Throughout its life the school provided students, from a wide variety of cultural and economic backgrounds, with an opportunity to enter a range of careers.

Many of its pupils went on to become respected members in their chosen fields which included the financial and business sectors, the medical profession, law and politics, industry, sporting and religious communities.

Likewise the Pascoe Vale campus was able to make use of several nearby ovals and both were close to excellent public transport links.

The school had its own football squad as early as 1906 when it played its first match against Christian Brothers College, St Kilda at Albert Park where it scored 2 points.

Their famous 70 meter long banners, North is Speed, Power, and a cheer squad, led by the Committee organizing War cries, or COW,[3] where notable features of the annual competitions at the Olympic Park Stadium.

St. Joseph's owes its early beginnings, in part, to the establishment of St Mary's Primary School, West Melbourne some 50 years earlier.

With high numbers of Catholic children in the area needing education, members of the Christian Brothers were asked to take control of existing schools at West Melbourne and at Carlton.

[7] The first football team, featuring a large white star on its guernsey, was formed around 1906 and began a long tradition of involvement in a variety of sports.

The classes started with 40 or 50 students but expanded, post war, to around 200 and provided study allowing its pupils to attain membership to the Australian Society of Accountants.

[7] During the Golden Jubilee year of 1953, 122 boys were members of the College Cadet unit and provided a martial spectacle as they paraded before visiting dignitaries.

Traditionally students completed their "junior" studies (Grades 7 to 10) at Pascoe Vale and then transferred to the "senior" campus in North Melbourne.

In 1998 the outcome of talks and independent reviews was that the schools should amalgamate within two years in order to remain a relevant and viable educational entity.

[13] By 2008 the decision was made by Edmund Rice Education Australia (EREA) and the Christian Brothers to begin a phased closure of the college.

[15] At the end of 2009 the Pascoe Vale campus closed and was stripped of any saleable assets; much was simply dumped leaving only the buildings.

A number of past students were saddened by the closure of the school, they, and many parents, felt more could have been done by the Christian Brothers and EREA to allow it to remain open.

During an address given in 2002 the leader of the Congregation of Christian Brothers, Philip Pinto, alluded to another reason for the changes needed to the existing College structure.

In that address he urged his fellow Brothers to return to Edmund Rice's vision; a renewed commitment to young people on the margins of society.

"[16] In 2004 a former principal of St Joseph's Preparatory College, Pascoe Vale, Keith Weston, pleaded guilty to, and was convicted of, a number of assault cases.

[18] On 1 June 2017, Wayne Tinsey, speaking for Edmund Rice Education Australia, made a formal apology to victims of sexual abuse who were also past students of Christian Brothers schools across the country.

[19] In 2010 extensive refurbishment work was carried out on the Pascoe Vale site by its new owners and later reopened as Saint Joseph Campus of Antonine College.

At the end of the 2010 academic year the North Melbourne campus closed with a final Commemorative Mass and a range of ceremonies attended by current and past students and staff.