St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Upton

About St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Upton

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Upton is a state primary in Wirral that is genuinely popular with local families. In the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 48 applications for just 23 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.09. All 22 first-preference applicants were offered a place, but the gap between total applications and available spots shows demand is strong. The school is running at full capacity with 226 pupils against a capacity of 225. Its intake reflects a broad community: 22.6% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average for primary schools and suggests the school serves a mix of backgrounds. As a Roman Catholic school, it will have a faith-based admissions criteria, which likely shapes the local families who apply. The school is led by headteacher Claire Marrin and sits within the Wirral local authority, where only six out of 90 primary schools hold an Outstanding Ofsted rating.

Academically, St Joseph's sits in the middle of the pack in Wirral. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 61% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That is above the Wirral local authority average of 53%, placing the school 22nd out of 64 primaries in the area. However, the proportion reaching the higher standard in all three subjects was just 2%, which is low. In individual subjects, 71% met the expected standard in maths, 68% in reading and 68% in writing. Average scaled scores were 103 in maths and 104 in reading, both close to the national benchmark of 100. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection in October 2024 rated it Good overall, with Good for leadership and management, early years provision and quality of education. This is a clear improvement from its previous graded inspection in 2019, when it was judged to Require Improvement.

The school offers a range of facilities including a gymnasium, library, forest school, sensory room and chapel. Sports provision covers dance, athletics, tennis, swimming and gymnastics, while clubs include film, chess, science, book club and choir. For children with additional needs, the school lists support for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social emotional and mental health needs, and speech, language and communication needs. Parent feedback is strong: 88% of respondents in the most recent Parent View survey would recommend the school, and 97% agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy. The school suits families who want a faith-based primary with a strong sense of community, a full range of activities, and solid but not exceptional academic outcomes. It is worth noting that the nearest Outstanding-rated school, Our Lady of Pity Catholic Primary and Nursery School, is 2.3 km away.

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