St Joseph's Catholic primary School, a Voluntary Academy, Barnoldswick
St Joseph's Catholic primary School, a Voluntary Academy is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Barnoldswick, part of The Bishop Wheeler Catholic Academy Trust. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 4th-highest of the 7 schools in Barnoldswick with published results, and 7,353rd of 14,452 across England. It was 81% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Lancashire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
St Joseph's Catholic primary School, a Voluntary Academy in detail
Results
In 2025, 67% of Year 6 pupils at St Joseph's Catholic primary School, a Voluntary Academy reached the expected standard in reading and 87% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 74% in Lancashire and 77% and 75% across England.
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, 9 families put St Joseph's Catholic primary School, a Voluntary Academy as their first choice and 34 named it as one of their preferences, for 11 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 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 Gisburn Road Community Primary School (0.2 miles, Good, 83% reading, 71% maths); Coates Lane Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 67% reading, 56% maths); Barnoldswick Church of England Controlled Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 82% reading, 84% maths); and Salterforth Primary School (1.3 miles, Good, 77% reading, 77% maths).
St Joseph's Catholic primary School, a Voluntary Academy's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Gisburn Road Community Primary SchoolCoates Lane Primary SchoolBarnoldswick Church of England Controlled Primary SchoolSalterforth Primary School
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.
Who goes there
10.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 30 pupils (25.2%) received SEN support and 6 (5%) 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 14 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of St Joseph's Catholic primary School, a Voluntary Academy.
15 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Josephs RCPS (by), 50 metres away.
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; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
St Joseph's Catholic primary School, a Voluntary Academy has not been inspected by Ofsted since it took its current form in March 2024. Before that, as St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Barnoldswick (URN 119685), it was rated Good in February 2023.
At a Glance
10.9%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
2024/25 academic year
Class Sizes
23.6
Avg class size
19.0
Infant (KS1)
27.0
KS2
5
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
Term dates
St Joseph's Catholic primary School, a Voluntary Academy is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Lancashire's term dates for its community schools.
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 Lancashire; for families living there:
- Lancashire's school travel policy: school transport policies
- How to apply: Apply for free home to school transport assistance
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 18
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 9
- Children hurt
- 6
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 18 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 9 serious and 9 slight.
6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise.
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 Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 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
Your home postcode, set against St Joseph's Catholic primary School, a Voluntary Academy's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
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 Lancashire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Joseph's Catholic primary School, a Voluntary Academy for 2024 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Lancashire 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
81%
Available places
113 pupils
140 places
27 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Barnoldswick
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Barnoldswick
Across Lancashire council
Places available
15,442
Applications
12,122
Got 1st preference
91.3%
Got preferred school
98.3%
All primary applications across Lancashire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
30
SEN Support
6
EHC Plans
30.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
119
Total Pupils
67
Boys
52
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
8
Teachers
14.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,713
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,734
Per pupil
£733k
Total funding
£20k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.0%
Overall absence
4.9%
Persistent absence
103
Enrolments
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, 67% reached the expected standard in reading and 87% 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 not been inspected by Ofsted since it took its current form in March 2024. Before that, as St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Barnoldswick (URN 119685), it was rated Good in February 2023.
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, Lancashire 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 81% of its 140 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 23.6 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 119 pupils on roll. 11% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Joseph's Catholic primary School, a Voluntary Academy?
4% of sessions were missed at St Joseph's Catholic primary School, a Voluntary Academy in 2024/25. 4.9% 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 Lancashire'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 18 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 9 serious and 9 slight. 6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise. 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 Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 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 West Close Road, Barnoldswick, Lancashire, BB18 5EN.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)