St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, London
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in London. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in November 2023. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 50th-highest of the 959 schools in London with published results, and 320th of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.3 first-choice applications for every place. It was full in 2025, at 101% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2023)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Islington (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 98% of Year 6 pupils at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 95% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 80% and 78% in Islington and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 87% in reading and 96% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 75 families put St Joseph's Catholic Primary School as their first choice and 152 named it as one of their preferences, for 60 places offered. That is 1.3 first choices for every place. 18 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School are Hargrave Park School (0.3 miles, Good, 79% reading, 84% maths); Brookfield Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 78% reading, 61% maths); Whitehall Park School (0.4 miles, Good, 62% reading, 54% maths); and St Michael's CofE Voluntary Aided Primary School (0.5 miles, Outstanding, 96% reading, 82% maths).
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
Hargrave Park SchoolBrookfield Primary SchoolWhitehall Park SchoolSt Michael's CofE Voluntary Aided Primary School
Who goes there
In 2026, 70 pupils (13.4%) received SEN support and 11 (2.1%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Archway Station, about 570 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
18 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Highgate Hill / Hornsey Lane, 50 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 736 crimes within a mile of the school, most often anti-social behaviour, violence and sexual offences and vehicle crime. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Islington (1744).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Joseph's Catholic Primary School issued 7 suspensions, 1.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School are St Aloysius' College (0.1 miles); City of London Academy, Highgate Hill (0.5 miles); La Sainte Union Catholic Secondary School (0.7 miles); and Acland Burghley School (0.8 miles).
St Aloysius' CollegeCity of London Academy, Highgate HillLa Sainte Union Catholic Secondary SchoolAcland Burghley School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Islington published that the last place for 2025 entry went to a family 2.736 miles away (straight line). The cut-off moves every year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2023 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Joseph's is an outstanding school where children thrive academically and personally. The school combines high expectations with excellent support, ensuring every child - including those with additional needs - achieves highly. Beyond academics, pupils develop into confident, caring individuals who take pride in their school community and actively help others through fundraising and leadership roles.
Key Strengths
- Broad, ambitious curriculum with highly effective teaching that ensures all pupils, including those with SEND, achieve highly and keep up with their peers
- Excellent early reading programme using structured phonics with books closely matched to what children have learned, plus engaging library visits and book events
- Exemplary pupil behaviour and purposeful, calm atmosphere throughout the school with pupils taking on meaningful leadership responsibilities
- Rich enrichment programme including robotics, coding, outdoor learning, sports, music, dance and environmental studies
- Strong early years provision for children aged 2 and upwards with an inviting, nurturing environment that carefully extends children's interests
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Sports clubs, music, dance, environmental studies clubs, robotics and coding, outdoor learning programmes, pupil chaplain roles, librarian responsibilities, digital leader roles, author and illustrator visits, book fairs
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School is an exceptional, nurturing and inclusive school where pupils are enthusiastic, behave exemplarily, and take pride in their learning. The school has maintained its outstanding rating across all areas including quality of education, behaviour, personal development, leadership and early years provision.
At a Glance
33.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 87% to 98% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 95% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 93% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
26.8
Avg class size
25.8
Infant (KS1)
33.1
KS2
16
Total classes
7 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St Joseph's Catholic Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Joseph's Catholic Primary School.
- Let's Leap @ Channing230m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School is a voluntary aided school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Islington's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Joseph's Catholic Primary School is in Islington; for families living there:
Apply to Islington for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 51
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 7
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 51 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 7 serious and 44 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
12 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Islington is 143 (the median across 70 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School
Will you get a place at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Joseph's Catholic Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Joseph's Catholic Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School.
- Last distance offered for 2025 entry, from Islington's own figures, and how your distance compares each year.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Islington got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
101%
Over capacity
423 pupils
420 places
3 pupils over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - London
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for London
Across Islington council
Places available
1,760
Applications
1,683
Got 1st preference
79.4%
Got preferred school
95.8%
All primary applications across Islington council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(4)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
70
SEN Support
11
EHC Plans
15.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
523
Total Pupils
277
Boys
246
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
25
Teachers
20.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,662
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,308
Per pupil
£2864k
Total funding
£214k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.0%
Overall absence
12.1%
Persistent absence
396
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School
Questions parents ask about St Joseph's Catholic Primary School
What are SATs results like at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School?
Of the pupils at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 98% reached the expected standard in reading and 95% did so in maths.
What is St Joseph's Catholic Primary School's Ofsted rating?
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in November 2023.
How close to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School do you need to live?
Islington published for September 2025 entry that the last place offered at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School on distance went to a family 2.736 miles away. This is the authority's own figure for one year, not a fixed boundary - the cut-off moves with the number of applications, so treat it as a guide rather than a guarantee.
Is it hard to get a place at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School?
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School was full in 2025, at 101% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School?
Classes at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School average 26.8 pupils (2025/26). 7 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School?
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School has around 523 pupils on roll. 33% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School?
5% of sessions were missed at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School in 2024/25. 12.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School?
Apply through Islington's coordinated admissions process, naming St Joseph's Catholic Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does St Joseph's Catholic Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of St Joseph's Catholic Primary School: Let's Leap @ Channing (230m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near St Joseph's Catholic Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 51 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 7 serious and 44 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 12 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Islington is 143 (the median across 70 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Joseph's Catholic Primary School?
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School is at Highgate Hill, Highgate, London, N19 5NE.
Sources: Islington admissions booklet; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)