Academy converter · Dorset

St Mary & St Joseph's Catholic Primary School

4–11Ages
81Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Roman CatholicReligious character
140770URN

Folly Lane, Wool, Wareham, BH20 6DS · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Feb 2024 Previous framework

Requires improvement

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.4per place

0.3 above Dorset median (2.1)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Dorset

12 applications for 5 places

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

46%met the expected standard

Dorset 54% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Requires improvement · 21 February 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Good	Requires improvement
Quality of education		Requires improvement
Behaviour and attitudes	Good
Personal development	Good
Leadership and management		Requires improvement
Early years provision		Requires improvement

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

2.4applications per place, Reception

0.3 above Dorset median (2.1) 0.2 above England median (2.2)

12 applications · 5 places offered · 5 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.4; Dorset median median 2.1
2025 2.3; Dorset median median 2.0
2024 4.5; Dorset median median 2.1
2023 2.2; Dorset median median 2.0
2022 2.5; Dorset median median 2.0
2021 1.8; Dorset median median 2.0
2020 1.6; Dorset median median 1.9
2019 2.1; Dorset median median 2.1
2018 2.0; Dorset median median 2.0
2017 1.6; Dorset median median 2.0
2016 1.9; Dorset median median 2.0
2015 1.5; Dorset median median 1.9
2014 1.9; Dorset median median 1.8; as the previous school

This school
Dorset median

Dashed bars: as St Mary & St Joseph's Catholic Primary School (URN 113824), the previous school.

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	5	12	2.4	5	1.00
Sep 2025	7	16	2.3	7	1.00
Sep 2024	4	18	4.5	4	1.00
Sep 2023	11	24	2.2	11	1.00
Sep 2022	13	32	2.5	12	0.92
Sep 2021	16	29	1.8	16	1.00
Sep 2020	30	49	1.6	31	1.03
Sep 2019	25	52	2.1	25	1.00
Sep 2018	25	50	2.0	25	1.00
Sep 2017	27	43	1.6	27	1.00
Sep 2016	17	33	1.9	16	0.94
Sep 2015	31	47	1.5	33	1.06
Sep 2014 *	23	43	1.9	23	1.00

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 58% · Writing 69% · Maths 58% → all three 46% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard46%59th of 78 in Dorset

Dorset 54% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard58%

Dorset 73% England 78%

Higher standard27%

Dorset 28% England 33%

Average scaled score 102 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard69%

Dorset 71% England 75%

Greater depth0%

Dorset 13% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard58%

Dorset 68% England 77%

Higher standard8%

Dorset 17% England 24%

Average scaled score 101 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Dorset median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	46%	0%	102	101
2023/24	29%	0%	103	100
2022/23	65%	15%	109	104

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 Mary & St Joseph's Catholic Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Requires improvement2024

2.4applications per place 46%met the SATs standard
Wool Church of England Primary School
0.6 km · Dorset

Good2023

2.5applications per place 46%met the SATs standard
Bovington Academy
2.5 km · Dorset

Good2023

1.2applications per place 71%met the SATs standard
Lulworth and Winfrith CofE Primary School
6.2 km · Dorset

Graded · no overall grade2025

4.3applications per place 38%met the SATs standard
Wareham St Mary Church of England Primary School
7.6 km · Dorset

2026

2.7applications per place 50%met the SATs standard
Frome Valley CofE First School
7.9 km · Dorset

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.3applications per place
Bere Regis Primary and Preschool
7.9 km · Dorset

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.2applications per place 45%met the SATs standard
Stoborough Church of England Primary School
8.2 km · Dorset

Remains Good2023

1.8applications per place 56%met the SATs standard
Sandford St Martin's Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
9.7 km · Dorset

Good2022

2.1applications per place 54%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: Academy converter
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 140770 · 838/3401
Trust: Plymouth Cast
Religious character: Roman Catholic
Capacity: 210 pupils · 81 on roll
Free school meals: 13.6% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 April 2014
Replaced: St Mary & St Joseph's Catholic Primary School (URN 113824)
Address: Folly Lane, Wool, Wareham, BH20 6DS
Local authority: Dorset

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