St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy, Tadcaster
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Tadcaster, part of The Bishop Wheeler Catholic Academy Trust. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 5th-highest of the 5 schools in Tadcaster with published results, and 13,886th of 14,452 across England. It was 60% 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 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to North Yorkshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy in detail
Results
In 2025, 78% of Year 6 pupils at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 22% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 73% in North Yorkshire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 80% in reading and 60% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
For September 2026 entry, 13 families put St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy as their first choice and 40 named it as one of their preferences, for 13 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 Riverside School, Tadcaster (0.1 miles, Good, 82% reading, 70% maths); Tadcaster Primary Academy (0.6 miles, Good, 100% reading, 86% maths); St Mary's Church of England Controlled Primary School Boston Spa (3.4 miles, Requires improvement, 88% reading, 88% maths); and Lady Elizabeth Hastings' CofE VA Primary School, Thorp Arch (3.5 miles, Good, 73% reading, 67% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy.
Riverside School, TadcasterTadcaster Primary AcademySt Mary's Church of England Controlled Primary School Boston SpaLady Elizabeth Hastings' CofE VA Primary School, Thorp Arch
The trust
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy is one of 16 schools run by The Bishop Wheeler Catholic Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 67% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
28 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy (as of September 2025): 89% would recommend the school, 96% say their child is happy there and 75% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (96%); the weakest, that they are kept well informed about progress (75%).
Who goes there
5.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 19 pupils (21.8%) received SEN support and 3 (3.4%) 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.
Staffing
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy had 8 teachers in 2026, one for every 8 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Ulleskelf Rail Station, about 3.1 miles away in a straight line.
10 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Commer House (ne-bound), 80 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 47 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and vehicle crime. That is well above the typical figure around schools in North Yorkshire (9), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
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; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; 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 · 2 years agoOverall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in February 2022. Before that, as St Josephs Catholic Primary School (URN 121641), it was rated Good in September 2012.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's January 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Joseph's creates a caring, supportive environment where pupils are motivated to do well and confident to seek help from trusted adults. The school excels at identifying and supporting children with additional needs, ensuring they learn alongside their peers. With a strong focus on reading and a well-planned curriculum, most pupils achieve well and leave primary school well-prepared for secondary education.
Key Strengths
- Reading is prioritized with daily phonics lessons and additional support, helping most pupils read with fluency and confidence by Year 2
- Pupils with SEND and additional needs are quickly identified and well-supported to access learning alongside peers
- Early years staff provide a calm, nurturing environment and develop children's fine and gross motor skills effectively
- The school has mapped out carefully what pupils need to learn in each subject from early years to Year 6
- Strong behaviour approach using rewards has had a positive impact on pupil conduct throughout school
Areas for Improvement
- Staff do not consistently check pupils' understanding of key knowledge before moving on to new learning, which means some pupils struggle with new tasks
- Assessment practices could be more precise in checking whether prior knowledge is secure before progression
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective with leaders creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Gymnastics, drama club, residential trips, Playground Leaders programme, local library visits
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School is a smaller-than-average primary school in Tadcaster that has maintained good standards since its previous inspection. Pupils are motivated, well-behaved, and supported effectively to achieve well by the end of Year 6.
At a Glance
25.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
28 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 78% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 60% to 22% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 80% to 67% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
18.5
Avg class size
16.5
KS2
4
Total classes
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
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 North Yorkshire; for families living there:
Apply to North Yorkshire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 11
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 6
- Children hurt
- 1
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 11 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 5 slight.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
3 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 North Yorkshire is 3 (the median across 382 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, a Voluntary Academy
Will you get a place at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy? Get the admissions report
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What the report includes for St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from North Yorkshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy for 2022 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in North Yorkshire 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
60%
Available places
63 pupils
105 places
42 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Tadcaster
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Tadcaster
Across North Yorkshire council
Places available
7,127
Applications
5,052
Got 1st preference
95.6%
Got preferred school
98.8%
All primary applications across North Yorkshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History
Ungraded inspection: Standards have been maintained.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
19
SEN Support
3
EHC Plans
25.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
87
Total Pupils
39
Boys
48
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
8
Teachers
10.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,343
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,102
Per pupil
£524k
Total funding
£35k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.0%
Overall absence
16.7%
Persistent absence
60
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, 78% reached the expected standard in reading and 22% 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 February 2022. Before that, as St Josephs Catholic Primary School (URN 121641), it was rated Good in September 2012.
What is the catchment area for St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
No fixed boundary. When St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy is oversubscribed, North Yorkshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
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 not full in 2025: it ran at 60% of its 105 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 18.5 pupils (2025/26).
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 87 pupils on roll. 25% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
6% of sessions were missed at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy in 2024/25. 16.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
Apply through North Yorkshire's coordinated admissions process, naming St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy 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.
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 11 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 6 serious and 5 slight. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 3 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 North Yorkshire is 3 (the median across 382 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 Station Road, Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, LS24 9JG.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)