St Joseph the Worker RC Primary School

About St Joseph the Worker RC Primary School

St Joseph the Worker RC Primary School in Salford posts a Key Stage 2 combined expected standard in reading, writing and maths of 58%, which sits just below the local authority average of 61% for primary schools. That three-point gap places the school in the bottom half of Salford primaries, ranked 39th out of 65. But dig into the individual subjects and a more nuanced picture emerges. Reading is a clear strength: 81% of pupils met the expected standard, and the average scaled score of 105 is solidly above the national benchmark of 100. Maths is more mixed, with 70% reaching the expected level and an average score of 102. Writing lags behind at 69% expected, and no pupils achieved the higher standard in writing or in the combined measure. The school’s ranking score of 58 puts it in the bottom 50 nationally, though it’s worth noting that Salford has only nine primaries rated Outstanding by Ofsted, so the local context is competitive.

The school’s most recent graded Ofsted inspection in 2011 rated it Good overall, with Good marks for leadership, management and early years provision. An ungraded inspection in 2022 confirmed it remains Good. That’s a significant improvement from its previous graded inspection in 2009, when it was judged to require improvement. With 212 pupils on roll against a capacity of 236, the school is not full, yet it was oversubscribed for 2025/26 entry: 39 applications for 27 places, with 23 first-preference offers made. Free school meal eligibility stands at 39.6%, well above the national average, reflecting the school’s role in a diverse community. The headteacher is Evelyn Clayton, and the school is Roman Catholic in character, though the data doesn’t specify whether faith criteria apply in admissions.

Facilities include an ICT suite, music rooms, a chapel and a Forest School, which ties into the strong outdoor offering: clubs include gardening and eco club, while sports range from netball and tennis to cross country and dance. SEND provision is unusually broad, covering nine categories including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, and multi-sensory impairment. This suggests a school equipped to support a wide range of additional needs. For families prioritising a faith-based primary with a nurturing outdoor ethos and strong reading outcomes, St Joseph the Worker is a solid, if not standout, option within Salford’s state primary landscape. Its oversubscription rate of 1.44 indicates genuine local demand, even if its headline KS2 figures sit just below the LA average.

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