St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy, Sale

Primary
Academy converter
Mixed
Catholic
Ages 311

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~413m)Possible (~590m)Unlikely (~767m)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr Damian Arthur
Pupils:437 / 420 capacity
LA:Trafford
Phone:01619734938
Address:Marlborough Road, Sale, M33 3AF
Trust:CORPUS CHRISTI CATHOLIC ACADEMY TRUST
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open
Opened:1 September 2023

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 1 year ago
-

Overall

Outstanding

Quality of Education

Outstanding

Behaviour & Attitudes

Outstanding

Personal Development

Outstanding

Leadership & Management

Outstanding

Early Years

Inspected 7 May 2025View full report
URN:149875
UKPRN:10092574
Diocese:Diocese of Shrewsbury
Constituency:Wythenshawe and Sale East
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

St Joseph's is a warm, welcoming school where children thrive academically and personally. The school excels at teaching reading and writing from the early years, and ensures that all pupils - including those with additional needs - receive high-quality education tailored to their individual needs. Every child benefits from a rich curriculum enhanced by visits to cultural venues, visiting speakers, and community service opportunities that broaden their horizons and aspirations.

Key Strengths

  • Carefully designed curriculum that helps pupils connect learning deeply across subjects and understand complex concepts
  • Highly effective phonics teaching and early reading support, with almost all pupils reading fluently by end of Year 2
  • Pupils with SEND are swiftly identified and receive high-quality education adapted to their needs
  • Exceptional range of enrichment opportunities including visits to galleries, concert halls and science museums
  • Outstanding behaviour and attitudes, with pupils demonstrating politeness, confidence and a strong sense of right and wrong

Safeguarding

Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with leaders creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.

Extracurricular Activities

Irish dancing, Gaelic football, school band, visits to art galleries and concert halls, science museum trips, sporting events

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School is an outstanding school where pupils thrive in a nurturing, family atmosphere and are exceptionally well prepared for secondary school. The school has received outstanding grades across all key judgements including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management.

At a Glance

5.0%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

What Parents Think

156 responses
Would recommend89%
Child is happy94%
Well taught92%
Good progress88%
Feels safe96%
Well behaved89%
Bullying dealt with12%
Kept informed90%
Handles concerns58%
Wider development86%

Source: Ofsted Parent View - % who strongly agree or agree

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading-3ppMaths-1ppWriting+8pp

Reading has remained stable at around 90%. Maths has remained stable at around 92%. Writing has improved from 82% to 90%.

Class Sizes

28.5

Avg class size

27.5

Infant (KS1)

29.7

KS2

11

Total classes

1 class with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Tube / Metro / Tram

Sale (Manchester Metrolink) (To Altrincham)
216m · 4 min walk
Brooklands (Manchester Metrolink) (Entrance)
707m · 11 min walk

Bus Stops

Sibson Road (opp)
217m · 4 min walk
Wardle Road (nr)
260m · 4 min walk
Sale Metrolink Stop (Stop G)
265m · 4 min walk
School Road (nr)
269m · 4 min walk
Friars Court (o/s)
325m · 5 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

104%

Over capacity

437 pupils

420 capacity

17 places over capacity

Area Demand Pressure - Sale

High pressure
New homes approved:844
Projected new pupils:211

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for Sale

Admissions Demand - Trafford

Low demand0.81x oversubscription

Places available

3,030

Applications

2,467

Got 1st preference

95.1%

Got preferred school

99.6%

Primary admissions across Trafford (2025/26)

Inspection History

7 May 2025
Quality of EducationOutstanding
Behaviour & AttitudesOutstanding
Personal DevelopmentOutstanding
Leadership & ManagementOutstanding
Early YearsOutstanding

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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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.

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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.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

3.31076%

Overall absence

4.63215%

Persistent absence

367

Enrolments

Authorised2.62074%
Unauthorised0.69003%
Persistent (10%+)4.63215%
Severe (50%+)0.27248%

Absence trend

3.36079%
23/24
3.31076%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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