St Joseph's Catholic Primary Academy

About St Joseph's Catholic Primary Academy

St Joseph's Catholic Primary Academy in Kirklees has been rated Good in its most recent Ofsted inspection, a significant improvement from its previous Requires improvement rating in 2018. The school's academic story is best told through its Key Stage 2 results, where 69% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That figure sits comfortably above the Kirklees local authority average of 60%, placing the school 25th out of 94 primary schools in the area and in the top 50 nationally for this metric. The school also performed well in individual subjects: 84% of pupils reached the expected standard in maths, 78% in reading and 72% in writing. At the higher standard, 13% achieved across all three subjects, with reading leading at 38% and maths at 31%. Average scaled scores of 106 in both reading and maths suggest solid, consistent teaching across the core subjects.

Ofsted's inspection in September 2024 judged the quality of education, personal development, behaviour and attitudes, and leadership and management all as Good. The early years provision was rated Requires improvement, which is a specific area the school will be working on. The previous inspection had rated both leadership and overall effectiveness as Requires improvement, so the turnaround under headteacher Claire Bulloch is clear. The school has 205 pupils on roll, just under its capacity of 218, and a higher-than-average proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 36.1%. The school's Roman Catholic character is reflected in its on-site chapel, and the Ofsted report noted that pupils behave well and feel safe. With no sixth form and no nursery provision, the school focuses entirely on primary-age children from 4 to 11.

The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 68 applications for 30 places, with 23 first-preference offers made. That gives an oversubscription ratio of 2.62, so families need to be prepared to apply early and list it as a first choice. Facilities include a library, music rooms, gymnasium, playing fields, forest school, ICT suite and chapel. Sports on offer include dance, gymnastics, cricket, rounders and swimming, while clubs range from film club and drama to eco club, choir, coding and chess. The school supports a range of special educational needs, including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language difficulties, and hearing and visual impairments. For families seeking a faith-based primary with strong academic outcomes and a clear improvement trajectory, St Joseph's is a compelling option in the Kirklees area.

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