History of St. Joseph’s
St. Joseph's Catholic Academy in Hebburn began as St. Joseph's Grammar Technical School in 1959, officially opening in 1960. It served as a grammar school with a technical focus, catering to Catholic children in the north of County Durham and South Shields.
The school later merged with St. James' RC Secondary Modern School in 1974, becoming a comprehensive school. In 1996, it gained Technology College status and was later converted to an academy in 2013 as part of the Bishop Chadwick Education Trust, becoming St. Joseph's Catholic Academy.
For decades our alumni continue to make a positive impact in their communities and beyond. They have truly let their light shine and pave the way for future generations of successful St Joseph’s students.
Wall of FLAME
Many of our former St. Joseph’s students have achieve extraordinary success and are now recognised on our Wall of FLAME. Former students you may recognise to name but a few include Sir Brendan Foster -
Keep in touch
We love to hear from our former students as they have a wealth of experiences and success, they can share which offers inspiration to present students. We invite all our Year 13 leavers back into school for an afternoon tea a year after they leave. This is an ideal opportunity to catch up and share stories of how they have started their journey beyond St Joseph’s.
In addition, if you would like to share your success please get in touch office@st
Get involved
It is great to see so many former students return to be part of our career's events or be guest speakers at influencer events. If you could attend a careers event and help make a difference please get in touch office@stjosephs.uk.net
If you could be a guest speaker on careers please get in touch office@stjosephs.uk.net
A lasting legacy
Our alumni have been always been generous in supporting our school community through:
- Donations of trophies for our rewards and prize giving
- Corporate sponsorship (e.g., sport awards evening, football teams etc.)
- Donations of soil and plants for the school garden
- Cash donations towards our enrichment program/extracurricular club
- Donations for charitable events
These are just some of the meaningful opportunities that our alumni have already done to give back to the school community. These contributions are invaluable in helping us enhance to our personal development and careers programme, develop essential life skills, and provide academic and extracurricular rewards that recognise the achievements of our pupils.
Additionally, legacy gifts enable us to support some of our most vulnerable pupils, ensuring that every student, regardless of their background, has access to the same opportunities for success.
Through scholarships and bursaries, we can provide financial support to those who need it most, helping them access a breadth of opportunities both in and beyond the classroom. Your support helps us sustain an inclusive and aspirational learning environment, empowering all pupils to reach their full potential by letting their light shine.
Thank you.
Leave a legacy – get in touch office@stjosephs.uk.net