The concept of the branch schools in the Archdiocese was initiated by the Most. Rev. Dr. Oswald Gomis, the Archbishop Emeritus of Colombo. St. Joseph’s College, Wattala, was in fact the first branch school of St. Joseph’s College, Colombo 10. The school was initiated with 60 students in the year 1996 under the guidance of the first Rector, Late Rev. Dr. Stanley Abeysekera. Thereafter, a few buildings were constructed as the requirement arose. The school was initiated in a plot of land of 8 acres donated by Ms. Esther Seneviratne, a Catholic from the Parish of Enderamulla. She donated this land in memory of her late husband Mr. Wilfred Seneviratne. Later, more land was added to the property with a donation made by the late President Ranasinghe Premadasa. The President’s donation of land to the school was 10 acres. The school’s property expanded with the help of all past Rectors. The school started flourishing very fast and attracted Catholics even from far ends of the diocese to get admission for their children. Classes are conducted from Grade 1 to Grade 13. English medium was introduced in the year 2015. Presently, Rev. Fr. Prasad Niranjan Fernando works as the Rector of the College. Rev. Fr. Nilanga Rowel acts as the Deputy Principal. There are 1,469 students with 85 teachers serving in the staff.