St Joseph's in the spotlight (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

St Joseph's in the spotlight

8:00am Tuesday 2nd October 2007 in News By Lewis Cowen

ST Joseph's RC Primary School in Devizes has an enviable record on sporting prowess but pupils are now having their mental muscles flexed.

Head teacher Sheila Jones and her staff are using the theories of educationalist Guy Claxton to exercise parts that other areas of the education system do not reach.

Mrs Jones said: "The way Mr Claxton puts it, it is like working body muscles. We have chosen the area of collaboration to exercise our pupils and they are responding well to it."

Each Friday afternoon, pupils work on problems in which they have to work as a team.

Mrs Jones said: "The children learn that many tasks become easier when you co-operate. They have to listen to each other and take on board what other people are saying - their opinions and ideas."

Some of the tasks involve the school's own history. The school dates back to the earliest days of the Roman Catholic community in Devizes, when The Sisters of St Joseph of Annecy arrived in the town in 1861 and set up a convent.

Children arriving in this year's reception class are the children and even grandchildren of former pupils.

Mrs Jones said: "The school is part of the family of the parish. We have a topic in Religious Education called homes and families.

"We study how the church is like a family. The story of the Prodigal Son is particularly relevant. It shows how God will always love you and forgive you."

It is not just the mind that is being nourished at St Joseph's. It has long had a reputation for providing the best school meals in the area. The current catering manager, Leslie Milne, has taken up from the legendary Mrs Abbandonato, whose cooking was so exemplary, education officers from County Hall would always make sure their visits to the school coincided with lunch time.

Mrs Jones said: "We have a really high take-up of school meals. Mrs Milne and her staff cook up to 200 hot meals a day and the quality is fantastic."

Pictures in this week's Gazette