St Joseph's Catholic Infant School
St Joseph's Catholic Infant School is a voluntary aided school in Waltham Forest for pupils aged 2 to 7. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It has 132 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for St Joseph's Catholic Infant School is Strong standard, from an inspection in May 2026. About 54% of its places were empty in 2024/25, far more than at most primary schools, so a place should be easier to come by.
Ofsted inspection: May 2026.
| Type | Primary / Voluntary aided school |
| Age Range | 2-7 |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Marsh Lane London E10 7BL |
| Reference Number | 103090 |
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 132 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 47.73%
Girls: 52.27% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 21.1% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 49.2% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 26.3 |
| Average size of Key Stage 1 classes taught by one teacher | 26.3 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | 14 | 25 |
| 2 | 10 | 15 | 25 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, Other | 22% |
| African | 18.9% |
| White, British | 9.1% |
| Caribbean | 6.8% |
| Mixed, Other | 6.1% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 3.8% |
| Indian | 3% |
| Pakistani | 3% |
| Asian, Other | 3% |
| White & Black (African) | 2.3% |
| Unclassified | 1.5% |
| Irish | 1.5% |
| White & Asian | 0.8% |
St Joseph's Catholic Infant School is performing well, with a strong emphasis on safeguarding, academic achievement, and personal development. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and disadvantaged backgrounds, achieve well with phonics outcomes that meet or exceed national averages. The school promotes a positive culture where pupils feel safe and supported, contributing to their strong attendance and respectful behavior. The curriculum is ambitious and well-structured, fostering independence and a thirst for knowledge among pupils. Furthermore, children's well-being is prioritized, ensuring they have a nurturing environment to thrive in.
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Strong standard |
| > Leadership & Governance | Strong standard |
| > Personal Development & Wellbeing | Strong standard |
| > Achievement | Strong standard |
| > Attendance & Behaviour | Strong standard |
| > Curriculum & Teaching | Strong standard |
| > Inclusion | Strong standard |
| > Early Years | Strong standard |
| Last Report Date | 15 Apr 2026 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 15 Apr 2026 | School inspection |
| 19 Jan 2022 | School inspection |
| 17 Jan 2017 | Short inspection |
| 05 Jun 2013 | Full inspection |
| 09 Jan 2012 | Interim assessment |
| 15 Sep 2008 | Full inspection |
| 12 Sep 2005 | Full inspection |
| 15 May 2000 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Strong academic achievement among all pupils, including those with SEND.
- Clear and effective safeguarding practices create a safe school environment.
- Well-structured and ambitious curriculum that promotes knowledge building over time.
- Inclusive practices ensure all pupils feel valued and supported.
- Effective leadership with a clear vision for continuous improvement.
Reception admissions, 2026 entry
Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment
| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Second Preference | 7 | 0 |
| Third Preference | 11 | 2 |
| From another Local Authority | 2 | 0 |
Previous years
Sample
UnlockPlaces and pupil numbers
In 2024–25 St Joseph's Catholic Infant School had 82 pupils for 180 places. 98 places (54.4%) were unfilled.
Pupils and places
Reception intake in the “Leyton West” planning area
Waltham Forest counted 381 Reception pupils in this area in 2024–25 and forecasts 375 in 2029–30, down 2%.
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Places | 189 | 189 | 189 | 189 | 189 | 189 | 180 | 180 | 180 | 180 | 180 | 180 | 180 | 180 | 180 |
| Pupils | 179 | 176 | 180 | 178 | 174 | 173 | 173 | 168 | 166 | 131 | 119 | 123 | 118 | 96 | 82 |
| Unfilled | 5.3% | 6.9% | 4.8% | 5.8% | 7.9% | 8.5% | 3.9% | 6.7% | 7.8% | 27.2% | 33.9% | 31.7% | 34.4% | 46.7% | 54.4% |
Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.
In 2024–25 pupils at St Joseph's Catholic Infant School attended 95.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 20.3% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).
