St Joseph's Catholic Voluntary Academy
St Joseph's , Mill Hill Lane, Derby, DE23 6SBOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
St Joseph's Catholic Voluntary Academy is a primary school in Derby for ages 4 to 11. It is one of the 116 schools in Derby. It ranks 47th of 86 primary schools in Derby. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in May 2016.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 26 May 2016, report published 1 July 2016
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years provision
- Outstanding
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 11 October 2022
Pupils at St Joseph's are proud ambassadors of their school's values. They work hard and are kind to each other. The school is a happy, safe place where staff and pupils treat each other with respect. Pupils told the inspector that the school is 'like a whole entire family under one roof'. All staff have high expectations for all pupils. Pupils are supported well to meet these expectations. They are keen to do their best. They love to earn team points and strive to achieve a 'hand in hand' certificate in assemblies. Behaviour is exemplary. Pupils are focused and calm in class. They get on very well during breaktimes. Older pupils are proud to be prefects, looking after the younger pupils on the playground. Pupils say that bullying is exceptionally rare. They know that adults will take appropriate action if bullying occurs. Pupils embrace the wide range of opportunities the school offers. For example, they enjoy taking part in Irish dancing, Gaelic football and residential trips. All pupils learn how to ride a bike and are rightly proud of their achievements. Pupils value the responsibilities they hold in school, such as reading ambassadors, house captains and chaplains.
What the school should improve
- The school's chosen phonics programme is relatively new to staff and pupils. A small number of staff are still learning its processes and how to implement the phonics scheme consistently well. A small minority of pupils are not getting consistent support with their phonics knowledge. Occasionally, the books are not well matched to the sounds the pupils know. Leaders need to ensure that all staff have the right knowledge and training so that the scheme is always well used, and all books match the pupils' phonics knowledge so that they read as fluently as they could.
- Some pupils do not have a developed understanding of British values and a wide range of faiths and cultures. This limits their understanding of life in modern Britain. Leaders should ensure that pupils develop a deeper understanding of these aspects of the curriculum.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
59 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
375 pupils on roll, with places for 336
Schools near St Joseph's Catholic Voluntary Academy
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Derby St Chad's CofE Nursery and Infant School | 0.2 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| Becket Primary School | 0.3 miles | Ofsted: Good | 38% met the expected standard |
| St James' Church of England Aided Infant School | 0.3 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| Firs Primary School | 0.4 miles | Ofsted: Good | 30% met the expected standard |
| Arboretum Primary School | 0.4 miles | Ofsted: Good | 29% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- ST RALPH SHERWIN CATHOLIC MULTI ACADEMY TRUST
- Age range
- 4 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Roman Catholic
- Nursery classes
- No
- Headteacher
- Mrs Tracey Churchill
- Phone
- 01332361660
- Address
- St Joseph's , Mill Hill Lane, Derby, DE23 6SB
- Local authority
- Derby
- URN
- 146104
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.