St Joseph's Catholic Infant School, Birtley
Mitchell Street, Birtley, Chester le Street, DH3 1LUOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
St Joseph's Catholic Infant School, Birtley is a primary school in Chester le Street for ages 5 to 7. It is one of the 92 schools in Gateshead. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in May 2015.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 6 May 2015, report published 8 June 2015
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years provision
- Good
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 22 October 2024
The school has high expectations for its pupils. The school has recently redesigned its curriculum to support pupils to move seamlessly into the next stage of their education at the end of Year 2. The content of the curriculum is ambitious. Pupils achieve well. Staff have high expectations for pupils' behaviour. They create an environment where pupils treat everyone with respect and dignity. Pupils follow instructions swiftly and show kindness to each other. Children in the early years take turns and share toys respectfully with one another. Pupils enjoy playing with the new scooters and resources at lunchtime. They use them with care and consideration. Pupils enjoy their learning and the variety of opportunities on offer. They rightly say that 'all are welcome', at their school, echoing the school's vision. They are keen to talk about their visits to the library, the farm and the zoo. The school plans these educational visits to enhance the curriculum. This ensures that the curriculum is 'a never-ending story', developing pupils' understanding of the world. The school teaches pupils how to stay safe in a number of ways. For example, pupils practise their road safety skills on the playground, looking left and right before crossing the road. The school provides pupils with leadership opportunities. This develops pupils' self- confidence and sense of responsibility. Pupils meet regularly with pupils from the junior school to raise funds for local charities and to discuss global issues.
What the school should improve
- On occasions, teachers do not use assessment as effectively as they could to check how well pupils have learned the intended curriculum. This means that misconceptions and gaps in learning are not identified and addressed as well as they could be. The school should ensure that teachers use assessment well to enable pupils to deepen their knowledge and understanding over time.
Pupil numbers and mix
68 pupils on roll, with places for 90
Schools near St Joseph's Catholic Infant School, Birtley
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Joseph's Catholic Junior School, Birtley | 0.4 miles | Ofsted judgements: Outstanding | 76% met the expected standard |
| Ravensworth Terrace Primary School | 0.4 miles | Ofsted: Good | 60% met the expected standard |
| Birtley East Community Primary School | 0.5 miles | Ofsted: Good | 59% met the expected standard |
| Portobello Primary School | 0.9 miles | Ofsted: Good | 71% met the expected standard |
| Barley Mow Primary School | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | 57% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- BISHOP WILKINSON CATHOLIC EDUCATION TRUST
- Age range
- 5 to 7
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Roman Catholic
- Nursery classes
- No
- Headteacher
- Mrs Kate Swaddle
- Phone
- 01914102324
- Address
- Mitchell Street, Birtley, Chester le Street, DH3 1LU
- Local authority
- Gateshead
- URN
- 148809
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.