St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle, Preston
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Preston. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in February 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 9th-highest of the 106 schools in Preston with published results, and 814th of 14,452 across England. It was 84% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Lancashire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle in detail
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "At St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, through an open and generous heart, we learn together as a family in faith, following the Gospel values of love. Welcome to St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School. We are a small, friendly and faith‑filled community in the village of Brindle, Hoghton-close to Bamber Bridge and within easy reach of Preston, Blackburn and Chorley."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, hockey, athletics, gymnastics, basketball, dance, drama, choir, coding and forest school.
The school runs a breakfast club.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 93% of Year 6 pupils at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle reached the expected standard in reading and 93% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 74% in Lancashire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 73% in reading and 73% 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, Brindle
For September 2026 entry, 11 families put St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle as their first choice and 36 named it as one of their preferences, for 11 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, Brindle
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle are Brindle Gregson Lane Primary School (under 0.1 miles); Coupe Green Primary School (0.9 miles, Good, 63% reading, 63% maths); Higher Walton Church of England Primary School (1 mile, Requires improvement, 82% reading, 71% maths); and Brindle St James' Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School (1.4 miles, Good, 92% reading, 100% maths).
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
Brindle Gregson Lane Primary SchoolCoupe Green Primary SchoolHigher Walton Church of England Primary SchoolBrindle St James' Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
What parents say
31 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle (as of September 2025): 55% would recommend the school, 90% say their child is happy there and 54% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (90%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (54%).
Who goes there
1.2% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 13 pupils (15.7%) received SEN support and 1 (1.2%) 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 railway station is Bamber Bridge Rail Station, about 1.7 miles away in a straight line.
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Brindle St Josephs RCPS (by), 60 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 11 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, burglary and criminal damage and arson. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Lancashire (109).
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle issued 3 suspensions, 3.4 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, Brindle are Walton-Le-Dale High School (1.6 miles) and Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School (1.8 miles).
Walton-Le-Dale High SchoolBrownedge St Mary's Catholic High School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; 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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from October 2015, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's February 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This is a caring 'small and mighty' school where children feel safe and learn well. Pupils develop strong reading skills early on and receive excellent support if they need extra help. The school goes beyond academics to develop confident, kind young people who understand the importance of helping others and making a positive difference in their community.
Key Strengths
- Exceptional pupil behaviour and kindness - pupils are well-mannered and kind to each other
- Strong focus on early reading and phonics - most pupils read fluently by end of Year 2
- Excellent support for pupils with SEND - barriers to learning are identified early and addressed quickly
- Ambitious, coherent curriculum with clear knowledge and skills progression
- Rich enrichment opportunities including eco-council, school council roles, and community projects like supporting local allotments
Areas for Improvement
- Some disadvantaged pupils are not receiving timely enough support to keep up with peers in early reading and mathematics
- Need to ensure disadvantaged pupils achieve as well as their peers across all subjects
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with school creating an open and positive culture around pupil safety.
Extracurricular Activities
Eco-council, school council, ambassador roles, community allotment projects
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle is a small primary school where pupils thoroughly enjoy learning together in a safe environment with high expectations. The school has maintained the standards from its previous good rating and continues to provide effective education.
At a Glance
21.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
31 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 improved from 73% to 93% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 73% to 93% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 80% to 87% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
27.7
Avg class size
3
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, Brindle
Term dates
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle is a voluntary aided school, 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
Check free transport to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle 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
- 1
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 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, Brindle
Will you get a place at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle:
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- 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, Brindle for 2014 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
84%
Available places
88 pupils
105 places
17 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Preston
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Preston
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
Inspection History(9)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
13
SEN Support
1
EHC Plans
16.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
83
Total Pupils
49
Boys
34
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
5
Teachers
16.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,606
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,094
Per pupil
£593k
Total funding
£24k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.2%
Overall absence
11.7%
Persistent absence
77
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, Brindle
Questions parents ask about St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle
What are SATs results like at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle?
Of the pupils at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 93% reached the expected standard in reading and 93% did so in maths.
What is St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle's Ofsted rating?
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle's most recent Ofsted inspection, in February 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2015, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle?
No fixed boundary. When St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle 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, Brindle?
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle was not full in 2025: it ran at 84% of its 105 places.
How big are the classes at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle?
Classes at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle average 27.7 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has 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, Brindle?
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle has around 83 pupils on roll. 22% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle?
4.2% of sessions were missed at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle in 2024/25. 11.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle?
Apply through Lancashire's coordinated admissions process, naming St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle 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, Brindle?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 1 road collision in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 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, Brindle?
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Brindle is at Bournes Row, Gregson Lane, Preston, Lancashire, PR5 0DQ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)