St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester, Manchester
St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Manchester. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 117th-highest of the 258 schools in Manchester with published results, and 7,614th of 14,452 across England. It was 96% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
- 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 Manchester (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester in detail
St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester in its own words
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include cricket, karate, dance, sewing and cheerleading.
The school runs after-school care.
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 73% of Year 6 pupils at St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester reached the expected standard in reading and 80% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 74% in Manchester and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 65% in reading and 68% 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 RC Primary School Manchester
For September 2026 entry, 18 families put St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester as their first choice and 69 named it as one of their preferences, for 18 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 RC Primary School Manchester
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester are St John's CofE Primary School (0.2 miles, Good, 73% reading, 83% maths); Plymouth Grove Primary School (0.2 miles, Good, 75% reading, 80% maths); St Luke's CofE Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 60% reading, 68% maths); and St Chrysostom's CofE Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 85% reading, 89% maths).
St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
St John's CofE Primary SchoolPlymouth Grove Primary SchoolSt Luke's CofE Primary SchoolSt Chrysostom's CofE Primary School
What parents say
15 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester (as of September 2025): 80% would recommend the school, 87% say their child is happy there and 0% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school has high expectations for their child (87%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (0%).
Who goes there
61.6% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (42%), Black (17%) and White British (16%).
In 2026, 31 pupils (14.2%) received SEN support and 14 (6.4%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Ardwick Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Richmond Grove (opposite), 50 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester issued 6 suspensions, 2.6 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 RC Primary School Manchester are Dean Trust Ardwick (0.2 miles), St Peter's RC High School (0.7 miles), Co-op Academy Belle Vue (0.9 miles) and Manchester Academy (1.1 miles).
Dean Trust ArdwickSt Peter's RC High SchoolCo-op Academy Belle VueManchester Academy
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 June 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 November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Joseph's is a welcoming school where children thrive academically and personally. The school's motto 'to be the best that you can be' shapes everything it does, from teaching a well-designed curriculum to providing enriching experiences like theatre visits and water sports. Staff are well-supported and confident, which means your child will be taught by teachers who enjoy their work and care deeply about your child's success.
Key Strengths
- Pupils are polite, confident and have strong relationships with staff and each other
- Curriculum has been improved with clear content and consistent delivery across all year groups
- Reading is prioritised with effective phonics teaching and extra support for struggling readers
- Excellent provision for wider development including visits to theatres, museums and places of worship
- Strong support for pupils with SEND, helping them feel included and achieve well
Areas for Improvement
- Some subjects lack sufficient opportunities for pupils to recap and recall previous learning over time
- Year 6 2024 outcomes do not yet reflect the improvements being made in current pupils' learning
- Attendance remains a concern for a small number of pupils, though the school is taking action
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective and the school creates an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Theatre visits, museum visits, places of worship visits, water sports, after-school activities, school council, restorative champions programme, charity fundraising activities
St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester has maintained the standards from its previous good rating. Pupils enjoy school, achieve well, and benefit from a strong curriculum and personal development programme.
At a Glance
29.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
15 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 73% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 68% to 80% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 58% to 77% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
27.4
Avg class size
27.0
Infant (KS1)
27.5
KS2
8
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester.
- LSC @ St Chrysostom's Primary800m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester is in Manchester; for families living there:
Apply to Manchester for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 36
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 18
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 36 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 18 serious and 17 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot.
6 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 Manchester is 22 (the median across 222 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 RC Primary School Manchester
Will you get a place at St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Manchester, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Manchester 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
96%
Near capacity
202 pupils
210 places
8 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Manchester
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Manchester
Across Manchester council
Places available
7,530
Applications
5,736
Got 1st preference
95.0%
Got preferred school
99.1%
All primary applications across Manchester council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
31
SEN Support
14
EHC Plans
20.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
219
Total Pupils
100
Boys
119
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
11
Teachers
19.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£57,713
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,190
Per pupil
£1412k
Total funding
£82k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.8%
Overall absence
18.7%
Persistent absence
182
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 RC Primary School Manchester
Questions parents ask about St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester
What are SATs results like at St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester?
Of the pupils at St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 73% reached the expected standard in reading and 80% did so in maths.
What is St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester's Ofsted rating?
St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2015, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester?
No fixed boundary. When St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester is oversubscribed, Manchester allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester?
St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester was close to full in 2025, at 96% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester?
Classes at St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester average 27.4 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester?
St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester has around 219 pupils on roll. 29% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester?
6.8% of sessions were missed at St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester in 2024/25. 18.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester?
Apply through Manchester's coordinated admissions process, naming St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester 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 RC Primary School Manchester have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester: LSC @ St Chrysostom's Primary (800m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 36 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 18 serious and 17 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot. 6 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 Manchester is 22 (the median across 222 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester?
St Joseph's RC Primary School Manchester is at Richmond Grove, Longsight, Manchester, M13 0BT.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)