St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Castleford

About St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Castleford

Ofsted's Parent View survey, based on 32 responses collected between September 2024 and September 2025, shows that 66% of parents would recommend St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Castleford. That's a mixed picture, and the detail behind it is worth a closer look. On the positive side, 75% of parents strongly agree that their child is happy, and 69% strongly agree their child feels safe. A strong 91% either agree or strongly agree that the school has high expectations for their child, and 88% feel their child does well. However, the school is clearly popular with local families: for the 2025/26 intake, it received 51 applications for just 18 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.83, with all 18 first-preference applicants offered a spot. This suggests that while the parent view is nuanced, demand from those who know the school best remains high. The school is a Roman Catholic primary for mixed-gender pupils aged 3 to 11, led by headteacher Sarah Spencer.

Academically, St Joseph's performs solidly against local benchmarks. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 70% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, comfortably above the Wakefield local authority average of 64%. The school ranks 36th out of 97 primary schools in the LA, placing it in the top 50% regionally and nationally. Individual subject scores are strong: 87% met the expected standard in reading, 77% in maths, and 90% in writing. At the higher standard, 17% achieved the top marks across all three subjects, with reading leading at 30%. Progress scores are not available in the data, so it's hard to say how much value the school adds, but the raw attainment figures are respectable. In its most recent Ofsted inspection in October 2024, the school was judged Good across all graded areas, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and early years provision. The previous inspection in 2011 also rated the school Good overall.

The school operates at near capacity with 207 pupils against a capacity of 210, and offers nursery provision for younger children. Facilities include an art studio, ICT suite, outdoor playground, playing fields, and a chapel, reflecting its Catholic character. Sports on offer include cricket, athletics, rounders, tennis and cross country, while clubs range from drama and gardening to coding and book club. For families with children who have special educational needs, the school lists provisions for moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, hearing impairment, physical disability, and autistic spectrum disorder. That said, the Parent View data on SEND support is notably divided: 62% of respondents either disagreed or strongly disagreed that the school gives SEND children the support they need, which is a significant concern for any family considering the school for a child with additional needs. This is a school that clearly appeals to local Catholic families and those who prioritise a faith-based primary education, but the mixed parent feedback on SEND support and concerns handling warrants a thorough visit and conversation with the SENCO before applying.

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