Sessions missed
Pupils persistently absent
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Authorised absence | 3.3% | 3.5% | 3.3% | 2.8% | 3.1% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 4.6% | 4.2% | 3.7% | 3.3% |
| Unauthorised absence | 0.8% | 0.9% | 0.7% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 0.8% | 0.6% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 1.5% |
| Severely absent pupils | 0.8% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 4.1% | 1.1% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.
In 2024–25, 0.0% of pupils at St Joseph's Catholic Infant School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.
Pupils suspended at least once
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 0.0 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Permanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.
In 2025–26 St Joseph's Catholic Infant School had 18.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 15.2% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).
Pupils per teacher
Teachers who left the school within a year
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils per adult | 15.9 | 11.7 | 10.8 | 11.5 | 10.7 | 9.6 | 12.6 | 11.1 | 9.5 | 9.0 | 8.3 | 10.6 | 9.0 | 8.2 | 9.1 | 10.3 |
| Teachers who left state teaching | 15.5% | 12.5% | 10.4% | 0.0% | 22.5% | 30.0% | 12.7% | 10.0% | 26.0% | 13.9% | 10.9% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 13.2% | 15.2% | – |
| Teachers who took any sick leave | 40.0% | 41.7% | 21.4% | 54.5% | 50.0% | 58.3% | 45.5% | 60.0% | 54.5% | – | 41.7% | 33.3% | 66.7% | 44.4% | 25.0% | – |
| Sick days per teacher | 1.9 | 5.7 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 20.1 | 9.9 | 4.1 | 7.7 | 0.7 | – | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 1.1 | 4.8 | – |
Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.
In 2025–26, 16.7% of pupils at St Joseph's Catholic Infant School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.0% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).
Pupils by main type of need
| SEN support | EHC plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Speech, language and communication needs | 16 | 1 |
| Autistic spectrum disorder | 3 | 3 |
| Social, emotional and mental health | 2 | 0 |
| Moderate learning difficulty | 1 | 0 |
Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.
In 2025–26 St Joseph's Catholic Infant School received £9,896 and spent £9,719 for each of its 121 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £229,000 (£1,902 per pupil).
Income per pupil
Spending per pupil
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue reserve | £15,000 | £42,000 | £0 | £69,000 | £147,000 | £243,000 | £208,000 | £229,000 |
| per pupil | £91 | £308 | £3 | £467 | £1,082 | £2,188 | £1,823 | £1,902 |
| In-year balance | £52,000 | £27,000 | -£41,000 | £69,000 | £78,000 | £96,000 | -£35,000 | £21,000 |
| per pupil | £316 | £198 | -£301 | £465 | £575 | £863 | -£308 | £177 |
Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).
| Name | Distance |
|
Willow Brook Primary School Academy
190 Church Road, Leyton, London, E10 7BH |
0.08 miles |
|
Riverley Primary School
Park Road, Leyton, London, E10 7BZ |
0.19 miles |
|
St Joseph's Catholic Junior School
150 Vicarage Road, Leyton, London, E10 5DX |
0.36 miles |
|
Sybourn Primary School
Sybourn Street, London, E17 8HA |
0.42 miles |
|
Dawlish Primary School
Jesse Road, London, E10 6NN |
0.57 miles |
|
Thomas Gamuel Primary School
Colchester Road, Walthamstow, London, E17 8LG |
0.7 miles |
|
