St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Jarrow

About St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Jarrow

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Jarrow, sits slightly above the local average for primary schools in South Tyneside when it comes to the key benchmark of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (RWM). The school's RWM expected percentage of 67% edges past the local authority average of 64%, placing it in the top half of primary schools in the borough. This is a solid, if unspectacular, performance that suggests a reliable standard of core teaching. The school ranks 16th out of 37 primaries in South Tyneside, and 275th out of 677 in the North East region, putting it firmly in the middle of the pack. Nationally, it sits in the 38th percentile, meaning roughly 38% of primary schools achieve a higher RWM expected score. For parents weighing up options, this is a school that delivers above-average results for its local area without being among the top performers.

Looking closer at the 2023/24 KS2 results, the picture is more nuanced. While the combined RWM figure is decent, the proportion of pupils reaching the higher standard in all three subjects is just 7%, which is low. However, individual subjects tell a brighter story: 40% of pupils achieved a higher score in reading, and 83% met the expected standard in writing. Maths is a relative weak spot, with only 73% reaching the expected standard and 20% hitting the higher mark. The average reading score of 106 is strong, while maths averages 103. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in October 2023 confirmed it remains Good, a significant improvement from its previous Requires Improvement rating in 2011. Leadership and management were also judged Good, and the ungraded inspection noted the school continues to maintain its Good standard. There is no Progress 8 data available for this primary, so it's hard to measure how much value the school adds beyond raw attainment.

St Joseph's is a Roman Catholic primary for children aged 3 to 11, with a nursery on site. It is oversubscribed: for 2025/26, it received 39 applications for 23 places, with all 23 first-preference applicants being offered a spot. That oversubscription ratio of 1.7 suggests strong local demand, particularly from Catholic families. The school has a broad range of facilities including a forest school, chapel, sports hall, and ICT suite, plus clubs like gardening, coding, and science club. Sports on offer include swimming, football, and netball. SEND provision covers a wide spectrum, from moderate learning difficulties to autistic spectrum disorder and multi-sensory impairment. With 17.3% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a mixed catchment. It suits families who want a faith-based primary with decent academic outcomes, good facilities, and a clear sense of community, but who are realistic that it's not an academic powerhouse.

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