St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School is a small, warm and inclusive Roman Catholic primary in Stockport. Inspectors found it is meeting the standards expected of it overall, with safeguarding requirements met. This is the school's first inspection since becoming an academy in September 2023, and it has experienced significant staffing and leadership changes; leaders, trust and governors have worked to stabilise the school. Pupils are happy, feel safe and belong, and behaviour and attendance are strengths. Pupils achieve well across the curriculum and are prepared for the next stage. Early years is a particular strength, with a language-rich curriculum, strong phonics and children well prepared for Year 1. Reading and mathematics are prioritised, and disadvantaged pupils attain as well as or better than their peers nationally. Inclusion is effective, especially for pupils with SEND, and the personal-development curriculum helps pupils respect difference, stay safe and manage wellbeing. Attendance is improving to national averages, and leadership and governance are taking appropriate improvement action, with high staff morale. There are still areas to improve. Some older pupils have gaps in learning from the previous curriculum, particularly in handwriting and spelling, which limits fluency in recording work. The consistent use of prior-learning recall is not yet embedded in subjects beyond English and mathematics, so pupils sometimes find it harder to remember what they have learned. Leaders also need to strengthen communication with families so parents and carers are well informed about decisions to improve the school, as a small number remain uncertain about recent changes.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve well and are well prepared for the next stage of education.
• Disadvantaged pupils attain as well as or better than their peers nationally in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Pupils read fluently and use secure mathematical knowledge confidently.
• Attendance systems are rigorous, and absence rates have reduced to line with national average.
• Behaviour is strong: pupils are polite, respectful and learn in a safe, orderly environment.
• The broad and balanced curriculum is suitable for mixed-aged classes and prioritises communication, reading and mathematics.
• Teachers deliver new learning clearly, using secure subject knowledge and a consistent lesson structure.
• Early years provides a language-rich curriculum with strong phonics and children well prepared for Year 1.
• Inclusion is effective, with accurate identification of needs and strong support for pupils with SEND.
• Leaders use pupil premium funding well so disadvantaged pupils attain well and access enrichment.
• Leadership and governance know the school well, have stabilised staffing and maintain high staff morale.
• Personal development is coherent and helps pupils respect diversity, stay safe and manage wellbeing.
• The school is a safe haven where pupils feel welcomed, cared for and protected from bullying.
• Safeguarding standards are met, with an open culture of safeguarding.

Areas for Improvement

• Some older pupils have gaps in learning caused by weaknesses in the previous curriculum.
• Pupils, especially older pupils, often struggle to form letters correctly and spell words accurately, limiting fluent transcription.
• The consistent use of prior-learning recall is not embedded across subjects beyond English and mathematics.
• In some subjects other than English and mathematics, pupils find it harder to remember what they have learned.
• Leaders need to strengthen communication with families so parents and carers are well informed about school improvement decisions.
• A small number of parents remain uncertain about recent changes to the school.

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 94.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 14.4% 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, 2.9% 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 15.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 10.7% 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, 7.9% of pupils at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 6.9% 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 £9,488 and spent £9,148 for each of its 102 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £19,000 (-£186 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 Stockport · Stockport 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 Philip's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy Stockport
• St Christopher's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy Stockport
• St Elizabeth's Catholic Primary School Manchester
• Ss John Fisher and Thomas More Catholic Primary School Manchester
• St. Aidan's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy Manchester
• St Anthony's Catholic Primary School Manchester
• St. Paul's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy Hyde
• St. Mary's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy Dukinfield
• Saint Paul's Catholic High School Manchester
• All Saints Catholic College 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 Expected standard, from an inspection in July 2026.

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 July 2026.

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

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy has 101 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, 53% 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 Etchells Street, St Petersgate, Stockport, Cheshire, SK1 1EF.