Classpot

St Joseph's Catholic School

Wiltshire, SP1 1QYSecondaryAges 11–16MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Requires Improvement
Feb 2024
Progress 8
-0.64
Well below average
−20+2
Competition
0.9×
Not oversubscribed
94 1st-choice / 101 places
Ranking
#2,787
of 3,141 nationally

About St Joseph's Catholic School

St Joseph's Catholic School in Wiltshire is a mixed secondary for 11 to 16 year olds that currently has 597 pupils on roll, slightly below its capacity of 625. The school serves a community with a notably high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals, at 24.5 per cent. That is well above the national average for secondary schools, which typically sits around 14 to 15 per cent, suggesting the school draws from an area with significant socio-economic challenges. Demand for places is strong: for the 2025/26 intake, the school received 257 applications for 101 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.54. Of those, 94 families put the school as their first preference, and all 94 were offered a place. This level of demand indicates that despite its Ofsted rating, the school remains a popular choice locally, likely due to its Catholic character and the range of facilities it offers.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 16 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterRoman Catholic
AddressChurch Road, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 1QY
HeadteacherMatthew Higgins
Local AuthorityWiltshire
Number of Pupils597
Free School Meals (FSM)24.5%
School Capacity597 / 625 (96% full)

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
See an example
One-off paymentNo subscriptionStripe checkout

Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

6 Feb 2024
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good

Source: Ofsted, 24 Apr 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

13
Astro TurfTheatreMusic RoomsICT SuiteSwimming PoolGymnasiumArt StudiosDining HallPlaying FieldsLibraryScience LabsSports HallChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

18

Sports

FootballRugbyMartial ArtsRoundersCricketDanceBasketballCross CountryRowingBadminton

Clubs & Activities

CodingDebateChessModel United NationsYoung EnterpriseOrchestraChoirBook Club

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguagePhysicalLearning DifficultyOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

09:00 – 15:30

Breakfast club

08:00-09:00

Source: sjcs.org.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

Was this page helpful?

Frequently Asked Questions About St Joseph's Catholic School

St Joseph's Catholic School has been rated "Requires Improvement" by Ofsted. This means the school is not yet good, but inspectors believe it can improve with the right support and changes.