St Joseph's Catholic Primary School

About St Joseph's Catholic Primary School

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School in Stockton-on-Tees sits well below the local authority average for its key stage 2 results, a gap that parents will want to weigh carefully. In the 2023/24 academic year, just 42% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Stockton-on-Tees average of 66% for primary schools. That puts the school in the bottom half of the 55 primaries in the local authority, ranked 52nd, and in the bottom 10% nationally. The picture is mixed when you look at individual subjects: 63% hit the expected standard in writing, but only 54% did so in reading and 54% in maths. Higher-attaining pupils are a small group — 13% achieved higher scores in reading and maths, and just 4% in writing. These figures suggest the school serves a cohort with significant challenges, and the 38% pupil premium rate backs that up.

The school's most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in June 2024, confirmed it remains Good, a rating it has held since its last graded inspection in January 2014. Leadership and management were also judged Good. The previous graded inspection in 2009 gave a Good overall, with a Satisfactory mark for early years provision. So the school has been consistently rated Good for over a decade, but the academic outcomes are notably weaker than the LA average. There is no progress score data available for reading, writing or maths, so it is hard to tell whether pupils are making typical gains from their starting points. The school does not have a sixth form, and its nursery provision means children can join from age three.

St Joseph's is a Roman Catholic primary with a strong sense of community, reflected in its chapel, sensory room and library. It offers a range of sports including cricket, rounders and athletics, plus clubs like book club, drama and science club. The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26, there were 36 applications for 23 places, with all 23 first-preference applicants offered a spot. Its SEND provisions cover autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, social and emotional mental health, multi-sensory impairment and physical disability. For families who prioritise a faith-based setting and a supportive environment for children with additional needs, this school may be a good fit, but the below-average attainment figures are a clear factor to consider, especially if academic outcomes are a priority.

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