Voluntary aided school · Essex

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, SWF

2–11Ages
180Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Roman CatholicReligious character
115201URN

Trinity Square, South Woodham Ferrers, Chelmsford, CM3 5JX · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Jun 2024 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.7per place

0.3 above Essex median (2.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Essex

43 applications for 16 places · 116th of 363 in Essex

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

77%met the expected standard

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 19 June 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

2.7applications per place, Reception

0.3 above Essex median (2.4) 0.5 above England median (2.2)

43 applications · 16 places offered · 16 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.7; Essex median median 2.4
2025 2.4; Essex median median 2.4
2024 2.4; Essex median median 2.4
2023 1.8; Essex median median 2.4
2022 2.6; Essex median median 2.4
2021 3.2; Essex median median 2.3
2020 1.7; Essex median median 2.4
2019 2.2; Essex median median 2.5
2018 1.7; Essex median median 2.5
2017 2.3; Essex median median 2.6
2016 2.7; Essex median median 2.8
2015 2.6; Essex median median 2.7
2014 1.8; Essex median median 2.8

This school
Essex median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	16	43	2.7	16	1.00
Sep 2025	15	36	2.4	14	0.93
Sep 2024	23	55	2.4	23	1.00
Sep 2023	18	32	1.8	17	0.94
Sep 2022	15	39	2.6	15	1.00
Sep 2021	12	38	3.2	11	0.92
Sep 2020	23	38	1.7	23	1.00
Sep 2019	30	65	2.2	33	1.10
Sep 2018	23	40	1.7	22	0.96
Sep 2017	25	58	2.3	24	0.96
Sep 2016	26	69	2.7	25	0.96
Sep 2015	23	60	2.6	23	1.00
Sep 2014	30	54	1.8	24	0.80

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 81% · Writing 81% · Maths 84% → all three 77% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard77%65th of 387 in Essex

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard81%

Essex 79% England 78%

Higher standard42%

Essex 33% England 33%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard81%

Essex 76% England 75%

Greater depth29%

Essex 13% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard84%

Essex 78% England 77%

Higher standard55%

Essex 24% England 24%

Average scaled score 108 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Essex median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	77%	23%	106	108
2023/24	62%	10%	105	107
2022/23	64%	14%	105	106

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, SWFThis school
This school

Good2024

2.7applications per place 77%met the SATs standard
Trinity St Mary's CofE Voluntary Aided Primary School, South Woodham Ferrers
0.1 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

4.4applications per place 31%met the SATs standard
Elmwood Primary School
0.4 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

2.1applications per place 55%met the SATs standard
Collingwood Primary School
0.5 km · Essex

2026

2.6applications per place 63%met the SATs standard
Woodville Primary School
1.0 km · Essex

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.0applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
Riverside Primary School
2.0 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

1.3applications per place 60%met the SATs standard
St Mary's Church of England Primary School
2.9 km · Essex

Good2024

1.9applications per place 69%met the SATs standard
Rettendon Primary School
4.3 km · Essex

Good2023

2.8applications per place
Cold Norton Primary School
4.6 km · Essex

Good2024

3.0applications per place 70%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Voluntary aided school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 115201 · 881/3815
Religious character: Roman Catholic
Capacity: 210 pupils · 180 on roll
Free school meals: 6.7% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: Trinity Square, South Woodham Ferrers, Chelmsford, CM3 5JX
Local authority: Essex · Chelmsford

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources