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St Joseph's Catholic Infant School

St Joseph's Catholic Infant School

Buckinghamshire, HP21 7JFPrimary School·Ages 2-7
Goodby Ofsted

119%

Capacity

215

Pupils

1.8x

Demand

About St Joseph's Catholic Infant School

St Joseph's Catholic Infant School was rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating. The inspection, which took place in 2025, confirmed that standards are being maintained, with leadership and management, early years provision, and overall effectiveness all judged as Good. As an infant school catering for children aged 2 to 7, the school does not publish Key Stage 2 SATs results, which are the standard metric for primary school performance in England. However, the local authority average for pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at Key Stage 2 is 64 per cent, providing a useful benchmark for the area. The school's most telling academic metric comes from its parent view survey, where 100 per cent of the 11 respondents said they would recommend the school, and 82 per cent strongly agreed that their child does well there.

The school's Ofsted report highlights strong early years provision, rated Good, which is particularly relevant given the school's nursery provision for children from age 2. The inspection noted that behaviour and attitudes are positive, a view echoed by parents: 64 per cent strongly agreed that the school ensures pupils are well behaved, and 91 per cent strongly agreed that their child feels safe. While the school does not have a sixth form, its focus on the early primary years allows for a targeted approach to foundational learning. The school's capacity is 180 pupils, but it currently has 215 on roll, indicating it is oversubscribed. For the 2025/26 admissions cycle, there were 106 applications for 58 places, with 42 first-preference offers made, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.83.

The school offers a range of facilities including a Forest School, library, art studios, playing fields and a chapel, reflecting its Roman Catholic character. Sports include football, cricket, netball and dance, while clubs extend to drama, choir, science club, film club, chess and coding. The school provides support for pupils with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, speech, language and communication needs, social, emotional and mental health needs, and physical disabilities. With 14 per cent of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a diverse intake. This is a school that suits families looking for a faith-based infant education with strong parental satisfaction and a clear focus on early years development, though competition for places is high given its oversubscribed status.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range2 to 7 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterRoman Catholic
AddressHazell Avenue, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP21 7JF
HeadteacherJoanna Heritage
Local AuthorityBuckinghamshire
Number of Pupils215
Free School Meals (FSM)14.0%
School Capacity215 / 180 (119% full)
Nursery ClassesYes

Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

8 May 2025
View Report

Overall Effectiveness

Good

Latest inspection (8 May 2025): Standards maintained

Improved
Leadership & Management
Good

Additional Provisions

Early Years Provision
Good

Source: Ofsted, 20 May 2016. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Ofsted Parent View

11 responses

Would Recommend This School

100%Excellent
Needs Attentionbelow 70%
SEND support
0%
Bullying dealt with
9%
Concerns dealt with
54%
Strengths95%+ agree
Happy at schoolFeels safeWell behaved pupilsAware of curriculumHigh expectationsChild does wellProgress updatesSubject rangeClubs & activitiesPersonal development

Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025

SEND Support

DyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguagePhysical

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

Facilities

8
Forest SchoolLibraryArt StudiosOutdoor PlaygroundPlaying FieldsGymnasiumDining HallChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

10

Sports

FootballCricketNetballDance

Clubs & Activities

DramaChoirScience ClubFilm ClubChessCoding

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

Admissions

2025/26Oversubscribed
Places

58

Applications

106

Good Demand

Popular school with more applications than places

Applications to places ratio1.8x
0x1x2x3x5x+

42 families put this school as their 1st choice (40% of all applications)

Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:45 – 15:15

Source: stjosephsrcinfant.bucks.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

Class profile

2024/25
Pupils per teacherBottom 25% of schools
28.3pupils per qualified teacher

75% of schools in England do better than this.

Average class sizeBottom 25% of schools
28.5pupils per class

75% of schools in England do better than this.

Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.

Pupils & demographics

2024/25
Free school meals14.0%

Below the national average (25%).

English as additional language48.4%

Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.

Ethnic background

  • Asian30.3%
  • White British22.8%
  • White (other)13.0%
  • Mixed10.7%
  • Black1.4%

Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.

Attendance & Behaviour

2024/25
Overall attendanceAbove average
95.2%

Better than half of schools in England.

Persistent absenteesAbove average
12.6%

Better than half of schools in England.

Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.

Fixed-period suspensionsAbove average
0.9 per 100

Better than half of schools in England.

A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.

Permanent exclusionsLike most schools
None

Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.

Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.

Catchment & Local Competition

Loading map...
Real catchment (council data)
1 mile reference
Last admitted distance · 2024/25

2.50 kmstraight line

2.50 km2.60 km25012024

Green ring on the map shows the effective catchment for 2024/25. Check your address below.

Schools within 1 mile (reference area)

13

Total schools

9

Oversubscribed

10

Primary

High competition area

Cutoff distances vary year to year and apply only to applicants who reach the distance criterion. Faith, sibling, and SEND priorities take precedence.

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Frequently Asked Questions About St Joseph's Catholic Infant School

St Joseph's Catholic Infant School has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.

Contact Information

01296484618www.stjosephsrcinfant.bucks.sch.uk

Hazell Avenue, Aylesbury

Buckinghamshire, HP21 7JF

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Hazell Avenue, Aylesbury

Buckinghamshire, HP21 7JF

Journey to School

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Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.

Opening Hours

Monday8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Tuesday8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Wednesday8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Thursday8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Friday8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
SaturdayClosed
SundayClosed

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