WHAT? WHERE?

St Joseph’s College is an independent co-ed day school in central Reading, taking kids from the age of 3-18. The school’s contained on one site with the Senior School occupying the imposing red-brick old convent building and the younger pupils have their own purpose built space at the rear. The numbers are small for an all-through school – 600, with 430 across Y7-Y13. Children are bussed in from all over Berks, with five routes as far out as Wargrave. Some older kids come by train and there’s a handy shuttle bus to and from Reading train station.

This former convent school was founded by the Sisters of St Marie Madeleine Postel to educate girls, but went fully co-ed in 2010, changed its name and made the bold decision to reduce its fees by 17%. Yes, you heard me, the fees went down – you’ll struggle to find this kind of value anywhere else in Reading or anywhere else in Berkshire. That doesn’t mean you’re getting a budget education. The teaching is excellent, wellbeing and mental health is a priority and although the facilities are not as glossy as other Senior schools, they have all the boxes ticked and make good use of Reading Uni’s vast offering. Hard working parents looking for an independent, small school, look no further. Just don’t expect bucolic acres at a town centre school.

FACILITIES

A smart, refurbished music school, Sixth Form Centre and library. Plus all-weather pitches, indoor swimming pool and ‘vintage’ science labs. It’s a pick ‘n’ mix of old and new, but one student chose St Joseph’s for its Harry Potter-style aesthetic, so there’s a lot to be said for a little vintage alongside the brand new. 

SPORT

Plenty of sport being played here and match days are competitive. There’s a Sports Field for football, rugby, athletics and cricket, two all-weather pitches for hockey, football, netball and tennis, netball court, gymnasium and a heated indoor swimming pool. Plus access to the full range of facilities at the University of Reading’s Sports Park, just across the road – think CrossFit, badminton, netball, tennis, volleyball, squash, and all their full-size rugby, football and hockey pitches. 

A lot of work has been done to improve sport here – quality coaching staff offer that all important competitive experience (Team GB hockey, anyone?). Although winning is not the be all and end all – doing your best is the vibe – but, and it’s a big BUT, they do want to feel the euphoria of success. Come on, they’re only human. And a school of this size giving the likes of Wellington College a run for its money on the playing field is a win in our book.

Working parents who rarely make it to matches, will love the Friday lates. Matches are organised on floodlit pitches so parents can attend, enjoy refreshments and the social side of school life. Love this. Swim School has also been brought in house to offer lessons to the whole community – offering women only, adults as well as kids swimming. 

MUSIC, ART, DRAMA

Music and drama are BIG and the relatively new Music Centre is proving very popular. Judging by the amount of instruments being played and rehearsals going on, there’s a lot of creative talent being nurtured. We are sure the 13 pianos will be put to good use. If you have an interest in an instrument, the school will find someone to teach it. Plus there are lots of Co-curricular opportunities to get involved in (over 60 different clubs per term), including choir, jazz, wind, brass and pop bands. St Joseph’s has partnered with the London Mozart Players which gives musicians the opportunity to take part in workshops, play alongside pros and attend London Mozart Players’ concerts in London.

An A-level music student thought it was awesome that the school recruits professional musicians to record music they have composed for their exams. How brilliant is that? Drama is excellent here too and it’s cool to take part – onstage or behind the scenes. The school production – most recently Grease The Musical – is a highlight with boys and girls flexing their musical, dramatic and technical skills to the max. There’s breadth in the academic qualifications too, Musical Theatre is available alongside Drama and Theatre Studies, Music and LAMDA. The rehearsal room is a good size and the theatre is full of period charm.

GENERAL

The overall atmosphere was of engaged and focused children at ease with their teachers. There was a nice hum of brains ticking and lots of chatty participation and interaction going on. Certainly, the Y13 children who showed me around were confident and chatty and eager to tell me all the things they loved. The school’s longest serving teacher Mrs Kesel (Music) and Mr Cunningham (RE) who had a near death experience white water rafting in Mongolia, have both achieved ‘legend’ status.

WHAT ELSE?

It’s worth addressing the Catholic issue. It’s easy to assume the school is heavy on the fire and brimstone. That’s not to say it wears its faith lightly either. The foundations are fundamentally Catholic Christian in terms of learning, looking out for one another, sense of community, service and self-worth and mass is a regular feature of school life and attendance is mandatory. One pupil was gutted the last mass meant he missed his Latin class (filed under things you never hear).

