Welcome to our Online Live Prospectus

•  You can download a paper copy of our prospectus on the Parents Page

Thank you for your interest in St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School. This online and 'live' prospectus should give you all the information you need about our school, and the way in which it is managed and run. If anything is not clear, or you need more information on any particular subject, please don’t hesitate to contact the school office. You are also very welcome to come and visit the school: just telephone to arrange an appointment.

To learn about what is happening, view each subject's news pages here:

English | Mathematics | Science | History | Geography | Technology | ICT | Music | Art | Personal Relationships | PE | Extra-curricular 

Mission Statement – ethos and values

The Catholic identity of our school is not exclusively related to religious instruction but to the integration of all aspects of school life into a unified whole. The Catholic school should be seen as offering the possibility not only of exploring the mystery which is God, but also of demonstrating the Gospel in action.

Our school will strive to be consistent throughout and in every aspect reflect the Christian faith, which is its soul, its inspiration and its justification.

Aims of the School

At St Joseph’s, a Catholic school, our aim is the formation of a happy, Christian, worshipping community. The aim of the school is to provide an environment in which children can:

• Develop lively, enquiring minds
• Understand the world in which we live and our role as stewards of it
• Use language effectively and imaginatively in speaking, reading and writing
• Master basic mathematical skills and concepts
• Learn about human achievement and aspiration in the arts and sciences and in the search for a more just social order
• Acquire knowledge and skill
• Learn to value other races, religions and cultures
• Be encouraged to develop individual skills and talents to the full
• Be guided in the area of personal, social and moral development
• Achieve the highest possible standards in all areas of the National Curriculum

About the School

St Joseph’s School was founded in 1904 by the Sisters of the Convent of the Holy Family. The school was granted voluntary aided status in 1970 under the auspices of the Diocese of Plymouth.

In March 1987 storms destroyed most of the old building and the school survived in temporary buildings until the new school opened in September 1992. The school is a fully equipped seven-classroom primary school which occupies a pleasant site overlooking the Exe estuary.

Foundation Governors appointed by the Bishop oversee the school. We are funded by the DfES and Devon County Council. The Governors are responsible for a portion of the cost of maintaining the school building. Funds for this come from our parish and parents’ donations. At the moment 63% of our children are baptised Catholics and the remainder are from other Christian denominations. Prospective parents are welcome to visit the school to meet the staff and pupils.

Organisation of the School

There are seven classes in the school. You can find out more about our classes by visiting the teachers page and the classes pages, or by finding out about our curriculum.