Our Lady & St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Ushaw Moor, Durham

Ofsted's report card from its 30 June 2026 inspection grades Our Lady & St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Ushaw Moor on 7 areas: 7 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Expected standard. "Leaders are ambitious for pupils to achieve well."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Pupils attend well."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Since the last inspection, leaders have changed the curriculum to ensure that pupils are gaining a wide range of knowledge and understanding."

Early years - Expected standard. "Leaders have established a curriculum that supports children to develop securely across all areas of learning."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders have prioritised ensuring that the school is an inclusive, welcoming place to learn."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders, with the support of the trust, have made considerable improvements to the school over the last few years."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "The school has a coherent and appropriate personal development and wellbeing programme."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that teachers are supported to make consistent highly effective choices, particularly around assessment, including in the early years"; "Leaders should ensure that pupils are able to produce high quality work across the curriculum, particularly for pupils who could potentially achieve greater depth at key stage 2".

In 2025, 70% of Year 6 pupils at Our Lady & St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Ushaw Moor reached the expected standard in reading and 70% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 74% in County Durham and 77% and 75% across England.

Results were similar in 2024 (73% in reading, 64% in maths).

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 6 families put Our Lady & St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Ushaw Moor as their first choice and 19 named it as one of their preferences, for 6 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Our Lady & St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Ushaw Moor are Silver Tree Primary School and Nursery (under 0.1 miles, Good, 72% reading, 69% maths); St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Ushaw Moor (under 0.1 miles, 60% reading, 67% maths); New Brancepeth Primary Academy (0.7 miles, 77% reading, 86% maths); and Bearpark Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 31% reading, 54% maths).

Our Lady & St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Ushaw Moor's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

Our Lady & St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Ushaw Moor is one of 47 schools run by Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's primary schools, 69% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.

5.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

The largest ethnic groups are White British (86%) and Black (8%).

In 2026, 18 pupils (18.4%) received SEN support and 13 (13.3%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is social, emotional and mental health needs.

Our Lady & St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Ushaw Moor had 10 teachers in 2026, one for every 4 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.

The nearest railway station is Durham Rail Station, about 2.4 miles away in a straight line.

17 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is RC School (nw-bound), 60 metres away.

In 2024/25, Our Lady & St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Ushaw Moor issued 1 suspension, 2.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to Our Lady & St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Ushaw Moor are Durham Academy (0.4 miles) and Durham Johnston Comprehensive School (1.8 miles).