St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Christchurch

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole · BH23 3DA

General information Primary School · 5-11 years Who goes here 199 pupils, 31.7% FSM

Parent score Rate this school No reviews yet - be the first SEN 20.6% on SEN support Behaviour 7.1% absence rate Staff 11.7% turnover Financials £7,311 per pupil Environment Buildings and facilities

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St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Christchurch

General Information

Address: Dorset Road, Somerford, Christchurch, BH23 3DA – View on map
Phone: 01202485976
Website: Visit school website
Headteacher: Mr Peter Doherty
Age range: 5-11 years
Demand for places (Reception, September 2026): 21 families put it first for 22 places – 10 for every 10 places. Every one of them was offered a place. No places went to families living outside the council area. Children putting it first, for every 10 places: 2023 9 · 2024 10 · 2025 11 · 2026 10
Sixth form: No
Intake: Mixed
Religious character: Roman Catholic
Nursery provision: No

Who goes here

199 pupils out of 218 places

Pupils eligible for free school meals: 63
% eligible for free school meals: 31.7%
Pupil mix: 2 in 10 (less mixed than the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole average)
English as an additional language: 7% (England 22%)

Staff

Teachers leaving each year

Teacher turnover: 11.7% a year (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole 15.3%, typical in England 13.9%)
Where they went: about 28% moved to another school, 72% left state schools altogether (retirement, other careers, independent schools, abroad)
Data years: 2022/23 to 2024/25 (average of 3 years, DfE school workforce census)

Teachers who moved school or left state schools in the year after each November, as a share of all the school's teachers. Some turnover is healthy – retirements, promotions, moving house.

Behaviour

Awaiting Data

About this Behaviour status

We've asked this school for real behaviour figures under Freedom of Information and haven't had a response yet.

Across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole: suspensions by reason

Suspensions for sexual misconduct: 2 (0.1 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Permanent exclusions for sexual misconduct: 0
Suspensions for bullying: 1 (0.0 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Suspensions for abuse against sexual orientation or gender identity: 0 (0.0 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.0)
Data year: 2024/25 (DfE suspensions and exclusions statistics)

These are figures for all state primary schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, not this school's own – the government doesn't publish them school by school. A suspension can have up to three reasons. Most sexual harassment between pupils never leads to a suspension, so these figures show only part of the picture.

Attendance

Overall absence: 7.1%
Persistently absent pupils: 21.1%
Data year: 2024/25

About persistent absence

A pupil is counted as "persistently absent" if they miss 10% or more of their possible school sessions - roughly one day in every two weeks. Schools and Ofsted both pay close attention to this figure specifically, since it can highlight a pattern the overall absence rate alone might hide.

SEN

No dedicated Unit or Resourced Provision

SEN Unit and Resourced Provision

Most mainstream schools don't have a dedicated SEN Unit or Resourced Provision - it isn't a mark against a school that doesn't, just a different kind of setup than one that does.

Pupils on SEN Support: 20.6%
Pupils with an EHC Plan: 4.5%
Data year: 2025/26

Most common needs - SEN Support

Speech, language and communications needs: 27 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 9 pupils
Moderate learning difficulty: 3 pupils
Physical disability: 2 pupils

Most common needs - EHC Plan

Speech, language and communications needs: 6 pupils
Social, emotional and mental health: 3 pupils

These figures show the makeup of the school.

About these SEND figures

These figures give a sense of the makeup of the school - they aren't a judgement on the quality of support provided.

Parent score - no reviews yet –

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Behaviour

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Openness

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Teaching Quality

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School Ethos

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Ability to Deal with Problems

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Headteacher Approval

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SafeguardingSafeguarding (parent rating)How parents rate the school on keeping children safe - how safe their child feels, and how well concerns are listened to and acted on. It's parents' experience, not an inspection result; Ofsted checks safeguarding separately.

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Wraparound CareWraparound Care (parent rating)How parents rate the school's breakfast and after-school clubs - availability, cost and quality. Only asked for infant, junior and primary schools, where it matters most for working parents.

