Saint Joseph's Catholic Primary Voluntary Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 9 December 2025

Significant turbulence over the past 3 years, including frequent changes in leadership and staffing, has had a negative impact on pupils' learning and achievement. However, more recent stability at the school means that pupils are supported to engage with their learning more effectively than they were. Pupils do not achieve as well as they should because they do not learn a high-quality curriculum. They do not receive effective teaching that helps them learn successfully. Pupils' achievement in national tests and assessments in Year 6 is significantly below that of pupils nationally and is declining. Pupils across the school have large gaps in their reading, writing and mathematical knowledge. The school does not do enough to help pupils fill these gaps in knowledge. As a result, pupils are not well prepared for their next stages of education. The number of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is increasing. The support for pupils with SEND is inconsistent. Some pupils with SEND receive effective support to access the curriculum. For others, the curriculum is not adapted appropriately for their needs. Relationships between pupils and staff are positive. Pupils enjoy mixing with their peers at social times and making new friends. The school has recently raised expectations for pupils' behaviour. Pupils are increasingly meeting these expectations. Most of the time, the school is calm. However, some pupils sometimes disrupt the learning of others. Bullying is rare. When it does happen, it is dealt with effectively. Pupils feel safe at school. Pupils have limited access to wider opportunities in school and in the community. Pupils would like more opportunities to take part in visits. Through the school's personal development programme, pupils learn about positive relationships and how to stay safe online.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that teachers identify and address gaps in pupils' foundational knowledge in reading, writing and mathematics to raise pupils' attainment.
• Leaders should ensure that the knowledge that pupils should learn is sequenced and structured coherently in all subjects and taught effectively.
• Leaders should ensure that teachers consider pupils' prior knowledge when planning activities so that pupils build effectively on what they already know and can do.
• Leaders should ensure that disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive effective support to overcome their barriers to learning and make progress from their starting points so that they achieve as well as they should.
• Leaders should continue their work to ensure that the early years curriculum identifies and sequences the key knowledge that children should learn in all areas of learning. Leaders should ensure that staff design activities that enable children to learn and remember the intended curriculum and develop further their speech and vocabulary.
• Leaders, including those from the trust, should ensure that they build upon their recent actions to improve the school and lead to sustained improvements in teaching and pupils' achievement.
• Leaders should continue to implement and evaluate their attendance strategy to improve pupils' attendance and reduce persistent absence, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND.
• Leaders should continue to develop the personal development curriculum to ensure an appropriate programme of personal development extends across the taught curriculum and wider opportunities and experiences.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)