Saint Josephs' Academy

School badge

St. Josephs' Academy building
Address
Grassyards Road

Kilmarnock
,
East Ayrsire
,
KA3 7SL

Scotland
Information
TypeState comprehensive
MottoFidelis – Justus – Prudens
Religious affiliation(s)Roman Catholic
Established1955
HeadteacherJoseph Kane
Staff45.8FTE teaching staff (FTE)
GenderBoys and Girls
Age12 to 18 years
Enrolment648 pupils (2023)
HousesSt Mother Teresa
St Francis of Assisi
Blessed Carlo Acutis
Colour(s)  
SecondaryS1-S6
WebsiteBlog

Saint Josephs' Academy (Scottish Gaelic: Acadamaidh Naomh Iòsaph) is a Roman Catholic secondary school in New Farm Loch, Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, Scotland. Whilst the school is located in Kilmarnock, it serves however the entire Catholic secondary school aged population in East Ayrshire, with the school being the only Roman Catholic secondary school within East Ayrshire. A long-standing inter-authority arrangement sees a small number of primary seven pupils attending St. Xavier’s Primary School in Patna transition to Queen Margaret Academy located in Ayr, South Ayrshire instead of Saint Josephs' Academy. [1]

In 2023, the school roll stood at 648 pupils, with an FTE allocation of 45.8FTE teaching staff. The school is supported by four priests from local parish communities, with the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) consisting of Mr Kane (Head Teacher), Mrs Shearer (Depute Head Teacher (DHT)), Mr Boyle (DHT) and Miss Quigley (DHT).[2]

History

Formation and origins

St Joseph's Academy was founded in 1955 in its present location. Initially built on what was the outskirts of Kilmarnock at the time, the adjacent New Farm Loch estate eventually grew and enveloped the school. The original St Joseph's campus, opened in 1955, included a large playing field, comprising a red blaze hockey pitch, running tracks, and space for 4 grass football pitches.

Catholic ethos

As a Roman Catholic secondary school, St. Josephs' Academy follows a set of Catholic ethos which aim to be incorporated into the wider work of the school, with a passage from the Gospel of Matthew capturing what the school aims to achieve through the embedded ethos across the school; "For I was hungry, and you gave me food, I was thirsty, and you gave me drink, a stranger, you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me".

Closure of Cumnock campus

St. Conval's High School was later annexed with St. Joseph's in October 1998 and became known as St. Joseph's Cumnock Campus. In 2004 however St. Joseph's Cumnock Campus was shut down due to falling attendance, and the town's Catholic children now attend the new St. Joseph's Academy campus in Kilmarnock, which now serves the entire Secondary Catholic population of East Ayrshire.

Rebuild

In the early 21st century, a programme was initiated by central government to upgrade secondary schools throughout the country using a mixture of public and private money. St Joseph's was one of the schools selected for demolition and reconstruction, along with nearby Grange Academy.

On 17 September 2008, the rebuilt St Joseph's was opened, including the new St Andrew's Primary - an amalgamation of the former feeder St Columba's and St Matthew's Primaries.

The current Head Teacher, Joseph Kane, took up the post in February 2018.

Vision, values and aims

During 2020–2022, the school underwent a process of extensive work with pupils to redevelop the vision, values and aims for the school, allowing pupils to consider the vision, values and aims and the impact such standards set. Following the process, pupils identified a set of six different visions, values and aims which they intend to embed across the community. The agreed visions, values and aims identified by pupils were: [3]

  • Respect
  • Equality
  • Ambition
  • Courage
  • Truth
  • Service

Associated Primary schools

Currently, the school takes its pupils from the local Catholic primary schools, not just from Kilmarnock but the surrounding towns and villages. These schools are:

Alumni

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Standards and Quality Report" (PDF). Saint Josephs' Academy. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  2. ↑ "Standards and Quality Report" (PDF). Saint Josephs' Academy. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  3. ↑ "School Handbook May 23" (PDF). St. Josephs' Academy. Retrieved 4 November 2023.

55°37′2″N 4°28′47″W / 55.61722°N 4.47972°W / 55.61722; -4.47972

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