St. Joseph's
Grammar School, Donaghmore
Educating For the Future Since 1922
Principal's Welcome
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Welcome to St Joseph’s Grammar/Scoil Iósaef, a school with a proud past and an exciting future.
St Joseph’s Grammar School/ Scoil Iósaef is a Catholic school having been founded by the Daughters of the Cross in 1922. For over 100 years we have provided a nurturing and supportive learning environment in which all children are welcomed and are valued as individuals. We offer an outstanding educational experience for boys and girls from age 11 to 18 and all of our pupils progress into a wide variety of career pathways each year.
St Joseph’s is unique in providing the only post-primary Irish Medium Stream in the mid-Ulster area and it is recognised as a thriving hub of linguistic excellence and cultural advancement. Launched in 2010, the Irish Medium Stream continues to go from strength to strength due, in no small part, to the rich and rewarding links we enjoy with a wide range of external Irish language bodies.
At St. Joseph’s/Scoil Iósaef, we believe that every child is capable of greatness. Thus, we have the highest expectations of all our pupils and provide a curriculum that is broad and varied so that it meets the interests and ambitions of all learners. Our public exam results are consistently above the NI Grammar averages at both GCSE and A Level and these outcomes are a testament to the hard work and diligence of our pupils and their teachers. Our dedicated staff know each pupil as an individual and work tirelessly to help them reach their full potential.
Of course, education should always be more than just the academics, important as these are. In St. Joseph’s/Scoil Iósaef, it is our aim to give our young people every opportunity to acquire the skills and attributes that put them at the very frontof the queue! We have a strong and growing presence in Ulster Colleges, an increasing number of Ulster and regional titles in netball, basketball, hurling and camogie and our swimmers, boxers and athletics competitors continue to make us proud of their achievements. We encourage our young people to participate in public speaking competitions, subject specific initiatives and charity drives so that they develop skills and capabilities that they can use in the real world. We have a long and well-earned reputation for our music and drama provision and our staff go above and beyond to offer clubs and societies that match the taste and interests of as many of our pupils as possible.
The school’s sister charity, the Cairde Brogán Foundation, provides our pupils with opportunities to network with local and national businesses and organisations so that they are confident and well prepared for the world of work. Under the auspices of the Foundation, ten of our young people participate in the prestigious Ever to Excel leadership programme each summer which is hosted by Boston College, USA. This is only one of a number of annual international trips which gives our pupils the chance to travel and experience other cultures and countries.
In St. Joseph’s/Scoil Iósaef we place a real value on the caring and genial relationships between staff and pupils which are at the core of all the work that goes on in our school. All of our staff are guided by our Catholic ethos and the values entrusted to us by the Daughters of the Cross.
This year, we are preparing for a new stage in the story of St. Joseph’s/Scoil Iósaef. Plans for a new school building and a 3G pitch are advancing towards planning application stage in early Spring 2026 and we look forward to gaining new state of the art provision which our pupils so richly deserve.
This is an exciting time for our school community and I invite you to become part of our story by joining us as a new Year 8 pupil in September 2026.
I convey my very best wishes for you and your child in the months and years ahead.
Geraldine Donnelly
PRINCIPAL