St Joseph's Catholic Primary School

St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School has effectively maintained its standards as identified in the previous inspection, showcasing a warm and supportive environment where pupils feel safe and valued. The school has prioritized a well-structured curriculum that prepares students well, particularly in early reading skills. Notable strengths include pupils' behavior and their engagement in community activities, reflecting a commitment to personal development and citizenship. The leadership team has successfully navigated recent staffing challenges, ensuring stability as the school moves forward.

Strengths

• Pupils exhibit positive behavior and strong relationships with staff.
• The school prioritizes reading, with effective phonics instruction that supports early literacy.
• Pupils develop an impressive level of knowledge across various subjects, especially science and geography.
• Strong provision for personal development, fostering a sense of community and well-being among students.
• Governance is effective, with a supportive and proactive governing body.

Areas for Improvement

• Pupils' writing skills require improvement, particularly in handwriting, spelling, and punctuation.

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 Primary School attended 94.0% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 23.1% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

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 Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

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 Primary School had 20.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 28.6% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

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, 10.9% of pupils at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 12.7% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

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 Primary School received £9,593 and spent £9,392 for each of its 55 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £21,000 (£390 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Cumberland · Cumberland local authority: places and applications

What is St Joseph's Catholic Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Joseph's Catholic Primary School is Good, from an inspection in February 2025.

When was St Joseph's Catholic Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School was last inspected in February 2025.

How many pupils does St Joseph's Catholic Primary School have?

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School has 55 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Joseph's Catholic Primary School cover?

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

Where is St Joseph's Catholic Primary School?

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School is at Yeathouse Road, Frizington, Cumbria, CA26 3PX.