School Chooser

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School

Primary · ages 5-11MixedAcademyRoman Catholic357 pupilsSutton ColdfieldBirmingham
School Chooser Score
64
In line with
similar schools
Likely range 45 to 79, so it could be “above”
Out of 100. Better than 16% of the 50 schools most like it. Slipping year on year.
OfstedGoodLast Ofsted inspection, October 2023
Reached the expected level at 1160%England 63%
Attendance95.2%England 94.8%
Pupils from low-income families7%Far fewer than most schools
PlacesFull357 pupils, 210 places
Pupils per teacher24.5School workforce census

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School is a converter academy in Sutton Coldfield for boys and girls aged 5 to 11. It has 357 pupils, 147 more than it has places for. About 7 in every 100 pupils come from a low-income family, far fewer than at most schools in England. We give it 64 out of 100. That puts it in line with schools like it, ahead of 16% of the 50 schools most like it. Ofsted's last grade was good, back in 2023.

Little Sutton Lane, Sutton Coldfield, B75 6PB0121 354 6270stjosutton.netMrs Michelle Walsh principalAll details

What Ofsted found

Ofsted's last full inspection was on 24 October 2023, 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”
Outstanding
WellbeingOfsted calls this “personal development”
Outstanding
LeadershipOfsted calls this “leadership and management”
Good
Early years
Outstanding
Safeguarding
Effective
Yes

Results

Year 6 results (SATs), summer 2025

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

Reached the expected level at 1160%
England 63%
Official name: Expected standard in reading, writing and maths
Working above the expected level13%
England 8%
Official name: Higher standard in reading, writing and maths
Reading score106.0
England 105.6
Official name: Reading average scaled score
Maths score104.0
England 104.6
Official name: Maths average scaled score
Trend
Reached the expected level at 11
2017 to 2025
2017: 81%81%20172018: 83%83%20182019: 71%71%20192023: 67%67%20232024: 67%67%20242025: 60%60%2025
Since 2017: -21%Declining overall
All Year 6 measures, year by year
Measure202520242023201920182017BirminghamEngland
Pupils tested626163312932
Reached the expected level at 11Expected standard in reading, writing and maths60%67%67%71%83%81%65%63%
Working above the expected levelHigher standard in reading, writing and maths13%18%10%29%14%19%8%8%
Reading scoreReading average scaled score106.0106.0106.0107.0108.0107.0105.6105.6
Maths scoreMaths average scaled score104.0106.0107.0109.0108.0108.0104.9104.6
Grammar and spelling scoreGPS average scaled score104.0108.0107.0111.0109.0111.0106.5105.2
Expected level: readingReading expected standard74%74%75%77%93%84%
Expected level: mathsMaths expected standard71%75%81%100%86%88%
Expected level: writingWriting expected standard (teacher assessed)77%82%81%94%97%88%
Reading progressReading progress score+0.1+1.1+1.3+1.7
Maths progressMaths progress score+2.3+2.7+2.3+3.5
Expected level: low-income pupilsExpected standard, disadvantaged73%83%
Expected level: other pupilsExpected standard, non-disadvantaged65%81%

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. 1 of the 2 gaps 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
52%68%
Gap 16 ptsEngland 5 pts
Reached the expected level at 11Pupils learning English vs all pupils
64%60%
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.

A few spare places380 pupils for 420 places, 2024/25
91% full

About 40 places were empty, so most families who apply get in, though a popular year group can still fill up. Pupil numbers have fallen by 10% since 2021/22, so places are getting easier to find.

Each council publishes its own figures on how many families applied and how far away the last child to get a place lived. We are adding councils one at a time. If you have a link to Birmingham council's admissions booklet, send it to us.

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 roll357Census January 2026
Places210170% full
Pupils from low-income families7%7% have had free school meals at some point in the last six years
Pupils learning English21%First language is not English
Pupils getting extra support13%46 pupils with SEN support
Pupils with an EHC plan2%6 pupils with a plan
Average class size25.514 classes, January 2026; England 25.4
Classes with more than 30 pupils29%Infant classes are capped at 30 by law; England 10%
Pupils with extra funding (pupil premium)7%£40,300 extra funding in 2026/27; England 24%
Boys and girls175 / 182
White British pupils54%

Infant classes (Reception to Year 2) average 18.5 pupils (England 25.5); junior classes (Years 3 to 6) average 30.8 (England 27.3).

The most common needs among pupils getting extra support: Autistic spectrum disorder (14), language and communications needs (11), Moderate learning difficulty (10), emotional and mental health (10), Specific learning difficulty (4), Vision impairment (2).

How the mix of pupils has changed
Census202620252024202320222021
Pupils on roll357381397412416411
Pupils from low-income familiesFree school meals7%6%7%7%7%6%
Pupils learning EnglishEnglish as an additional language21%22%20%18%16%15%
Pupils getting extra supportSEN support10%9%6%5%6%
Pupils with an EHC planEducation, health and care plans2%1%2%1%1%

Attendance and behaviour

In 2024/25 pupils were in school 95.2% of the time. Across similar schools in England it was 94.8%.