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Would recommend –

Educational Attainment

Good 2024 report

About this Ofsted rating

Ofsted changed how it rates schools in the last couple of years, so ratings from different years aren't always on the same scale - that's why we show the year alongside every rating.

Year 6 SATs results

Met the expected standard in reading, writing & maths: 74% (England 62%)
Reached the higher standard: 15% (England 8%)
Compared with the area: 11 percentage points above the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole average (63%)
Compared with schools with similar pupils: Well above (3-year average 75% against an expected 61%)
3-year average (expected standard): 75%
Expected standard by subject: Reading 81% · Writing 78% · Maths 85% · Grammar, punctuation & spelling 89%
Average test scores: reading 108, maths 108
Based on: 27 Year 6 pupils, 2024/25

View the School Context Comparator – how this school's SATs results compare with schools teaching similar pupils.

SATs results over time

This schoolBournemouth, Christchurch and Poole averageEngland→ Broadly steady No clear rise or fall since 2022/23 (changes this small are normal from one year group to the next). In 2024/25 this school was 11 percentage points above the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole average (63%).

Year 6 SATs: 11th of 51 junior and primary schools in the area

=8The Epiphany School77%
#10Queen's Park Academy75%
#11St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Christchurch74%
=12Baden-Powell and St Peter's Church of England Junior School73%
=12Stourfield Junior School73%

Click to see the full ranking

Year 6 SATs ranking

Junior and primary schools in this area, ranked by the % of Year 6 pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (official DfE results, 2024/25). Schools with the same result share a place (shown as =). In small schools one or two children can move a school several places, so treat close positions as roughly equal.

Rank School Score

#1St. Walburga's Catholic Primary School98%
#2Winton Primary School88%
#3Moordown St John's Church of England Primary School85%
#4Avonwood Primary School84%
=5Mudeford Junior School82%
=5Twynham Primary School82%
#7St Katharine's Church of England Primary School78%
=8Elm Academy77%
=8The Epiphany School77%
#10Queen's Park Academy75%
#11St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Christchurch74%
=12Baden-Powell and St Peter's Church of England Junior School73%
=12Stourfield Junior School73%
#14Canford Heath Junior School71%
=15Christchurch Junior School70%
=15Hillbourne Primary School70%
=15Muscliff Primary School70%
=18Ocean Academy Poole68%
=18St James' Church of England Primary Academy68%
=18St Peter's Catholic Comprehensive School68%
=21Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School67%
=21St Luke's Church of England Primary School67%
=21St Michael's Church of England Primary School67%
#24Bishop Aldhelm's Church of England Primary School66%
#25Kinson Academy65%
=26Haymoor Junior School64%
=26St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole64%
=26Talbot Primary School64%
#29St Mark's Church of England Primary School63%
#30The Priory Church of England Primary School62%
=31Bayside Academy60%
=31Longfleet Church of England Primary School60%
=33Heatherlands Primary School58%
=33Highcliffe St Mark Primary School58%
=33Kingsleigh Primary School58%
=33Manorside Academy58%
=33Pokesdown Community Primary School58%
=33St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Poole58%
#39Jewell Academy Bournemouth57%
#40King's Park Academy56%
=41Hill View Primary Academy54%
=41Oakdale Junior School54%
#43Burton Church of England Primary School53%
#44Livingstone Road Junior School52%
#45Malmesbury Park Primary School51%
#46Hamworthy Park Junior School50%
#47Bearwood Primary and Nursery School46%
#48Somerford Primary School41%
#49Heathlands Primary Academy38%
#50Bethany Church of England Junior School35%
#51Christ The King Catholic Primary School15%

View full Ofsted inspection report

20th of 30 primary schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole for Ofsted rating

#18Pokesdown Community Primary SchoolGood
#19St James' Church of England Primary AcademyGood
#20St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, ChristchurchGood
#21St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, PooleGood
#22St Mark's Church of England Primary SchoolGood

Click to see the full ranking

Ofsted Rating ranking

Based on real Ofsted ratings (via official DfE data) for schools on the same four-word grading scale.

