St Joseph's RC Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 19 May 2026

Pupils enjoy attending school. They value the friendships they build here. Pupils cherish the opportunities they have to broaden their experiences. For example, pupils visit museums, theatres and learn to ride a bike. They particularly enjoy the outdoor adventures they take part in during their residential stay in Wales. These include hiking and visiting caves. Leaders make adaptations to ensure that all pupils have access to these experiences. Pupils show care and support for each other. For instance, children in the early years offer a welcoming hug to their friends as they arrive at school. Older pupils enjoy taking on leadership roles, such as ‘head boy’ and ‘head girl’. They learn to live out the school’s Catholic values as ‘mini Vinnies’. Through these roles, pupils support each other and make a positive difference to the school and wider community. Pupils feel safe at school and trust that staff will help them. Instances of discrimination or bullying are dealt with effectively by staff. While pupils learn a broad range of subjects, the quality of the curriculum delivery is inconsistent, including within the school's programme for personal development. This leads to pupils' achievement being variable. It sometimes hinders them from being well prepared for the next stage of their education. This is reflected in pupils' outcomes in end of key stage 2 national tests, which are lower than average over time. That said, pupils who join the school at later points, and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are supported well to address gaps in their learning. They progress well from their starting points, particularly in their reading and language skills. Pupils who face emotional challenges in their lives receive a wealth of targeted pastoral support to help them. Pupils' attendance is broadly in line with national average. They are happy at school and generally enjoy their lessons. However, at times, pupils struggle to maintain focus and become distracted. This means they miss some important learning in lessons.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that the delivery of the curriculum enables pupils to securely learn the intended knowledge, so that they achieve well and are fully prepared for the next stage of their education.
• Leaders should embed recent changes to behaviour systems, to ensure that there are consistent expectations of behaviour that are implemented by staff and understood and followed by pupils.
• Leaders should ensure that they have a precise picture of the quality of teaching, so that their actions can focus sharply on securing swift improvements to the delivery of the curriculum.
• Leaders should ensure that the personal development programme enables pupils to develop the knowledge they need to be well prepared for life beyond school, including developing their understanding of British values.

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