Our Lady & St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Ushaw Moor
| Type | Primary / Academy converter |
| Age Range | 4-11 |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Durham Road Ushaw Moor Durham DH7 7LF |
| Phone | 01913734343 |
| Reference Number | 148206 |
Our Lady & St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Ushaw Moor, is meeting the expected standard in all inspected areas, with safeguarding standards met. This is a small Roman Catholic primary within the Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust that has navigated an amalgamation and made considerable improvements. Leaders have created an inclusive, welcoming community where pupils are happy, behave well, feel safe and benefit from strong early reading and phonics, effective SEND support and purposeful personal development. The report highlights several notable strengths: pupils attend well following decisive action to improve attendance, relationships are respectful, and the curriculum is broad and vocabulary-rich. Governance and trust support are effective, staff morale is positive, and vulnerable pupils, including those with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, are well supported. Early years children are settled and confident, and pupils are well prepared for secondary school and life in modern Britain. However, some areas require further work. Assessment practice is not consistently sharp, meaning some pupils who are ready to move on are not always given the opportunity to deepen their understanding, including in early years. Some pupils could achieve more by the end of key stage 2, particularly those capable of greater depth. Published data also shows disadvantaged pupils' attainment in reading and mathematics below national averages with large gaps, and overall and persistent absence remain above national figures despite recent improvements. Leaders have an accurate view of these priorities and clear next steps in place.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 98 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 44.9%
Girls: 55.1% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 27.6% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 5.1% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 14 |
| Average size of Key Stage 1 classes taught by one teacher | 11 |
| Average size of Key Stage 2 classes taught by one teacher | 15.2 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 2 | 5 | 4 | 9 |
| 3 | 9 | 5 | 14 |
| 4 | 5 | 10 | 15 |
| 5 | 6 | 16 | 22 |
| 6 | 13 | 12 | 25 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 85.7% |
| African | 6.1% |
| White, Other | 1% |
| Indian | 1% |
| White & Black (African) | 1% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Expected standard |
| > Leadership & Governance | Expected standard |
| > Personal Development & Wellbeing | Expected standard |
| > Achievement | Expected standard |
| > Attendance & Behaviour | Expected standard |
| > Curriculum & Teaching | Expected standard |
| > Inclusion | Expected standard |
| > Early Years | Expected standard |
| Last Report Date | 30 Jun 2026 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 30 Jun 2026 | School inspection |
| 18 Oct 2023 | School inspection |
| 06 Nov 2020 | Academy conversion letter |
| 11 Dec 2019 | School inspection |
| Previously as Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School, Newhouse | |
| 11 Dec 2019 | School inspection |
| 13 Oct 2015 | Full inspection: |
| 13 Oct 2015 | Full inspection: |
| 05 Jan 2012 | Full inspection: |
| 05 Jan 2012 | Full inspection: |
| 02 Apr 2009 | Full inspection: |
| 02 Apr 2009 | Full inspection: |
| 05 Apr 2006 | Full inspection: |
| 05 Apr 2006 | Full inspection: |
| 06 Nov 2000 | Full inspection |
| 06 Nov 2000 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Ambitious leadership and a clear, well-sequenced curriculum.
- Strong early reading and phonics provision; pupils learn to read quickly.
- Inclusive practice with tailored support for pupils with SEND, including the Lighthouse class.
- Pupils behave well, relationships are respectful and learning is uninterrupted.
- Attendance has improved significantly through effective pastoral and practical support.
- Effective governance and trust support, with accurate self-evaluation and improvement planning.
- Purposeful personal development, enrichment and pupil leadership opportunities.
- Support for disadvantaged and vulnerable pupils is well tracked and prioritised.
- Children in early years are settled, confident and develop communication and language well.
- Pupils are well prepared for secondary school and life in modern Britain.
- Staff receive strong professional development and feel well supported by leaders.
Areas for Improvement
- Some pupils could achieve more by the end of key stage 2, including greater depth.
- Assessment practice is inconsistent, so some pupils ready to move on do not get the opportunity.
- Early years practice is not consistently high quality in adult interactions.
- Disadvantaged pupils' attainment in reading and mathematics is below national, with large gaps.
- Overall and persistent absence remain above national averages, despite recent improvements.
