St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Leigh, Leigh

Ofsted's report card from its 24 March 2026 inspection grades St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Leigh on 7 areas: 7 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils make sound progress from their starting points."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Most pupils attend school regularly."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders hold an accurate view of what the curriculum looks like and how it is taught."

Early years - Expected standard. "Children get off to a positive start in the early years."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders want all pupils to feel included in the St Joseph's school family."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Leaders have an accurate understanding of the school's current effectiveness."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Pupils are proud to belong to the St Joseph's school family."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure pupils' writing skills develop further so that pupils can consistently achieve well, including at the end of key stage 2"; "Leaders should make sure that all aspects of their monitoring give them the most useful and precise information about curriculum and teaching to further increase consistency across the school".

In 2025, 87% of Year 6 pupils at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Leigh reached the expected standard in reading and 94% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 79% in Wigan and 77% and 75% across England.

Results were similar in 2024 (90% in reading, 94% in maths).

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 31 families put St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Leigh as their first choice and 75 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is slightly more first choices than places. 3 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state primary schools to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Leigh are St Thomas' CofE Primary School, Leigh (0.3 miles, Good, 70% reading, 69% maths); Christ Church CofE Primary School, Pennington (0.4 miles, Good, 73% reading, 63% maths); Leigh CofE Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 74% reading, 67% maths); and Leigh St Mary's CofE Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 70% reading, 60% maths).

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Leigh's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.

53 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Leigh (as of April 2026): 62% would recommend the school, 66% say their child is happy there and 15% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (72%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (15%).

In 2026, 51 pupils (25%) received SEN support and 10 (4.9%) 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 a moderate learning difficulty.

The nearest railway station is Atherton Rail Station, about 2.7 miles away in a straight line.

14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St Joseph's Church (by), 50 metres away.

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Leigh recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.

The secondary schools closest to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Leigh are Bedford High School (0.8 miles) and St Mary's Catholic High School (1.8 miles).