE MISSION
Our belief – based on the message of the Gospel – is that all pupils are of equal worth with their individual talents and hence the College seeks to fulfil its mission by:
• providing all pupils with the means and opportunities to develop their potential – spiritual, moral, academic, social, cultural – with due regard to intellectual, aesthetic and physical development through a balance of self discovery in learning and high quality teaching; • ensuring that the curriculum is designed and implemented to develop appropriate values, attitudes, knowledge, understanding and skills for all pupils;
• having a commitment to high expectations in standards of achievement, in behaviour, in attendance, in respect for self, others and the environment; in encouraging appreciation of what is good, true and beautiful;
• creating a framework for the development of quality relationships between all who work in the community of the College;
• creating a warm, welcoming, caring community that respects and values the dignity, integrity, and special needs of all individuals be they pupils, staff, parent/guardians, governors, representatives of the Diocese or Bradford Education etc.;
• establishing strong links with the home, parish and the wider community, so that the College is perceived as a place where the values of the gospel pervade all that is attempted and achieved; and where the love of God touches all who come into contact with it;
• providing practical opportunities for creating an awareness among pupils that the College’s mission will be fulfilled if they develop a strong sense of personal responsibility in regard to local, national and global issues;
• ensuring that prayer, worship and liturgy are valuable shared experiences which contribute to the moral and spiritual development of all pupils. Each area of the College’s activities – departments, year groups and forms will incorporate these aims – Catholic doctrine and principles being found in every sphere of College life, so that the College community is united in spirit and purpose.
• Sixth Form students have the opportunity to study up to 5 AS subjects in Year 12. The Advanced Subsidiary qualification is offered in 24 subjects. Most of these subjects can be taken forward into Year 13 to the A2 Level. Students are advised as to how many subjects they should study. It is envisaged that the majority will continue with 3 or 4 subjects to A2 Level. Progression on to Higher Education is actively encouraged.
• Our students may also study for an additional AS or Advanced Level Qualification within the Central Confederation. The Confederation includes the 14 – 19 Catholic Education Partnership and the Sixth Forms of St Bede’s, St Joseph’s and Yorkshire Martyrs, Central Confederation Schools and Colleges.
• Religious Education, Careers and Enrichment Education and General Studies continue to form the Core Curriculum in the Sixth Form.
• All Advanced Programmes last for two years, entry is conditional on performance in the GCSE examinations clearly stated in the Sixth Form Prospectus.
• Students may also study for a BTec National Diploma in either Science or Sport.
• The BTec Programme is available in Public Services, Applied Science, Health & Social Care and Business Studies. These courses are of one year duration, pupils can then progress onto either Advanced Level Courses or a BTec National Diploma in a wide range of subjects.
• Students are encouraged to develop intellectually, socially and spiritually through a range of extra-curricular activities too numerous to mention here. Opportunities for residential experience, retreats, fieldwork, work shadowing and work experience are open to all.
• A great deal of guidance is offered to pupils and their parent/guardians during Year 11 to ensure that an appropriate Sixth Form course is selected. Staff are available for consultation at an Information Evening in the Autumn Term, when the Sixth Form Prospectus is distributed. The Leader of Learning & Achievement Post 16 is available for consultation on all aspects of Sixth Form admission towards the end of the Summer Vacation. A full Induction Programme for students is held during the first week and subsequent weeks of the Autumn Term.
• Individual targets are set for each student and regular monitoring and reviews are conducted.
• Full details of all programmes are given in the Sixth Form Prospectus.
