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St Joseph's Catholic and Anglican High School

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Coordinates: 53°02′13″N 2°59′50″W / 53.03691°N 2.99722°W / 53.03691; -2.99722
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St Joseph's Catholic and Anglican High School
Ysgol Uwchradd Gatholig ac Anglicanaidd Sant Joseff (Welsh)
Address
Map
Sontley Road, Wrexham, Wrexham County Borough

LL13 7EN
Information
School typeVoluntary Aided Comprehensive Secondary School
MottoThe Way, The Truth, The Life
Religious affiliation(s)Catholic & Anglican
Established1958
2006 (as a joint faith school)
Local authorityWrexham
Head teacherChristopher Wilkinson[1]
Age range11-16
School roll751
LanguageEnglish
Color(s)Purple and Yellow
Websitestjosephs.wales

St Joseph's Catholic and Anglican High School (Welsh: Ysgol Uwchradd Gatholig ac Anglicanaidd Sant Joseff) is a secondary school in Wrexham, Wales, located on Sontley Road and situated on the edge of the Erddig estate. The school is opposite the Bishop of Wrexham's residence. It is currently the only shared Church school in Wales. The two Bishops of the Catholic Diocese of Wrexham and the Anglican Church in Wales Diocese of St. Asaph have a shared responsibility for the school.

History

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St Joseph's was opened in 1958 as St Joseph's Catholic Secondary Modern School. Headmaster - Mr Martin Cleary. In 1972 St Joseph's became a Comprehensive High School. It joined up with the Anglican church in 2006.

Originally there were three forms, or 'houses': Bishops, Abbots and Gwyns (named for the martyr St Richard Gwyn). Eventually these were renamed and expanded and for many years there were four forms: Hannon, Mostyn, Petit and Vaughan. Each was named after a Bishop of Menevia.

When the school gained joint church school status, the pupils were asked to vote for the new form names, based on contemporary religious icons. The following five names were chosen: Romero (after Óscar Romero), Cassidy (after Sheila Cassidy), Devereux (after Sean Devereux), Kolbe (after Maximilian Kolbe), King (after Martin Luther King Jr.).

In 2006 St Joseph's became a joint Anglican-Catholic school.[2] The school has never been exclusively Catholic and has always (at least as far back as 1978) admitted non-Catholic students - mainly Anglicans.

The whole school Eucharists alternate between the two traditions.

The current headteacher is Mr Christopher Wilkinson. He was preceded by Mrs Maria B. Rimmer, the school's first female Headteacher (January 2010 - August 2016).


Academics

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The school introduces some new topics that are different from primary school such as French, German, Drama, and various technology subjects.

An official Welsh Assembly government inspection in spring 2008 awarded the school the maximum grading possible: seven grade ones. A 2020 Estyn report praised the school for ensuring "no pupil is left behind", rating all areas of performance at the school as either "good" or "excellent"; following a school inspection in February 2020.[3]

Controversies

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In December 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the school was accused of denying entry to pupils exempt from wearing face masks, mainly affecting disabled pupils;[4] and criticised later for separating those exempt from wearing a face mask, with pupils that do wear face masks into a separate bubbles. The school responded stating they are following Welsh Government guidance and implementing the necessary procedures to keep pupils safe.[5][6]

References

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  1. ^ "St Joseph's Catholic and Anglican High School | Wrexham County Borough Council". www.wrexham.gov.uk. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  2. ^ "Catholic-Anglican first for Wales". 13 September 2006. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  3. ^ "Wrexham secondary school praised for ensuring 'no pupil is left behind' in positive inspection report". The Leader. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  4. ^ "Parents left 'disgusted' as son refused entry to school for not wearing face mask". The Leader. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  5. ^ "School masks: Exempt Wrexham pupils 'separated from others'". BBC News. 11 December 2021.
  6. ^ Wightwick, Abbie (10 December 2021). "Parents say school is refusing entry to mask exempt children". WalesOnline. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
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53°02′13″N 2°59′50″W / 53.03691°N 2.99722°W / 53.03691; -2.99722


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