School Chooser

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School

Primary · ages 4-11MixedRoman Catholic420 pupilsUpminsterHavering
School Chooser Score
86
Well above
similar schools
Likely range 75 to 92, so it could be “above”
Out of 100. Better than 41% of the 50 schools most like it. Much the same over the last five years.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, November 2022
Reached the expected level at 1175%England 63%
Attendance96.3%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families4%Far fewer than most schools
PlacesFull420 pupils, 420 places
Pupils per teacher23.9School workforce census

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School is a Roman Catholic school (voluntary aided) in Upminster for boys and girls aged 4 to 11. It has 420 pupils and every place is taken. About 4 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 86 out of 100. That puts it well above schools like it, ahead of 41% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2022.

115 St Mary's Lane, Upminster, RM14 2QB01708 220277st-josephs-upminster.netMr Michael Ross headteacherAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 1 November 2022, back when it gave schools one overall grade. Read the report on Ofsted's website.

Good overall.

TeachingOfsted calls this “quality of education”
Good
BehaviourOfsted calls this “behaviour and attitudes”
Good
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Good
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Early years
Good
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

59 children took the tests. Here is how they did against every state primary in England.

Reached the expected level at 1175%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level12%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score109.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score107.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 78%78%20172018: 87%87%20182019: 81%81%20192023: 77%77%20232024: 79%79%20242025: 75%75%2025
Since 2017: -3%Steady overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017HaveringEngland
Pupils tested596260626060
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths75%79%77%81%87%78%66%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths12%18%18%19%17%22%11%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score109.0109.0108.0108.0108.0106.0105.8105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score107.0109.0107.0108.0109.0110.0105.3104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score110.0112.0109.0110.0111.0111.0106.1105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard86%92%90%85%90%78%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard83%95%87%87%93%92%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)86%82%82%84%90%88%
Reading progressReading progress score+1.3+3.2+2.2+0.5
Maths progressMaths progress score+1.4+3.3+3.9+5.2
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged44%80%43%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged82%88%83%

There are no progress figures for 2025. That year group missed their Year 2 tests during Covid, so there was no starting point to measure from. Progress figures come back with the December 2026 results. Tests were cancelled altogether in 2020 and 2021.

Does every child do well here?

A good school does well by every child, not just on average. Each row compares two groups of pupils here. The grey marks show the same two groups across England. Every gap at this school is smaller than the gap across England. When a group has fewer than about ten pupils, its figures jump around a lot from year to year.

At the end of primary school, 2025

Reached the expected level at 11Boys vs girls
75%74%
Gap 1 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
79%75%
Gap 4 ptsEngland 4 pts
First groupSecond groupEngland, each group

Low-income means the child has had free school meals at some point in the last six years. A group's figure isn't published when it has fewer than six pupils.

Getting a place

Admissions policy not published. As a Roman Catholic school it may put families of that faith first. Check the school's own admissions rules.

Nearly full415 pupils for 420 places, 2024/25
99% full

Fewer than one place in twenty is empty, so in most years more families apply than there are places. Living close by, or already having a child here, makes a real difference. Pupil numbers have stayed about the same since 2021/22.

Will my child get a place?

In 2026 every child who applied got a place, so how far away you live didn't matter. That could change if the school gets more popular.

We measure in a straight line from the middle of your postcode to the school. The council measures its own way, and the cut-off changes every year. Use this as a rough guide, and read the council's admissions booklet before you apply.

How places were given out for September 2026. Every child who applied got a place (60 offers for 60 places).

EntryPlacesApplied at allGot a placeHow far the last child livedSource
2026 Primary6014560all offeredLA
2025 Primary6013760all offeredLA
2024 Primary6012347all offeredLA
2023 Primary6012460all offeredLA
2022 Primary6014158all offeredLA

Who goes here

Who a school teaches matters. That is why our score compares it with schools that take in a similar mix of children, not with every school in the country.

Pupils on roll420Census January 2026
Places420100% full
Pupils from low-income families4%4% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English16%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support6%27 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan3%13 pupils with a plan
Average class size30.014 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils36%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)3%£21,700 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls216 / 204
White British pupils66%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 29.5 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 30.4 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: language and communications needs (13), Moderate learning difficulty (10), emotional and mental health (10), Autistic spectrum disorder (4), Specific learning difficulty (2), Other difficulty or disability (1).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll420411420418420420
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals4%4%4%7%5%4%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language16%18%18%19%19%16%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support7%4%2%3%3%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans3%2%2%1%1%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 96.3% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance96.3%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school5.5%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.02024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission0.4%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence3.7%3.9%4.7%4.9%2.9%3.2%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.3%3.3%4.2%4.3%2.6%2.9%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence0.4%0.6%0.5%0.6%0.3%0.4%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence5.5%6.8%8.6%6.9%2.2%2.7%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.00.00.01.21.7
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

From the government's count of school staff in November 2025 and the school's published accounts.

Teachers17.6full-time equivalent, 19 people
Pupils per teacher23.9Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants10.5full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£57,946
Teachers who left in the year6%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher3.12024/25

Money

From the council school accounts, year to March 2025. The per-pupil figures are compared with other primary schools in England that report their accounts the same way.

