St Joseph Roman Catholic Primary School, Brighton

<p>For minutes of the governing body, 1903-1983 see E/MA/247/1/1-3, 2/1-2; for a survey report and plan, 1903 see R/E 2/39/3; for statistics file, 1920-1952 see R/E 2/43/36; for a Brighton Borough Council Estates Department file, 1953-1970 see DB/A 1/265; for contract for the erection and completion of the school (and a local authority primary school) by Saunders (Contractors) Limited, 1955 see R/C 33/45; for file concerning the proposed lease of the school for use by the Preston Technical Institute, 1961-1969 see DB/A 1/151A; for file concerning the transfer of the school to trustees, 1953-1970 see DB/A 1/265; for plan of school, 1946 see R/A 12/2</p>

Records transferred 27 Apr 1993 (ACC 6086)

The earliest surviving records for this school state that Elizabeth Ennis took charge of it on 12 January 1880 'for the purpose of placing it under government'. She records that registration was begun on that date 'registers not having been kept before' (E/SC/167/1/1). The Sussex Directories for this period state that St Joseph's Catholic School for boys, girls and infants, was situated at Elm Grove. The earlier Directories, 1862-78, do not list a school at Elm Grove, although they do record St Joseph's Catholic School in Bristol Road in association with the St Joseph Convent of the Sisters of Mercy at Bedford Lodge

As the school grew in size it expanded into premises in the adjacent Milton Road. The minutes of the governing body of 3 March 1947 record refurbishment to the school annexe at 6 Milton Road. A Ministry of Education Order of 28 August 1950 directed that the school should be maintained as an aided school (E/MA/247/1/2). The Directory for 1954 describes it as a voluntary primary school for junior mixed and infants at Milton Road

Proposals for a new ten-class school to be built in Davey Drive, Hollingdean, were put forward in 1953. Negotiations with the education authority and the diocesan schools committee resulted in a compromise whereupon a seven-class unit would be built on the site, three of which were to be occupied by St Joseph's School and the remaining four classes used as a temporary infants annexe by the Hertford Road School. On 17 April 1956 three classes of juniors (114 pupils) were transferred from the old building at Milton Road to the new school in Davey Drive. The first year juniors and the three infants classes (156 pupils) remained at Milton Road. The rooms at Davey Drive used by the Hertford Road School were gradually taken over by St Joseph's School between 1959 and 1961. By September 1960 all the juniors were accommodated on the new site and on 26 July 1961 the infants' school at Milton Road was finally closed down. In September 1961 the combined school re-opened on the Davey Drive site and the official opening was held on 8 November 1961 (E/SC/167/1/2, E/MA/247/1/2)

In 1973 St Joseph's infants and junior school became a First School as part of a general reorganisation of Roman Catholic primary schools in Brighton. The school is now known as St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School (May 1993)