St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Oxford

St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Oxford has effectively maintained the strong standards established during its previous inspection. The school is recognized for its ambitious and nurturing environment that supports academic excellence alongside pupils' social and cultural development. Notably, pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), thrive due to the school’s thoughtful approach to learning, which carefully structures experiences to foster confidence and resilience. The inclusive atmosphere encourages all pupils to participate actively in both the academic and enrichment activities available.

Strengths

• Pupils flourish in an ambitious and caring environment.
• There is a strong emphasis on both academic and social development.
• Effective support for pupils with SEND and those who speak English as an additional language.
• High-quality training for staff contributes to strong subject knowledge.
• Reading is central to the curriculum, with effective early interventions.
• Consistent routines and skilled support promote positive behaviour and engagement.
• Pupils have opportunities for leadership roles and character development.

Areas for Improvement

• Feedback given to pupils sometimes lacks precision, hindering potential achievement.

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, Oxford attended 96.0% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 9.6% 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, 1.5% of pupils at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Oxford 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, Oxford had 16.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 19.2% 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, 15.2% of pupils at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Oxford were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.6% 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, Oxford received £6,614 and spent £7,145 for each of its 376 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £45,000 (£121 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

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

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

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

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Oxford was last inspected in March 2025.

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

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Oxford has 376 pupils on roll.

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

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

What are St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Oxford's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 78% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Oxford?

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Oxford is at Headley Way, Headington, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX3 7SX.