Attendance95.2%
England 94.8%
Official name: 100 minus overall absence
Pupils missing a lot of school10.1%
England 12.8%
Official name: Persistent absence
Suspensions per 100 pupils0.02024/25, no permanent exclusions
Missed without permission1.2%of school time, 2024/25
Attendance year by year
Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/212018/19England
Sessions missedOverall absence4.8%4.6%5.2%6.0%2.3%4.0%5.2%
Missed with permissionAuthorised absence3.6%3.5%4.2%4.9%1.8%3.1%
Missed without permissionUnauthorised absence1.2%1.1%1.1%1.1%0.5%0.9%
Pupils missing a lot of schoolPersistent absence10.1%8.7%12.3%15.1%0.8%6.5%12.8%
SuspensionsSuspension rate0.00.50.00.00.0
Permanent exclusionsPermanent exclusions00000

Staff and money

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

Teachers14.6full-time equivalent, 15 people
Pupils per teacher24.5Pupils for every full-time teacher
Fully qualified teachers100%hold qualified teacher status
Teaching assistants7.5full-time equivalent
Average teacher pay£46,979
Teachers who left in the year7%2024/25, for any reason including retirement
Vacancies0
Sick days per teacher5.32024/25

Money

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

Spend per pupil£6,045England £7,128. Total £2.3m
Income per pupil£6,239England £7,587. Total £2.4m
Spent on teachers per pupil£3,176England £3,405
Money in reserve27%A lot put by: £635k, £1,668 per pupil. England 9%
Money in against money out+£74kit took in more than it spent this year
Where the money goes£6,045spent 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 m5412 months to June 2026, mostly violence and sexual offences
Local crime rate53 per 1,000 people42% lower than the England average
Typical house price£235,000Birmingham

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
Whitehouse Common Primary SchoolFoundation720 m445Good 202388Compare
Coppice Primary SchoolFoundation880 m415Not inspected97Compare
Moor Hall Primary SchoolFoundation0.9 miles427No overall grade 202499Compare
Town House Primary SchoolAcademy1.0 milesNot inspectedCompare
Mere Green Primary SchoolAcademy1.1 miles422No overall grade 202579Compare
Hollyfield Primary SchoolFoundation1.1 miles399Good 202234Compare
Little Sutton Primary SchoolFoundation1.4 miles420Outstanding 202499Compare
Maney Hill Primary SchoolCouncil1.6 miles421Good 201991Compare

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.

Beats16%of schools with a similar mix of pupils
In the bottom quarter of its group. Its score of 64 is 24 points below the typical school in the group.
0Lowest of the group 42 · middle 88 · highest 99100

How the score was worked out

The score is out of 100. A 64 means that once everything below is added up, this school comes out ahead of 64% of primary schools in England. Results bounce around from year to year, especially in small schools, so we also show a likely range: 45 to 79. 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%above
+0.12
2025, 2024 and 2023 results; 62 pupils
Ofsted inspection20%in line
+0.01
Ofsted grade, 2.9 years old
Progress pupils make20%above
+0.09
DfE progress measure; 62 pupils
Direction of travel over five years10%below
-0.06
results and attendance falling year on year
Attendance and behaviour10%above
+0.04
2024/25; 347 pupils
Results, allowing for the mix of pupils10%in line
-0.03
Attainment relative to schools with a similar intake; 62 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?

It is about average. St Joseph's Catholic Primary School scores 64 out of 100. That is in line with schools that take in a similar mix of pupils, and ahead of 16% of the 50 schools most like it in England. The score could fairly be anywhere from 45 to 79, so a few points either way between schools doesn't mean much. Its results have been slipping over the last five years.

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 24 October 2023.

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

In summer 2025, 60% of Year 6 children reached the expected level in reading, writing and maths. Across England it was 63%. 13% went further and reached the higher level.

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

357 pupils aged 5 to 11 were on the roll in January 2026. It has 210 places, so it is 170% full.

Is St Joseph's Catholic Primary School oversubscribed?

Probably not. 40 places were empty in 2024/25 (10% of the total), so most families who apply get a place.

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

Pupils were in school 95.2% of the time in 2024/25. Similar schools in England managed 94.8%. 10% 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 25.5 pupils in January 2026. Across England it was 25.4. 29% 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
Little Sutton Lane, Sutton Coldfield, B75 6PB
Telephone
0121 354 6270
Website
www.stjosutton.net
Principal
Mrs Michelle Walsh
Type of school
Converter academy (Academy converter, academies)
Phase
Primary school, ages 5-11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Roman Catholic, Archdiocese of Birmingham
Multi-academy trust
St. John Paul Ii Multi Academy Company (13 schools)
Local authority
Birmingham
Ward
Sutton Four Oaks
Constituency
Sutton Coldfield
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Opened
1 January 2014 (academy converter)
URN
140528 · LAESTAB 3303401 · UKPRN 10044506
Formerly
St Joseph's RC Primary School

Where these figures come from