St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, North Shields

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School in North Shields has been rated as good overall in its first inspection since converting to an academy in 2021. The school provides a nurturing and supportive environment where pupils are eager to learn and feel valued. With strong leadership from the headteacher and trust, the school has effectively implemented its curriculum and promotes positive behaviour among students. However, while early years provision is strong, some curriculum areas still need refinement to ensure consistent progress across all subjects, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Strengths

• Pupils demonstrate resilience and empathy, embodying the school's values.
• Early years provision focuses well on communication and language, preparing children effectively for their education.
• Phonics teaching is consistent and well-supported, helping pupils progress from low starting points.
• A calm and orderly atmosphere fosters positive behaviour and respectful relationships among students.
• The school provides numerous opportunities for pupils' leadership and personal development.

Areas for Improvement

• Some foundation subjects lack clear curriculum progression, affecting pupil learning.
• Targets for older pupils with SEND are not precise enough, limiting their progress.

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, North Shields attended 93.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 22.1% 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, 5.6% of pupils at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, North Shields 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, North Shields had 13.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 30.5% 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, 31.6% of pupils at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, North Shields were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.1% 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 2024–25 St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, North Shields received £8,179 and spent £10,337 for each of its 205 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £95,000 (-£462 per pupil).

Across all 39 schools of Bishop Bewick Catholic Education Trust, income was £7,320 and spending £7,580 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in North Shields · North Tyneside local authority: places and applications

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, North Shields is part of Bishop Bewick Catholic Education Trust, which runs 39 schools. The nearest others:

• St Cuthbert's Catholic Primary School, North Shields North Shields
• St Thomas More Catholic High School North Shields
• St Aidan's Catholic Primary School, Wallsend Wallsend
• Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School, Whitley Bay Whitley Bay
• St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Cullercoats North Shields
• St Bernadette's Catholic Primary, Wallsend Wallsend
• St Columba's Catholic Primary School, Wallsend Wallsend
• St Alban's Catholic Primary School, Walker Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
• St Marys Catholic Primary School, Forest Hall Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
• St Stephen's Catholic Primary School, Newcastle Newcastle-Upon-Tyne

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

The latest Ofsted rating for St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, North Shields is Good, from an inspection in July 2024.

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

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, North Shields was last inspected in July 2024.

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

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, North Shields has 193 pupils on roll.

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

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, North Shields for pupils aged 3 to 11.

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

In 2025, 45% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, North Shields?

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, North Shields is at Wallsend Road, Chirton, North Shields, Tyne and Wear, NE29 7BT.