St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole

  • Primary
  • Academy
  • Ages 4 to 11
Ofsted: Good

Sancreed Road, Parkstone, Poole, BH12 4DZOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole is a primary school in Poole for ages 4 to 11. It is one of the 111 schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. It ranks 9th of 18 primary schools in Poole. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in October 2022.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 18 October 2022, report published 11 December 2022

Overall effectiveness
Good
Quality of education
Good
Behaviour and attitudes
Good
Personal development
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Early years provision
Requires improvement
Safeguarding
Met

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 18 October 2022

Staff care about pupils and parents in this school. They provided valuable communication throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and still do. Parents appreciate the listening hub the school provides. Staff provide a safe place for pupils to learn in. Most pupils are happy. They feel able to speak with a trusted adult if they have concerns. The multi-academy trust has raised expectations over time. There are many new middle leaders in the school, who are learning the importance of accountability. They are adding an important layer to the leadership of the school. Their focus is on improving the school curriculum. There is a calm and orderly atmosphere. Pupils learn without disruption. There are rare moments when bullying occurs. Staff deal with it swiftly but, occasionally, it recurs. Leaders take this seriously and provide many ways for pupils to share issues. The Catholic ethos sits at the centre of the school's work and its community. There are plenty of opportunities for pupils to learn about other faiths. The wider curriculum provides enrichment in music, choir, sports and many other activities.

What the school should improve

  • In some curriculums, including the early years, pupils are not gaining knowledge in a carefully sequenced way. As a result, some pupils are not building on prior learning effectively. Leaders must ensure that curriculums are planned and implemented so that pupils learn more and remember more over time.
  • Many teachers do not consider regularly the most effective pedagogy for teaching the curriculum. As a result, pupils are not able to remember and articulate their learning effectively. Leaders must ensure that teachers' subject pedagogical knowledge is strengthened so that pupils' experiences of learning are more effective.

Exam results

SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25

58 pupils took the tests

Expected standard in reading, writing and maths64%

64%, 2 percentage points above the England average of 62%.

Higher standard in reading, writing and maths7%

7%, 1 percentage points below the England average of 8%.

Reading, average scaled score106

106, the same as the England average.

Maths, average scaled score106

106, 1 above the England average of 105.

Grammar, punctuation and spelling, average scaled score104

104, 1 below the England average of 105.

Pupil numbers and mix

370 pupils on roll, with places for 420

Eligible for free school meals25.1%

25.1%, 1.4 percentage points below the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language40.3%

40.3%, 18.7 percentage points above the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support14.1%

14.1%, 0.7 percentage points below the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan6.2%

6.2%, 0.2 percentage points above the England average of 6%.

Schools near St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
Heatherlands Primary School0.4 milesOfsted: Good58% met the expected standard
Manorside Academy0.6 milesOfsted judgements: Good58% met the expected standard
Bishop Aldhelm's Church of England Primary School0.7 milesReport card: Expected standard to strong standard66% met the expected standard
Talbot Primary School0.8 milesOfsted: Good64% met the expected standard
Livingstone Road Junior School0.9 milesReport card: Needs attention to expected standard52% met the expected standard

School details

School type
Academy converter
Sector
Academy
Trust
PLYMOUTH CAST
Age range
4 to 11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Roman Catholic
Nursery classes
No
Headteacher
Mrs Nicky O'Donoghue
Address
Sancreed Road, Parkstone, Poole, BH12 4DZ
URN
140767

School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.