St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate, Durham
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Durham, part of Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the highest of the 43 schools in Durham with published results, and 1st of 14,452 across England. It was 46% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to County Durham (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate in detail
Results
In 2025, 100% of Year 6 pupils at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate reached the expected standard in reading and 100% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 74% in County Durham and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 65% in reading and 50% 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, Gilesgate
For September 2026 entry, 6 families put St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate as their first choice and 14 named it as one of their preferences, for 6 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, Gilesgate
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate are St Hild's College Church of England Primary School, Durham (under 0.1 miles); Laurel Avenue Community Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 80% reading, 70% maths); Durham Gilesgate Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 58% reading, 58% maths); and Belmont CofE (Controlled) Primary School (0.9 miles, Good, 82% reading, 89% maths).
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.
St Hild's College Church of England Primary School, DurhamLaurel Avenue Community Primary SchoolDurham Gilesgate Primary SchoolBelmont CofE (Controlled) Primary School
The trust
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate is one of 47 schools run by Bishop Wilkinson Catholic Education Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 69% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
What parents say
17 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate (as of September 2025): 82% would recommend the school, 82% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that they are kept well informed about progress (77%).
Who goes there
32.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (57%), Black (9%) and Chinese (7%).
In 2026, 15 pupils (17.4%) received SEN support and 6 (7%) 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.
Staffing
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate had 8 teachers in 2026, one for every 9 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Durham Rail Station, about 1.4 miles away in a straight line.
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Hare and Hounds Veterinary Centre (w-bound), 120 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 174 crimes within a mile of the school, most often shoplifting, violence and sexual offences and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in County Durham (84), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate are Belmont Community School (0.8 miles); and St Leonard's Catholic School, Durham (1.6 miles).
Belmont Community SchoolSt Leonard's Catholic School, Durham
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, Gilesgate has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in September 2021. Before that, as St Joseph's Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School, Durham (URN 114273), it was rated Good in September 2013.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's January 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Joseph's creates a welcoming, inclusive environment where all children feel safe and are treated with equal respect. The school teaches phonics very effectively and has worked hard to improve teaching across all subjects through staff training and a well-planned curriculum. Pupils develop confidence in learning and also gain practical life skills through community visits, online safety education, and lessons about healthy relationships.
Key Strengths
- Highly inclusive culture where all pupils are treated equally and feel safe
- Very effective teaching of phonics with particularly strong progress for disadvantaged pupils
- Well-designed curriculum sequences from Nursery through Year 6 with high-quality texts reflecting diverse cultures
- Strong support for pupils with SEND through therapeutic approach and tailored provision
- Excellent preparation for life beyond school through educational visits, online safety teaching, and healthy relationships education
Areas for Improvement
- Some lessons do not sufficiently adapt curriculum delivery to meet all pupils' needs, causing some to disengage or struggle with tasks that are too challenging
- Curriculum delivery sometimes requires pupils to listen for long periods, affecting concentration
- Attendance is declining, particularly among disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND
- Some published outcomes in mathematics remain significantly below national expectations
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Violin lessons, after-school clubs, equalities ambassador roles, educational visits including mosque visits and residential activities, community fundraising
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate has maintained good standards and taken effective action since its previous inspection. The school has created an ambitious, coherent curriculum across all subjects with improving pupil achievement, particularly in phonics and writing.
At a Glance
24.4%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
17 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 65% to 100% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 50% to 100% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 75% to 100% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
13.4
Avg class size
6.0
Infant (KS1)
26.0
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, Gilesgate
Before and after school care
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in County Durham
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate is in County Durham; for families living there:
- County Durham's school travel policy: School transport policies and strategies
- How to apply: Apply for free home to school travel
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 22
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 8
- Children hurt
- 6
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 22 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 8 serious and 13 slight.
6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
4 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 County Durham is 5 (the median across 280 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, Gilesgate
Will you get a place at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from County Durham, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate for 2022 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in County Durham 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
46%
Available places
72 pupils
157 places
85 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Durham
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Durham
Across County Durham council
Places available
6,581
Applications
4,409
Got 1st preference
97.3%
Got preferred school
99.4%
All primary applications across County Durham 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
15
SEN Support
6
EHC Plans
24.4%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
86
Total Pupils
37
Boys
49
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
8
Teachers
10.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£59,955
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,804
Per pupil
£620k
Total funding
£32k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.7%
Overall absence
22.7%
Persistent absence
75
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, Gilesgate
Questions parents ask about St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate
What are SATs results like at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate?
Of the pupils at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 100% reached the expected standard in reading and 100% did so in maths.
What is St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate's Ofsted rating?
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate has had no graded Ofsted inspection since it took its current form in September 2021. Before that, as St Joseph's Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School, Durham (URN 114273), it was rated Good in September 2013.
What is the catchment area for St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate?
No fixed boundary. When St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate is oversubscribed, County Durham 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, Gilesgate?
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate was not full in 2025: it ran at 46% of its 157 places.
How big are the classes at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate?
Classes at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate average 13.4 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate?
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate has around 86 pupils on roll. 24% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate?
6.7% of sessions were missed at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate in 2024/25. 22.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate?
Apply through County Durham's coordinated admissions process, naming St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate 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.
Does St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate have a breakfast club or after-school club?
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school.
How many road collisions happen near St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 22 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 8 serious and 13 slight. 6 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 4 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 County Durham is 5 (the median across 280 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate?
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Gilesgate is at Mill Lane, Gilesgate, Durham, DH1 2JQ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)