How many students meet the standards
| Reading, Writing & Maths | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils meeting the expected standard | 60% | ||
| Pupils meeting a higher standard | 0% |
Average Scaled Score
Results are converted into scaled scores to allow accurate comparisons of performance over time even if the difficulty of the test varies over time. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120.
| Subject | School | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 101 | ||
| Maths | 100 |
Progress Scores
A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | -0.6 | ||
| Writing | -0.1 | ||
| Maths | -5.2 |
How many students meet the standards
Sample
UnlockAverage Scaled Score
Results are converted into scaled scores to allow accurate comparisons of performance over time even if the difficulty of the test varies over time. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120.
Sample
UnlockProgress Scores
A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.
Sample
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| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | ||
| Second Preference | 9 | 0 |
| Third Preference | 4 | 0 |
| From another Local Authority | 0 | 0 |
Previous Years
Sample
Unlock| Name | Distance |
|
Silver Tree Primary School and Nursery
Durham Road, Ushaw Moor, Durham Road, Ushaw Moor, Durham, Durham, DH7 7LF |
0.05 miles |
|
New Brancepeth Primary Academy
Rock Terrace, New Brancepeth, Durham, DH7 7EU |
0.7 miles |
|
Bearpark Primary School
Colliery Road, Bearpark, Durham, DH7 7AU |
0.76 miles |
|
Langley Moor Nursery School
Brandon Lane, Durham, DH7 8LL |
1.74 miles |
|
Langley Moor Primary School
Brandon Lane, Langley Moor, Durham, DH7 8LL |
1.74 miles |
|
Langley Park Primary School
Langley Park, Durham, County Durham, DH7 9XN |
1.8 miles |
|
Neville's Cross Primary School and Nursery
Relly Path, Neville's Cross, Durham, DH1 4JG |
1.88 miles |
|
St Patrick's Catholic Primary School, Langley Moor
Goatbeck Terrace, Langley Moor, St. Patricks Rc School, Durham, DH7 8JJ |
1.91 miles |
|
Brandon Primary Academy
Carr Avenue, Brandon, Durham, County Durham, DH7 8NL |
1.94 miles |
|
Witton Gilbert Primary School
Sacriston Lane, Witton Gilbert, Durham, DH7 6TF |
2.03 miles |
|
St Margaret's Church of England Primary School
Crossgate Peth, Durham, County Durham, DH1 4QB |
2.24 miles |
|
Esh CofE (Aided) Primary School
Front Street, Esh, Durham, County Durham, DH7 9QR |
2.29 miles |
|
St Michael's Catholic Primary School, Esh Village
Esh Village, Durham, County Durham, DH7 9QY |
2.31 miles |
|
Browney Primary Academy
Harle Street, Browney, County Durham, DH7 8HX |
2.33 miles |
|
Framwellgate Moor Primary School
Newton Drive, Framwellgate Moor, Durham, DH1 5BG |
2.58 miles |
|
Esh Winning Academy
The Wynds, Esh Winning, Durham, DH7 9BE |
2.72 miles |
|
Sacriston Academy
Witton Road, Sacriston, Durham, DH7 6LQ |
2.76 miles |
|
St Oswald's Church of England Aided Primary and Nursery School
Church Street, Durham, DH1 3DQ |
2.85 miles |
|
St Godric's Catholic Primary School, Durham
Carrhouse Drive, Framwellgate Moor, Durham, DH1 5LZ |
2.88 miles |
|
Blue Coat CofE (Aided) Junior School
Langley Road, Newton Hall Estate, Durham, DH1 5LP |
3.03 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Durham Academy
Bracken Court, Ushaw Moor, Durham, DH7 7NG |
0.36 miles |
|
Durham Johnston Comprehensive School
Crossgate Moor, Durham, County Durham, DH1 4SU |
1.85 miles |
|
St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham
North End, Durham, DH1 4NG |
2.27 miles |
|
New College Durham
Framwellgate Moor Centre, Framwellgate Moor, Durham, DH1 5ES |
2.29 miles |
|
The Independent Grammar School:Durham
Acton Road, Esh Winning, County Durham, DH7 9QF |
2.41 miles |
|
Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation
|
2.43 miles |
|
Durham Trinity School & Sports College
Dunholme Close, Aykley Heads, Durham, DH1 5WB |
2.48 miles |
|
Framwellgate School Durham
Newton Drive, Framwellgate Moor, Durham, DH1 5BQ |
2.67 miles |
|
Durham Sixth Form Centre
Providence Row, The Sands, Durham, County Durham, DH1 1SG |
2.78 miles |
|
The Grange Learning Centre
[Postcode DL15 0TY], Low Willington, County Durham, DL15 0TY |
4.6 miles |
|
Belmont Community School
The Links, Belmont, Durham, DH1 2AG |
4.63 miles |