St Saviour's Church of England Primary School
Verulam Avenue, 33, London, E17 8ER |
0.72 miles |
|
Noor Ul Islam Primary School
135 Dawlish Road, Leyton, London, London, E10 6QW |
0.72 miles |
|
Newport School
Newport Road, London, E10 6PJ |
0.81 miles |
|
Edinburgh Primary School
Queen's Road, Walthamstow, London, E17 8QR |
0.89 miles |
|
Mandeville Primary School
Oswald Street, Hackney, London, E5 0BT |
0.91 miles |
|
Barn Croft Primary School
2 Brunel Road, Walthamstow, London, E17 8SB |
0.95 miles |
|
Kingsmead Primary School
Kingsmead Way, London, E9 5PP |
0.96 miles |
|
Low Hall Nursery School
Low Hall Lane, London, E17 8BE |
0.97 miles |
|
South Grove Primary School
Ringwood Road, London, E17 8PW |
0.98 miles |
|
Daubeney Primary School
Daubeney Road, Clapton, London, E5 0EG |
1.08 miles |
|
Barclay Primary School
155 Canterbury Road, Leyton, London, E10 6EJ |
1.19 miles |
|
Gwyn Jones Primary School
Hainault Road, London, E11 1EU |
1.24 miles |
|
Rushmore Primary School
Elderfield Road, Hackney, London, E5 0LE |
1.24 miles |
|
Downsell Primary School
Downsell Road, Leyton, London, E15 2BS |
1.25 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Lammas School
150 Seymour Road, Leyton, London, E10 7LX |
0.15 miles |
|
George Mitchell School
Farmer Road, Leyton, London, E10 5DN |
0.44 miles |
|
Lantern of Knowledge Secondary School
30-36 Lindley Road, Leyton, London, E10 6QT |
0.56 miles |
|
Kelmscott School
245 Markhouse Road, Walthamstow, London, E17 8DN |
0.78 miles |
|
Norlington School and 6th Form
Norlington Road, Leyton, London, E10 6JZ |
0.9 miles |
|
Belmont Park School
Leyton Green Road, Leyton, Waltham Forest, London, E10 6DB |
0.99 miles |
|
Leyton Sixth Form College
Essex Road, Leyton, London, E10 6EQ |
1.14 miles |
|
Connaught School for Girls
Dyers Hall Road, Leytonstone, London, E11 4AE |
1.17 miles |
|
Leaways School
18 Theydon Road, Clapton, London, E5 9NZ |
1.29 miles |
|
Harris Academy Chobham
40 Cheering Lane, London, E20 1BD |
1.3 miles |
|
Ickburgh School
Kenworthy Road, Hackney, London, E9 5RB |
1.34 miles |
|
Clapton Girls' Academy
Laura Place, Lower Clapton Road, London, E5 0RB |
1.45 miles |
|
Walthamstow School for Girls
Church Hill, Walthamstow, London, E17 9RZ |
1.45 miles |
|
Leytonstone School
Colworth Road, Leytonstone, London, E11 1JD |
1.46 miles |
|
The City Academy, Hackney
Homerton Row, Hackney, London, E9 6EA |
1.58 miles |
|
Hafs Academy
Unit 3, 26 Maryland Road, Stratford, London, E15 1JW |
1.6 miles |
|
Beis Trana Girls' School
186 Upper Clapton Road, London, E5 9DH |
1.61 miles |
|
Willowfield School
209 Blackhorse Road, Walthamstow, London, E17 6ND |
1.62 miles |
|
Cardinal Pole Catholic School
205 Morning Lane, Hackney, London, E9 6LG |
1.64 miles |
|
Buxton School
234 Cann Hall Road, Leytonstone, London, E11 3NN |
1.67 miles |
All schools in Waltham Forest · Waltham Forest local authority: places and applications
What is St Joseph's Catholic Infant School's Ofsted rating?
The latest Ofsted rating for St Joseph's Catholic Infant School is Strong standard, from an inspection in May 2026.
When was St Joseph's Catholic Infant School last inspected by Ofsted?
St Joseph's Catholic Infant School was last inspected in May 2026.
How many pupils does St Joseph's Catholic Infant School have?
St Joseph's Catholic Infant School has 132 pupils on roll.
What age range does St Joseph's Catholic Infant School cover?
St Joseph's Catholic Infant School for pupils aged 2 to 7.
Where is St Joseph's Catholic Infant School?
St Joseph's Catholic Infant School is at Marsh Lane, London, E10 7BL.