St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole, Poole
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Poole, part of Plymouth Cast. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2022. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 11th-highest of the 18 schools in Poole with published results, and 8,950th of 14,452 across England. It was 94% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2022)
- 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 Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole in detail
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole in its own words
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, cricket, tennis, athletics, choir and Lego.
The school runs a breakfast club from 7:45am and after-school care.
Coming up: an open day on Monday 9 November 2026 at 9.15am. Check the school's website before you go, as dates can change.
All school open days in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)Open days on the school's site (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 76% of Year 6 pupils at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole reached the expected standard in reading and 71% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 75% in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole; and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 64% in reading and 74% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole
For September 2026 entry, 32 families put St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole as their first choice and 80 named it as one of their preferences, for 32 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, Poole
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole are Heatherlands Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 74% reading, 69% maths); Manorside Academy (0.6 miles, Outstanding, 67% reading, 71% maths); Bishop Aldhelm's Church of England Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 79% reading, 79% maths); and Talbot Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 80% reading, 84% maths).
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
Heatherlands Primary SchoolManorside AcademyBishop Aldhelm's Church of England Primary SchoolTalbot Primary School
The trust
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole is one of 34 schools run by Plymouth Cast, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 51% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
Who goes there
40.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (42%), Asian (15%) and Mixed (9%).
In 2026, 52 pupils (14.1%) received SEN support and 23 (6.2%) 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 Branksome Rail Station, about 0.7 miles away in a straight line.
16 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Northmere Road (sw-bound), 130 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole issued 6 suspensions, 1.5 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, Poole are St Aldhelm's Academy (0.5 miles), The Bourne Academy (1.6 miles) and Oak Academy (1.7 miles).
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; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its October 2022 inspection.
Rated Good for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management.
Areas Ofsted flagged
Early years (Requires Improvement).
At a Glance
25.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 64% to 76% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 71% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 72% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
26.4
Avg class size
22.5
Infant (KS1)
29.4
KS2
14
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, Poole
Before and after school care
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole 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 Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Term dates
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole is an academy, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole is in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole; for families living there:
- Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole's school travel policy: Home to school transport policy
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 24
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 24 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 19 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise.
5 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 Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is 24 (the median across 117 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, Poole
Will you get a place at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole.
- Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole publishes last distance offered figures, but none for St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole for 2015 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole 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
94%
Near capacity
393 pupils
420 places
27 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Poole
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Poole
Across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council
Places available
3,809
Applications
3,148
Got 1st preference
92.2%
Got preferred school
99.3%
All primary applications across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
52
SEN Support
23
EHC Plans
20.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
370
Total Pupils
211
Boys
159
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
23
Teachers
16.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£47,312
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,330
Per pupil
£2270k
Total funding
£106k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.4%
Overall absence
16.0%
Persistent absence
363
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, Poole
Questions parents ask about St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole
What are SATs results like at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole?
Of the pupils at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 76% reached the expected standard in reading and 71% did so in maths.
What is St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole's Ofsted rating?
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole was rated Good at its most recent Ofsted inspection in October 2022.
What is the catchment area for St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole?
No fixed boundary. When St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole is oversubscribed, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole 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, Poole?
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole was not full in 2025: it ran at 94% of its 420 places.
How big are the classes at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole?
Classes at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole average 26.4 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, Poole?
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole has around 370 pupils on roll. 25% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole?
6.4% of sessions were missed at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole in 2024/25. 16% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole?
Apply through Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole's coordinated admissions process, naming St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole 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, Poole have a breakfast club or after-school club?
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole 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, Poole?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 24 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 19 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 2 on a bicycle and 2 in a vehicle or otherwise. 5 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 Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is 24 (the median across 117 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole?
St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole is at Sancreed Road, Parkstone, Poole, Dorset, BH12 4DZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)