Rank School Score

#1Avonwood Primary SchoolOutstanding
#2Manorside AcademyOutstanding
#3St Katharine's Church of England Primary SchoolOutstanding
#4Bearwood Primary and Nursery SchoolGood
#5Broadstone First SchoolGood
#6Corpus Christi Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#7Heatherlands Primary SchoolGood
#8Heathlands Primary AcademyGood
#9Hill View Primary AcademyGood
#10King's Park AcademyGood
#11Kingsleigh Primary SchoolGood
#12Kinson AcademyGood
#13Longfleet Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#14Malmesbury Park Primary SchoolGood
#15Merley First SchoolGood
#16Moordown St John's Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#17Muscliff Primary SchoolGood
#18Pokesdown Community Primary SchoolGood
#19St James' Church of England Primary AcademyGood
#20St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, ChristchurchGood
#21St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, PooleGood
#22St Mark's Church of England Primary SchoolGood
#23St Mary's Catholic Primary School, PooleGood
#24St. Walburga's Catholic Primary SchoolGood
#25Talbot Primary SchoolGood
#26The Epiphany SchoolGood
#27Twynham Primary SchoolGood
#28Winton Primary SchoolGood
#29Highcliffe St Mark Primary SchoolRequires improvement
#30St Luke's Church of England Primary SchoolRequires improvement

Financials

Spending per pupil: £7,311 (2024-25)

About this spending figure

A higher or lower position here isn't a sign of a better or worse school - schools have different needs and circumstances - but it can help reassure you that a school has sufficient funding behind your child's education.

5th of 41 primary schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole for spending per pupil

#3Hillbourne Primary School£7,656
#4Bayside Academy£7,650
#5St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Christchurch£7,311
#6Broadstone First School£7,156
#7Christ The King Catholic Primary School£7,084

Click to see the full ranking

Spending Per Pupil ranking

Based on official DfE financial return data (Consistent Financial Reporting / Academies Accounts Return) - not a ranking of school quality.

Rank School Score

#1Somerford Primary School£11,013
#2Heathlands Primary Academy£8,720
#3Hillbourne Primary School£7,656
#4Bayside Academy£7,650
#5St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Christchurch£7,311
#6Broadstone First School£7,156
#7Christ The King Catholic Primary School£7,084
#8Elm Academy£7,070
#9Kinson Academy£7,012
#10Bearwood Primary and Nursery School£6,860
#11Pokesdown Community Primary School£6,823
#12Burton Church of England Primary School£6,698
#13St Michael's Church of England Primary School£6,613
#14Avonwood Primary School£6,378
#15Muscliff Primary School£6,346
#16Talbot Primary School£6,328
#17Jewell Academy Bournemouth£6,314
#18Highcliffe St Mark Primary School£6,289
#19St Katharine's Church of England Primary School£6,250
#20St James' Church of England Primary Academy£6,235
#21Kingsleigh Primary School£6,200
#22St Luke's Church of England Primary School£6,168
#23Corpus Christi Catholic Primary School£6,155
#24Bishop Aldhelm's Church of England Primary School£6,112
#25Moordown St John's Church of England Primary School£6,077
#26Twynham Primary School£6,064
#27St Mark's Church of England Primary School£5,967
#28The Priory Church of England Primary School£5,935
#29St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Poole£5,928
#30Malmesbury Park Primary School£5,913
#31Springdale First School£5,910
#32St. Walburga's Catholic Primary School£5,751
#33Heatherlands Primary School£5,708
#34Longfleet Church of England Primary School£5,705
#35St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Poole£5,564
#36Manorside Academy£5,561
#37The Epiphany School£5,511
#38Hill View Primary Academy£5,363
#39Winton Primary School£5,294
#40King's Park Academy£5,124
#41Merley First School£4,993

View on the Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool (GOV.UK)

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