Spend per pupil£6,756England £7,738. Total £2.8m
Income per pupil£6,477England £7,697. Total £2.7m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,074England £3,480
Money in reserve-6%In the red: -£152k, -£370 per pupil. England 6%
Money in against money out-£115kit spent more than it took in this year
Where the money goes£6,756spent per pupil

Reserves are the money left over at the end of the year, kept back for emergencies and big projects. Being in the red year after year is a warning sign. Very large reserves can mean money sitting in the bank instead of being spent on today's pupils. Academy figures are rounded to the nearest £1,000 and include a share of any money the trust holds centrally.

The area around the school

Crimes within 500 m49512 months to June 2026, mostly shoplifting
Local crime rate90 per 1,000 peopleabout the England average
Typical house price£445,000Havering
Nearest bus stop70 mGaynes Road, 17 stops within 500 m

Crime figures come from police.uk. The police record each crime at the nearest of a fixed set of map points rather than the exact spot, so “within 500 m” is only rough. House prices are from HM Land Registry sales nearby over the last two years.

Nearby schools

The closest primary schools, nearest first. Hover over a row to see it on the map.

Well aboveAboveIn lineBelowWell belowNot scored
SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Upminster Junior SchoolAcademy140 m364Report card 202698Compare
Upminster Infant SchoolAcademy140 m265Good 202372Compare
Branfil Primary SchoolCouncil990 m533Good 202453Compare
The James Oglethorpe Primary SchoolCouncil1.0 miles407Good 202347Compare
Hacton Primary SchoolAcademy1.0 miles640Report card 202695Compare
Engayne Primary SchoolCouncil1.2 miles581Good 202352Compare
Langtons Infant School & NurseryCouncil1.3 miles197Good 202316Compare
Langtons Junior AcademyAcademy1.3 miles240Good 202438Compare

Compared with schools like it

Our score compares St Joseph's Catholic Primary School with the 49 schools in England whose pupils are most like its own. We match on family income, how many children are learning English, special needs, the neighbourhood, the size of the school and how it admits pupils. Those 49 schools are dotted all over the country, so we don't list them. What matters is where this school sits among them.

Beats41%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the lower half of its group. Its score of 86 is 3 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 23 · middle 89 · highest 100100

Nearby schools with a similar mix of pupils that score higher

Of those 49 schools, these are within 25 km and score at least five points more than St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, nearest first. A school with the same kind of pupils and a higher score is the fairest sign that it gets more out of them.

SchoolTypeDistancePupilsOfstedScore
Dulverton Primary SchoolCouncil11.0 miles444No overall grade 202496Compare
Clare House Primary SchoolAcademy15.5 miles400Not inspected92Compare

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 86 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 86% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 75 to 92. That range is wide enough that the school could sit in the next band, so take the band as a rough guide rather than a verdict. Every part is judged against schools with a similar mix of pupils. For small schools we pull each part towards the group average, so one unusual year can't swing the score too far.

What we looked atHow much it countsAgainst schools like itEffect on the scoreBased on
Results over three years25%well above
+0.27
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 59 pupils
Ofsted inspection18% (normally 20%, cut because the inspection is old)in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 3.9 years old
Progress pupils make20%above
+0.11
DfE progress measure; 59 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%in line
-0.02
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%well above
+0.11
2024/25; 364 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%above
+0.06
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 59 pupils
What parents say0%no data

Worked out on 13 September 2026 (method v1). Read how the score works, including every weight and the checks we run. Think a number is wrong? Tell us.

Questions parents ask

Is St Joseph's Catholic Primary School a good school?

Yes, going by the figures. St Joseph's Catholic Primary School scores 86 out of 100. That is well above schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 41% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 75 to 92, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much.

What is St Joseph's Catholic Primary School's Ofsted rating?

Ofsted rated St Joseph's Catholic Primary School good at its last full inspection on 1 November 2022.

How good are St Joseph's Catholic Primary School's SATs results?

In summer 2025, 75% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 12% went further and reached the higher level.

How many pupils does St Joseph's Catholic Primary School have?

420 pupils aged 4 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 420 places, so it is 100% full.

Is St Joseph's Catholic Primary School oversubscribed?

Often. Fewer than one place in twenty was empty in 2024/25, so popular year groups fill up.

What is attendance like at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School?

Pupils were in school 96.3% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 6% of pupils missed at least a tenth of the year.

How big are the classes at St Joseph's Catholic Primary School?

The average class had 30.0 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 36% of classes had more than 30 pupils.

These answers come straight from the figures on this page and update when new data comes out.

Contact and details

Address
115 St Mary's Lane, Upminster, RM14 2QB
Telephone
01708 220277
Website
www.st-josephs-upminster.net
Headteacher
Mr Michael Ross
Type of school
Roman Catholic school (voluntary aided) (Voluntary aided school, local authority maintained schools)
Phase
Primary school, ages 4-11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Roman Catholic, Diocese of Brentwood
Local authority
Havering
Ward
Upminster
Constituency
Hornchurch and Upminster
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
URN
102334 · LAESTAB 3113506 · UKPRN 10071630

Where these figures come from