St Joseph's Catholic Voluntary Academy
Chesterfield Road, Matlock, DE4 3FTOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
St Joseph's Catholic Voluntary Academy is a primary school in Matlock for ages 3 to 11. It is one of the 449 schools in Derbyshire. It ranks 14th of 16 primary schools in Matlock. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in September 2019.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 17 September 2019, report published 14 October 2019
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 4 March 2025
This is a school where staff want the very best for the children in their care. The school has a clear and ambitious vision for how it can improve. It focuses on securing high standards of behaviour and ensuring pupils are ready to learn. As a result, pupils feel safe, respected and supported, and they enjoy coming to school. The school has a strong, caring and welcoming ethos. Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They understand and fulfil the school's high expectations of them. In recent years, the school has taken swift and effective action to improve standards. Pupils benefit from a broad and engaging curriculum. As a result, pupils achieve well and are well prepared for the next stage of their education. Pupils are proud of their school and enjoy the many leadership and enrichment opportunities available to them. All pupils take part in the '50 things to do before leaving St Joseph's' programme. This provides a rich variety of experiences during their school career. Parents and carers are highly positive about the school. Many comment that their children are happy to go to school and enjoy every aspect of their learning. Parents have high praise for the school's time, dedication and love towards the children.
What the school should improve
- Activities provided in lessons are not always well chosen to meet the range of pupils' needs. As a result, some pupils' knowledge is not as secure as it should be. The school could ensure that leaders at all levels carefully monitor and evaluate provision, so that activities consistently enable pupils to learn the planned lesson content.
- The new early reading programme is not adapted well enough to meet the needs of some pupils. Consequently, these pupils do not learn to read as well as they could. The school should ensure that the delivery of the early reading programme is carefully targeted, so that pupils become increasingly confident and fluent readers.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
19 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
156 pupils on roll, with places for 240
Schools near St Joseph's Catholic Voluntary Academy
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Castle View Primary School | 0.1 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good | 33% met the expected standard |
| All Saints CofE Infant School | 0.6 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| All Saints CofE Junior School | 0.9 miles | Report card: Strong standard | 86% met the expected standard |
| St Giles Church of England Primary and Nursery School | 0.9 miles | Ofsted: Good | 73% met the expected standard |
| Tansley Primary School | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | 23% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Academy sponsor led
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- ST RALPH SHERWIN CATHOLIC MULTI ACADEMY TRUST
- Age range
- 3 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Roman Catholic
- Nursery classes
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Mrs Gemma Ellis
- Phone
- 01629583616
- Address
- Chesterfield Road, Matlock, DE4 3FT
- Local authority
- Derbyshire
- URN
- 142827
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.