St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Wrightington

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 19 May 2026

Pupils know they are valued and belong at this school. The school's values shape their daily life. Pupils are encouraged to reflect and take part in acts of charity. They describe their school as welcoming, calm and kind. Pupils enjoy warm, caring relationships with staff and feel confident that staff know them well and will help if they have a worry. Pupils feel safe at school. They play happily together and look after one another. Bullying is rare. Any incidents are dealt with effectively. Pupils enjoy their learning and talk eagerly about what they are doing. Too few, however, achieve as well as they could. Some pupils' gaps in important basic knowledge, including in writing and spelling, hold them back. Some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities do not make the progress they could. Some of the most able pupils are not sufficiently challenged to deepen and extend their learning. Children in the early years are happy and settled. They make a secure start to their education. Staff prioritise learning to read from the start. Pupils are beginning to benefit from daily phonics teaching. Leaders are working to make sure that pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education. Pupils benefit from a wide range of enrichment activities and experiences that broaden their horizons. They take on meaningful roles and responsibilities and contribute to the life of their school and community. Pupils speak confidently about how to look after their physical and mental health. They treat others with kindness and respect. Leaders identify barriers early and put targeted support in place. No pupil misses out because of their background or circumstances. Pupils' attendance is improving as leaders work closely with families to remove the barriers that prevent pupils attending school regularly.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should identify and address the reasons why the quality of teaching varies across the school and act quickly to improve consistency in teaching.
• Leaders should make sure that the curriculum is matched appropriately to pupils' age and stage, including for Reception-age children in the mixed-age class and higher attaining pupils, so that pupils build knowledge securely over time and achieve as well as they should.
• Leaders should target support precisely to pupils' needs, including for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, so that barriers to learning are reduced.
• Leaders should identify promptly the pupils who have not secured basic knowledge and skills and provide effective support to close those gaps quickly.
• Governors should deepen their understanding of the school's work so that they provide effective support and challenge.

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