St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy, is performing exceptionally well across all areas. This was its first routine section 5 inspection since academy conversion, and inspectors found a highly ambitious, nurturing school where pupils achieve very well and are exceptionally well prepared for secondary school. The curriculum is carefully sequenced, teaching is highly skilled, and pupils with SEND flourish because their needs are identified quickly and activities are adapted effectively. Pupils are exceptionally polite, highly engaged and cooperative, and behaviour is outstanding. Personal development is a notable strength, with a wide range of enrichment, leadership roles and community activities helping pupils build confidence, responsibility and aspiration. Early years provision is also outstanding, especially in establishing routines and early reading. Attendance is high, safeguarding is effective, and leaders, trustees and governors have created a culture of high ambition in which staff feel valued. The report identifies no areas of concern or required improvement. The school is part of the Corpus Christi Catholic Academy Trust and serves a large primary-age community while maintaining a warm, family atmosphere.

Strengths

• Highly ambitious curriculum that is carefully sequenced to build deep knowledge over time
• Skilled teaching that checks learning and addresses misconceptions effectively
• Strong phonics and early reading provision, with almost all pupils reading fluently by the end of Year 2
• Pupils with SEND are swiftly identified and supported to achieve exceptionally well
• Exceptional behaviour and attitudes, with pupils who are polite, engaged and cooperative
• Outstanding personal development through enrichment, citizenship and community activities
• High attendance, with diligent support and challenge for the small number of families where attendance is a concern
• Strong early years provision that establishes routines and prepares children well for phonics
• Effective safeguarding arrangements
• Leadership, trustees and governors foster high ambition, and staff feel valued

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, a Voluntary Academy attended 96.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 4.6% 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, 0.7% of pupils at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy 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, a Voluntary Academy had 26.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 14.7% 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, 12.6% of pupils at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.1% 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, a Voluntary Academy received £5,898 and spent £6,131 for each of its 429 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £15,000 (-£36 per pupil).

Across all 12 schools of Corpus Christi Catholic Academy Trust, income was £7,953 and spending £8,018 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 Sale · Trafford local authority: places and applications

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy is part of Corpus Christi Catholic Academy Trust, which runs 15 schools. The nearest others:

• St. Aidan's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy Manchester
• Saint Paul's Catholic High School Manchester
• Ss John Fisher and Thomas More Catholic Primary School Manchester
• St Elizabeth's Catholic Primary School Manchester
• St Anthony's Catholic Primary School Manchester
• Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School, a Voluntary Academy Manchester
• St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy Stockport
• St Philip's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy Stockport
• St Christopher's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy Stockport
• St. Mary's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy Dukinfield

What is St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy is Outstanding, from an inspection in June 2025.

When was St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy was last inspected in June 2025.

How many pupils does St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy have?

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy has 437 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy cover?

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy for pupils aged 3 to 11.

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

In 2025, 85% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy is at Marlborough Road, Sale, Cheshire, M33 3AF.