That said, it’s not a school full of ‘Holy Joes’. All faiths or none are welcome. Some parents will shortlist St Joseph’s because it’s Catholic, but it’s not the majority. To be honest, if my kids lived life following this moral code, I’ll be doing cartwheels. Plus the lay chaplain is a great asset for staff and kids to turn to if they need an ear. Every couple of years there’s a school trip to Rome and the choir get to sing in the Vatican. A story you could dine out for years, Catholic or not. 

SIXTH FORM

A fully refurbished Sixth Form Centre has given the most senior pupils a cool and contemporary space to study and socialise. A Level subjects are on the traditional side, but there are a lot of Co-curricular opportunities across a wide range of interests – sport, creative arts, Young Enterprise Scheme, Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award, Medical Society, F1 in Schools (engineering racing cars – very cool) and HaLE (Humanities, Languages, Economics and Business) activities.

The new Sixth Form café is a huge hit. The teens I spoke to were raving about the recent addition of sushi to the menu and the study support they receive in the run up to their A Levels and applying for university or degree apprenticeships. The Upper Sixth students that took me round the school were confident, funny, engaging and were thrilled with their new space.

ACADEMICS

It’s not particularly interested in the bragging rights of results and league tables. The focus is very much on preparing the children emotionally, mentally and physically for their unique future ambition. The school works hard on the 5 Cs – communication, collaboration, commitment, confidence and compassion. If you nail them, you’ll be set for life, with the capacity to learn new skills as you go (it never stops, does it?).

While we’re here, we might as well look at those results, because they’re pretty darn good. In 2024 there was a 97% GCSE pass rate, with 26% achieving grade 9-8 and 47% 9-7. At A Level: 44% were awarded A*-A and 76% A*-B – well above the national average. Stand out subjects are Further Maths, ICT, Economics, RE, Theatre Studies and Music. It’s worth noting, it is consistently listed in the top schools for valued added.

Most of the kids go on to higher education and the Y13s I spoke to were giving Oxbridge a body swerve for modern unis (with a cracking social life). But over the past two years students have gone to Cambridge whilst others have snagged apprenticeships at Vodafone and accountancy firm BDA. Getting paid, on the job experience and your degree paid for – it’s the holy grail!

Entrepreneurial thinking is also encouraged with Young Enterprise offered in Y12 and Y13, plus there is a full Duke of Edinburgh programme and a real life application of STEM skills as teams are entered annually for the F1 in Schools Challenge and CyberCenturion education initiative. Plus there is HaLE (Humanities, Languages and Enrichment) their own in-house acronym for enrichment in the other academic subjects. 

What I’m trying to say? The school’s emphasis on teaching the kids to be independent thinkers with the confidence to follow their own path are skills that will enable them to succeed whatever choices they make. It’s not about what is expected, but what is right. Props for that! 

PASTORAL CARE

The pastoral care is exceptional. St Joseph’s prioritises the mental health of both the pupils and staff. There is a Chaplaincy and Wellbeing Centre if you’re having a bad day or need a moment of reflection. Staff are trained in Mental Health First Aid to spot the signs if individuals are struggling. Early intervention and the right support is crucial, particularly for teens.

Knowing the school recognises the scale of the problems young people face, is impressive and reassuring for parents. The health and wellbeing of the kids is paramount (especially post Covid), and the importance put on it is a big plus point for me. Catholic principles underpin much of the pastoral care which may not appeal to some, but you cannot fault the integrity of the school community to scoop each and every person up. 

The student leadership team is pretty robust too. An army of head students, prefects, house captains, sports captains and committee chairs cover all aspects of school life from food, digital, eco and diversity. It’s good to see so many leadership opportunities and that sense of community and collective responsibility is very on brand for the school. 

THE HEAD

Headteacher Laura Stotesbury joined St Joseph’s College in September 2021 from Prior Park College in Bath where she was Deputy Head (Academic). her own children attend the College, so as head and parent, she is fully invested in ensuring the very best for the school. She embodies the College’s values – guided by Catholic Christian principles of love and respect.

Stotesbury is very warm and down to earth, yet unapologetically ambitious for the school and its pupils. The kids rave about the positive changes she has made. Namely, that they have been given a voice and that assemblies are now led by them not the teachers. She is keen to crack on with a wish list of developmental improvements, but is taking a conservative approach to spending that is necessary when you’re balancing the books and need to keep the fees in the affordable fun zone – essential with so much political noise about 20% VAT on fees. 

