St Joseph's Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School, Highfield
Whinfield Way, Highfield, Rowlands Gill, NE39 2JEOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
St Joseph's Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School, Highfield is a primary school in Rowlands Gill for ages 4 to 11. It is one of the 92 schools in Gateshead. It ranks 19th of 62 primary schools in Gateshead. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in October 2013.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 2 October 2013, report published 22 October 2013
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 14 September 2023
Pupils at St Joseph's Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School are confident, kind and welcoming. They enjoy coming to school. Leaders, staff and governors know their school community well. Pupils feel happy and safe in school. The school regularly reviews the content of the curriculum to ensure it is ambitious and fit for purpose. The school's high expectations of learning are shared by all staff and governors. They want all pupils to do well, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils are proud of their achievements, and rise to the high expectations of the school. Across the school, pupils are calm and focused. Pupils understand the expectations staff have for their behaviour. Pupils engage in healthy discussions, showing empathy and understanding of each other's needs. Pupils enjoy the responsibilities they have in school. Being on the school council or a buddy to new starters are roles that are celebrated. Other learning opportunities, such as guitar and gardening club or visits to local landmarks linked to Roman history, are also embraced by pupils. Parents are positive about the school. They appreciate how well leaders and staff know their children. One parent reflected, 'This school has a lovely ethos, and not only my child but their classmates are happy and contented children.'
What the school should improve
- In some subjects, such as geography, the new curriculum does not clearly plan the progression of skills and disciplinary understanding needed in mixed-age classes. In these subjects, pupils are not challenged to know more and remember more sufficiently well as they progress through the curriculum. The school must further develop curriculum planning to reflect disciplinary aspects of the curriculum to meet the needs of all pupils well.
- Assessment procedures to check what pupils know and remember are not fully embedded. Leaders do not have a clear understanding of what pupils know and remember in some subjects. The school must embed strategies for assessment to ensure that pupils are building knowledge and understanding over time.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
15 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
81 pupils on roll, with places for 105
Schools near St Joseph's Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School, Highfield
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highfield Community Primary School | 0.1 miles | Ofsted: Good | 57% met the expected standard |
| Rowlands Gill Community Primary School | 0.8 miles | Ofsted: Good | 52% met the expected standard |
| High Spen Primary School | 1 mile | Ofsted: Good | 71% met the expected standard |
| Burnopfield Primary School | 1 mile | Report card: Expected standard to strong standard | 78% met the expected standard |
| Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Byermoor | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | 74% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Voluntary aided school
- Sector
- Local authority maintained
- Age range
- 4 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Roman Catholic
- Nursery classes
- No
- Headteacher
- Ms Joanna Bircham
- Phone
- 01207545972
- Address
- Whinfield Way, Highfield, Rowlands Gill, NE39 2JE
- Local authority
- Gateshead
- URN
- 108391
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.