Catholic Ethos

“Caritas Christi Urget Nos: The love of Christ spurs us on.”

Inspired by our Christian faith, our mission is to provide the highest standard of education and opportunity for all our students, enabling them to live their lives to the full.

In pursuing this aim, we create an environment in which the intellectual, physical, social, moral and spiritual development of every student is able to flourish. As a result, students strive for the highest standards in all endeavours, being able to achieve success and prepared to make their own positive contribution to our world.

St Joseph’s school embraces our mission statement. Students are inspired by the gospel values which can be seen at the heart of our school prayer.


Lord, help us to become the people you want us to be.

In our school may there be prayer, learning and humour,

Hard work, faith and friendship.

May we respect everyone we meet,

Use our gifts and encourage each other.

Send your angels to guide us

And let your peace be with us and our families always.

We ask all these things through Christ our Lord.
Amen.


In continuing to provide this positive learning environment, we commit ourselves:

  • To welcome everyone – students and staff, people of all faiths and none.
  • To create a community marked by respect, justice, tolerance and care for all its members.
  • To support social justice issues – including Fair Trade, Live Simply (CAFOD) and Christian Aid.
  • To ensure that students make a significant contribution to the life of the whole school community.
  • To fund raise for good causes including the Lourdes Pilgrimage Fund, The Key Project, St. Cuthbert’s Care and Hebburn Helps.

Here at St. Joseph’s we promote awareness, acceptance of and engagement with British values through:

  • Class and year group assemblies.
  • Our Citizenship provision.
  • Extra-curricular and Enrichment activities
  • Enquiry sessions, whether this be through Enrichment Week or the collapsed timetable.
  • Noticeboards around the school.
  • The termly newsletter.

The school was inspected in January 2019 by the Diocese. We were judged to be outstanding regarding the values that we uphold at St Joseph’s.

St. Joseph’s Chaplaincy

The chaplaincy at St. Joseph’s aims to reach out to students, staff and the community as a witness to the faith and invite them to explore more deeply the mission of the school’s Catholic Christian identity.

At St. Joseph’s Catholic academy the chapel is a warm and welcoming place, open daily for both students and staff for silent prayer, meditation, reflection and spiritual guidance. Students and staff are all welcome to attend from all faiths and none to explore questions of faith and spirituality in a calm and welcoming atmosphere. Each week staff and students have the opportunity to celebrate Mass.

We offer a termly Mass programme for students across the key stage spectrum and each class has the opportunity to work with the parish priests and the chaplain to plan, prepare for and deliver their own Mass.

For the Sixth Form we also offer a spiritual liturgy programme whereby they can incorporate their talents, spiritual gifts and ideas into an afternoon worship for the students ran by the students.