There have been some changes to the senior leadership team; there are two College Deputy Heads – Prep (Sharon Boccaccini) and Seniors (Natalia Jwaideh), plus a layer of Assistant Heads who have individual responsibility for Curriculum, Enrichment, Teaching & Learning and Safeguarding.

St Joseph’s has always been polished, but there’s a collective pulling up of socks. Projects that have been completed recently include: the refurbishment of the Sixth Form Centre, now offering social, study and silent spaces; a trim trail which has been added to the Junior School playground, plus new table tennis tables and a terrace in the Senior School. The ‘vintage’ science labs are still on the to-do list for modernisation and the STEM facilities generally are a priority. 

QUIRKS

The Sisters have moved out, but one woman from the Order of Sisters of St Marie Madeleine Postel still lives on site. Sister Helen, 91, is actively involved as a school governor and can often be seen at mass. It’s like having your grandma for a visit and never going home, which sounds a bit odd, but the pupils and staff are incredibly fond of her. A town-centre school has many benefits but space isn’t one of them. Walking around the compact site, you don’t get the impression the kids are missing out. They have everything they need and more with access to the University of Reading’s stellar facilities. On the plus side, being so central, the children grow to understand how to stay safe in the urban jungle. 

Sport is going from strength to strength – they’ve had come cracking rugby and hockey results recently. Girls now play football and cricket, playing in mixed teams, and single gender for their own competitions – and they’re really good. Not only were they undefeated for the whole of the 2018 season, the U16s team won the Reading Football League in the same year. They’ve also competed with the top 32 independent schools in the country. The Boys have continued to progress with their sport with their first ever 1st XV Rugby this year. And the U13 Football side managed to qualify as one of the top 24 independent schools in the country in 2019. 

WRAP AROUND CARE

Frazzled parents constantly juggling work and children, there is an extended day provision to 6pm for all ages. Very handy if you have kids in Prep and Senior school. Kids can arrive from 7.45am for Breakfast Club (lessons start at 8.20am) and stay until 6pm. There’s also an abundance of after school clubs – from the usual sport and performing arts clubs and societies to quirkier STEM, cultural and academic activities. Seniors can also rock up to the library for supervised study (free of charge) if they’re keen to nail their homework before they leave. Plus there’s a Young Leaders Programme to add more skills to their ‘life after St Joseph’s’ toolkit.

ISI REPORT

Last inspected in 2022, the inspectors noted the kids were excellent communicators, highly focused, confident and resilient. Senior School pupils were praised for their engagement during lessons, ability to identify their strengths and weaknesses and excellent exam results. The depth of creative thinking was flagged as needing a bit of work. Click the report here.

MOBILE PHONE POLICY

Senior School pupils can use phones and other mobile devices in class, but only if invited by the teacher. Otherwise, they stay away and on silent. They can have a scroll during breaks in the Y11 common room and Sixth Form Centre, but having your mobile is regarded as a privilege and the kids generally toe the line. I’d say there’s a healthy amount of common sense applied that allows teenagers the security blanket of having their tech without it being distracting. It’s also reassuring for parents if their kids walk home from school, or hop on public transport. 

FEES

Brace yourselves, you’ll do a double take: Y7-13 £5,039 per term (that’s £15,117 for the YEAR!). Means tested financial assistance is also available. No fee reduction scholarships available instead small financial rewards are given to children who choose to enter competitions to go above and beyond independently. This year’s project is based on the theme ‘Legacy’ and generated winning entries in art, composition, essay and poetry.

WORD ON THE GROUND

No murmurings of discontent. Parents feel they get exceptional value for money, with many raving about the quality of teaching, emphasis on life skills, kids’ wellbeing and the family feel. Some admitted to initial concerns about sports opportunities and that spending is more considered here, but that’s the trade off. Ultimately, their children were confident, happy, doing very well academically and the exams results speak for themselves. The choice of Co-curricular activities has also greatly expanded over the past few years and with the spectre of 20% VAT potentially coming down the line, they were breathing a sigh of relief that they had chosen a school offering value for money.

THE MUDDY VERDICT

GOOD FOR: An all-round education focused on getting the boys and girls ready for the world. If you want your child to be independent, caring, well-rounded, then this is the place for you.

NOT FOR: If you’re looking for an academic hot house, stonking acreage, or boarding options, then St Joseph’s isn’t the place for you.

DARE TO DISAGREE? Have a look for yourself! You can check out the list of all their upcoming open events here.

Read the St Joseph’s College (Prep) review here.

St Joseph’s College, Upper Redlands Rd, Reading RG1 5JT. Tel: 0118 966 1000.