Classpot

St Mary & St Joseph's Catholic Primary School

Dorset, BH20 6DSPrimaryAges 4–11MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Requires Improvement
Feb 2024
KS2 Results
29%
meeting expected standard in RWM
Competition
1.0×
Not oversubscribed
7 1st-choice / 7 places
Ranking
#13,333
of 13,686 nationally

About St Mary & St Joseph's Catholic Primary School

St Mary & St Joseph's Catholic Primary School is a small state primary in Dorset, serving 116 pupils aged 4 to 11 under headteacher Francis McDonnell. It sits within a local authority that contains 119 primary schools, of which only three currently hold an Outstanding Ofsted rating. The school’s own ranking in Dorset places it 68th out of 68 primaries, putting it at the very bottom of the LA table when measured by the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. For context, the top-performing local peers include Spetisbury CofE Primary School, St Ives Primary & Nursery School, and Sticklands Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, all of which score significantly higher on the same metric. The school is Roman Catholic in character and operates as a mixed, non-selective state school with no nursery or sixth form provision.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range4 to 11 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterRoman Catholic
AddressFolly Lane, Wareham, Dorset, BH20 6DS
HeadteacherFrancis McDonnell
Local AuthorityDorset
Number of Pupils116
Free School Meals (FSM)10.3%
School Capacity116 / 210 (55% 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
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

21 Feb 2024
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Requires improvement
Quality of Education
Requires improvement
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Requires improvement
Early Years Provision
Requires improvement

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

Facilities

6
LibraryDining HallSensory RoomPlaying FieldsGymnasiumChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

11

Sports

TennisFootballAthleticsNetballDanceCricketRounders

Clubs & Activities

CodingChessArt ClubDrama

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

SEND Support

DyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageOther

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

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:40 – 15:15

Breakfast club

07:30-08:40

After-school care

15:15-18:00

Source: smsjwool.dorset.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About St Mary & St Joseph's Catholic Primary School

St Mary & St Joseph's Catholic Primary 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.