St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy, Bradford
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Bradford, part of Blessed Christopher Wharton Catholic Academy Trust. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 75th-highest of the 110 schools in Bradford with published results, and 11,625th of 14,452 across England. It was 98% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 75 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Bradford (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 1 Nov 2026
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy in detail
Results
In 2025, 65% of Year 6 pupils at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 67% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 73% in Bradford and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (67% in reading, 70% in maths).
Getting a place at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy
For September 2026 entry, 41 families put St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy as their first choice and 59 named it as one of their preferences, for 41 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy are Dixons Music Primary (0.2 miles, Outstanding, 80% reading, 72% maths); All Saints CofE Primary School (0.3 miles, 82% reading, 81% maths); Newby Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 72% reading, 89% maths); and St Stephen's CofE Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 67% reading, 60% maths).
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Dixons Music PrimaryAll Saints CofE Primary SchoolNewby Primary SchoolSt Stephen's CofE Primary School
The trust
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy is one of 19 schools run by Blessed Christopher Wharton Catholic Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 62% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
All 19 schools in Blessed Christopher Wharton Catholic Academy Trust
Who goes there
56.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Black (39%), Asian (14%) and White British (12%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bradford Interchange Rail Station, about 1050 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).
21 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Bowling Old Lane, 90 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 1210 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and drug offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Bradford (404), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy issued 25 suspensions, 7.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy are Dixons City Academy (0.2 miles), Dixons Trinity Academy (0.2 miles), Dixons McMillan Academy (0.4 miles) and Bronte Girls' Academy (0.6 miles).
Dixons City AcademyDixons Trinity AcademyDixons McMillan AcademyBronte Girls' Academy
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; 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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in November 2020. Before that, as St Joseph's Catholic Primary School (URN 107327), it was rated Good in June 2018.
Ofsted's report, in its own words
What is it like to attend this school?
This school celebrates the culture and heritage of all its pupils. Behaviour is good. Pupils are taught to respect and understand the views and beliefs of others. Pupils show positive attitudes to learning inside the classroom and always listen well. They are polite, friendly and engaging. They are respectful and talk confidently to adults using appropriate humour.
Pupils live by the school virtues and know how they are helping them to develop their character. By 'living mercifully and living bravely', they know that they must learn to 'forgive, be peacekeepers, show resilience and determination', while also being compassionate towards others. Pupils are happy to attend and they feel safe. They are taught how to keep themselves healthy, both physically and mentally, and know how to protect themselves online. Pupils say that bullying does not happen at the school because leaders would not tolerate this.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
Leaders have designed a curriculum that helps pupils to develop a detailed understanding of subject content from the early years. Content choices have been carefully selected to celebrate the culture of pupils at the school. The curriculum is relatable and engaging. Leaders have clearly set out what they expect pupils to know by the end of each year. They make sure that learning is revisited so that pupils can remember the most important knowledge.
Pupils 'come alive' when they talk about reading. They speak passionately about the books they enjoy and the work of different authors. Recent changes, brought about by leaders, have been positive. Teaching children to read is now a priority and starts as soon as pupils enter school in the early years. Staff have benefited from recent training that enables them to deliver the phonics programme well. Consistent approaches to teaching help to build pupils' fluency when reading. However, some pupils find it difficult to read words without breaking the sounds down even when they are capable of reading with confidence. This prevents them from developing their fluency when reading.
From Ofsted's June 2023 ungraded inspection report: the opening paragraphs of each section, quoted word for word. Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
At a Glance
31.6%
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 remained stable at around 65% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 67% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 70% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
20.1
Avg class size
24.0
Infant (KS1)
24.4
KS2
16
Total classes
1 class 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, A Voluntary Academy
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy.
- First Kick Football310m away · Not yet graded
- Inspire Me Academy420m away · Not yet graded
- Inspiring Learners690m away · Not yet graded
Nurseries
The nearest nurseries and pre-schools to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy, with their latest published grades:
- Park Lane Pre - School - Pre-school, under 0.1 milesOfsted, 11 September 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Melbourne Nursery Ltd - Day nursery, 0.3 milesOfsted, 9 May 2025: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- The Light of The World Community Centre Ltd - Day nursery, 0.3 milesOfsted report card, 14 January 2026: Expected standard in 6 areas; safeguarding standards met
- Russell Street Private Day Nursery - Day nursery, 0.3 milesOfsted, 12 June 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Little Horton Nursery Ltd - Day nursery, 0.5 milesOfsted, 22 October 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
You apply to the council where you live. St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy is in Bradford; for families living there:
- Bradford's school travel policy: Home to school travel and transport policy for children of compulsory school age
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 57
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 13
- Children hurt
- 14
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 57 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 13 serious and 43 slight.
14 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 10 on foot and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise.
21 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 Bradford is 30 (the median across 233 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight are DfT estimates (severity adjustment). 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, A Voluntary Academy
Will you get a place at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy?
For 2026 entry it had 41 first choices for 41 places. The report sets your home postcode against these figures.
£9.99 once (inc. VAT; £19.99 for up to three schools), or Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time. What's in the report
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
98%
Near capacity
309 pupils
315 places
6 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Across Bradford council
Places available
7,475
Applications
6,301
Got 1st preference
92.3%
Got preferred school
98.6%
All primary applications across Bradford council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Future places in the local planning area
DfE estimates the BD5 Inner planning area (Bradford) will have 359 spare primary places in 2027/28.
Source: Department for Education, School capacity: Academic year 2024/25 (published 19 March 2026), estimates of future school place demand by planning area. Council pupil forecasts against reported places, counting places councils and DfE plan to add or remove; rounded to whole places. Explore Education Statistics
Inspection History
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
59
SEN Support
16
EHC Plans
21.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
342
Total Pupils
180
Boys
162
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
18
Teachers
19.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,803
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,934
Per pupil
£2055k
Total funding
£152k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.8%
Overall absence
12.0%
Persistent absence
283
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, A Voluntary Academy
Questions parents ask about St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy
What are SATs results like at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy?
Of the pupils at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 65% reached the expected standard in reading and 67% did so in maths.
What is St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy's Ofsted rating?
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in November 2020. Before that, as St Joseph's Catholic Primary School (URN 107327), it was rated Good in June 2018.
Is it hard to get a place at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy?
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy was close to full in 2025, at 98% of its 315 places.
How big are the classes at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy?
Classes at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy average 20.1 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils.
How many pupils go to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy?
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy has around 342 pupils on roll. 32% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy?
4.8% of sessions were missed at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy in 2024/25. 12% of pupils were persistently absent.
Does St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists 3 out-of-school clubs within a kilometre of St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy: First Kick Football (310m away, registered, not yet graded), Inspire Me Academy (420m away, registered, not yet graded) and Inspiring Learners (690m away, registered, not yet graded).
How many road collisions happen near St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 57 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 13 serious and 43 slight. 14 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 10 on foot and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise. 21 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 Bradford is 30 (the median across 233 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy?
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy is at Park Lane, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD5 0RB.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)