St Joseph's Catholic Junior School, Birtley, Chester le Street
Data last updated 11 Sept 2026
Location
Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
What This School Does Well
St Joseph's provides an exceptionally engaging learning environment where children develop strong reading, speaking and listening skills. The school combines ambitious academic expectations with outstanding personal development, helping pupils understand their role in society and celebrate diversity. Pupils leave very well prepared for secondary school with secure knowledge, exemplary behaviour, and high levels of confidence and resilience.
Key Strengths
- Reading is at the centre of an ambitious curriculum, with expert phonics teaching and strong support for struggling readers
- Outstanding oracy programme that develops pupils' speaking and listening skills to debate and question their learning
- Broad and richly designed curriculum with staff delivering skilfully and revisiting key knowledge to build secure understanding
- Exceptional personal development through history and geography that guides pupils to consider their role in society and understand diversity
- Exemplary pupil behaviour and high attendance supported by fair, clear expectations
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Museum visits, coast trips, theatre visits, residential visits, Korean language club, chess club, multisport club, drama club, school garden vegetable growing, breakfast club
St Joseph's Catholic Junior School in Birtley is a welcoming and highly inclusive school where pupils flourish and achieve exceptionally well. The school has received Outstanding grades across all key inspection areas - quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management.
At a Glance
25.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
26 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2025/26KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 89% to 94%. Maths has improved from 89% to 94%. Writing has declined from 89% to 82%.
Class Sizes
24.3
Avg class size
24.3
KS2
4
Total classes
2024/25 academic year
Getting There
Bus Stops
Commute Calculator
Find out if this school is reachable from your home - before you apply
What are my chances?
Enter your postcode to estimate your probability of getting a place.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
88%
Available places
105 pupils
120 capacity
15 spare places available
Area Demand Pressure - Chester le Street
Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Chester le Street
Admissions Demand - Gateshead
Places available
2,504
Applications
1,789
Got 1st preference
96.9%
Got preferred school
99.8%
Primary admissions across Gateshead (2025/26)
Inspection History
House Prices
Moving into the catchment? See what homes near this school actually cost
SEN Provision
How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.
Pupil Demographics
The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.
Teachers & Staff
Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.
School Funding
Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.61191%
Overall absence
7.92079%
Persistent absence
101
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Reviews
No reviews yet - be the first to leave one.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
St Joseph's Catholic Junior School, Birtley
Nearby Schools
Do you work at this school?
Claim your profile free to get a verified badge, update your contact details, and see how many parents are viewing your page.