Welcome to St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School
A village school in the heart of the town
A Catholic school open to children of all faiths or none
A child recently described St Joseph’s as a small school with a big heart. There are few better ways to describe this school, tucked away in a quiet corner by the ancient walls of Malmesbury.
As a Catholic primary school our foundation is solidly grounded in the Christian faith and the Catholic tradition but it doesn’t mean only Catholic children can join us. We welcome children from all faiths or from none, whose families are looking for an education built on a foundation of love and moral purpose.
Our ethos is that our children come first and are at the centre of what we do. They are our priority.
We are committed to providing the best possible education through a vibrant, fun and interactive curriculum which challenges each child and inspires them to achieve their very best.
As a school rooted in the Christian faith, we believe in acting on our convictions to be stewards of God’s creation. Our school is one of only a few in Britain moving towards carbon neutral status with solar panels generating electricity for the school and an air source heat pump to keep us wam.
What else makes us special? We have an historic monument in the grounds and a wonderful piece of land stretching down behind the school to the river where the children can play and learn through our Forest School.
We welcome the opportunity to show current and prospective families around our school. If you would like to book an appointment to do this, please call 01666 822331.
Paul Bacon – Headteacher:
I have had four head teacher positions in a variety of schools in international, rural & urban schools. I have also taught and worked overseas, in Wiltshire and in inner city schools. Prior to joining St Joseph’s I also worked in a co-headship in another Catholic school in Wiltshire.
I am, however, not a Catholic but am committed to church school and Catholic education. I have a mature family with children who have passed through both primary and secondary education. I have a passion for developing a broad, balanced and hands on curriculum.
Our History
This was first established in two rooms in Cross Hayes House in 1868 and the first school, pictured here, was built in the Cross Hayes in 1869. By 1876 the school was housed in the earlier Catholic church and by 1884 it was being run by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Annecy as St. Joseph’s School. Between 1890 and 1920 the school averaged 60 to 70 pupils, with a new school being built in Holloway in 1932-3 and by 1935 pupil numbers had risen to 90. In 1988 the school had 98 children from Malmesbury, Brinkworth, Hullavington, Crudwell and Sherston and today the school has a capacity of 150 children where staff know every child individually.