St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Murton

About St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Murton

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School in Murton posts a combined reading, writing and maths expected standard score of 72 per cent, which is a full ten percentage points above the County Durham local authority average of 62 per cent for primary schools. That places the school comfortably in the top 50 within the LA, ranked 47th out of 170 primaries, and in the top 30 per cent nationally. The gap is even more pronounced in maths, where 92 per cent of pupils hit the expected standard compared with a typical LA figure that sits lower. This is a small school — just 142 pupils against a capacity of 210 — so these results reflect a tight-knit cohort rather than a large, anonymous intake. The school’s Roman Catholic character is woven into its identity, and the headteacher, Jill Cartwright, has been at the helm through its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2023, which confirmed the school remains Good.

Digging deeper into the 2023/24 KS2 data, the school’s strength lies in getting the majority over the expected bar rather than pushing large numbers into the higher standard. The proportion reaching the higher standard in reading, writing and maths combined is 16 per cent, which is respectable but not exceptional. In individual subjects, maths again leads: 24 per cent of pupils achieved the higher standard, with an average scaled score of 106. Reading averaged 105, with 28 per cent at the higher level, while writing saw 24 per cent reach that top tier. Progress scores are not available in the data, so we can’t compare value-added directly, but the raw attainment figures are solid. The school’s Ofsted history shows it has held a Good rating across both its recent inspections — the graded inspection in 2013 and the ungraded visit in 2023 — with leadership and management also judged Good. There is no outstanding rating here, but the consistency is reassuring.

The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 28 applications for just 10 places, with a first-preference ratio of 2.8 applicants per place. That tells you it’s a popular choice locally. Facilities include a sensory room, forest school area, chapel, library, ICT suite and sports hall, plus playing fields. Clubs run the gamut from coding and chess to science, film and art. SEND provision covers specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, social and emotional mental health needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. For a family seeking a faith-based primary with strong core results, a manageable size and a clear sense of community, St Joseph’s fits the bill. Just be prepared to apply early and make it your first preference — the competition for places is real.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Murton

Helpful Guides for Parents