Academy converter · Essex

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School

5–11Ages
114Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Roman CatholicReligious character
148110URN

The Drive, Dovercourt, CO12 3SU · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded GoodMay 2012

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · May 2023

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.2per place

close to Essex median (2.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Essex

33 applications for 15 places · 202nd of 363 in Essex

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

53%met the expected standard

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded GoodMay 2012

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · May 2023

Inspection history

4 May 2023
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good
14 May 2012
Graded inspection: Good · as St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Harwich, URN 115132

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

2.2applications per place, Reception

close to Essex median (2.4) close to England median (2.2)

33 applications · 15 places offered · 15 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.2; Essex median median 2.4
2025 2.2; Essex median median 2.4
2024 2.3; Essex median median 2.4
2023 1.9; Essex median median 2.4
2022 1.5; Essex median median 2.4
2021 2.4; Essex median median 2.3
2020 2.4; Essex median median 2.4; as the previous school
2019 2.9; Essex median median 2.5; as the previous school
2018 2.8; Essex median median 2.5; as the previous school
2017 2.8; Essex median median 2.6; as the previous school
2016 2.8; Essex median median 2.8; as the previous school
2015 3.2; Essex median median 2.7; as the previous school
2014 3.3; Essex median median 2.8; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Essex median in 1 of 6 years.

This school
Essex median

Dashed bars: as St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Harwich (URN 115132), 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	15	33	2.2	15	1.00
Sep 2025	17	37	2.2	18	1.06
Sep 2024	18	41	2.3	22	1.22
Sep 2023	13	25	1.9	12	0.92
Sep 2022	13	20	1.5	13	1.00
Sep 2021	15	36	2.4	15	1.00
Sep 2020 *	17	41	2.4	24	1.41
Sep 2019 *	17	50	2.9	27	1.59
Sep 2018 *	17	47	2.8	17	1.00
Sep 2017 *	17	47	2.8	15	0.88
Sep 2016 *	17	48	2.8	17	1.00
Sep 2015 *	15	48	3.2	13	0.87
Sep 2014 *	17	56	3.3	18	1.06

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 88% · Writing 71% · Maths 65% → all three 53% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard53%295th of 387 in Essex

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard88%

Essex 79% England 78%

Higher standard18%

Essex 33% England 33%

Average scaled score 105 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard71%

Essex 76% England 75%

Greater depth6%

Essex 13% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard65%

Essex 78% England 77%

Higher standard6%

Essex 24% England 24%

Average scaled score 103 (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	53%	6%	105	103
2023/24	65%	6%	108	104
2022/23	73%	0%	107	105

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 SchoolThis school
This school

Remains Good2023

2.2applications per place 53%met the SATs standard
The Mayflower Primary School
0.8 km · Essex

Good2022

1.7applications per place 48%met the SATs standard
All Saints' Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Dovercourt
0.9 km · Essex

Good2024

2.4applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
Spring Meadow Primary School & Nursery
0.9 km · Essex

Good2024

1.7applications per place
Chase Lane Primary School and Nursery
1.5 km · Essex

Remains Good2024

1.6applications per place 64%met the SATs standard
Harwich Community Primary School and Nursery
1.7 km · Essex

Good2023

1.9applications per place 31%met the SATs standard
St Michael's CofE Primary Academy, Ramsey
3.0 km · Essex

Requires improvement2023

2.1applications per place
Shotley Community Primary School
4.4 km · Suffolk

Good2023

1.4applications per place 9%met the SATs standard
Langer Primary Academy
5.4 km · Suffolk

Good2023

2.3applications per place 35%met the SATs standard

School details

Type: Academy converter
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 148110 · 881/3302
Trust: The Rosary Trust - A Catholic Multi Academy
Religious character: Roman Catholic
Capacity: 119 pupils · 114 on roll
Free school meals: 10.5% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 September 2020
Replaced: St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Harwich (URN 115132)
Address: The Drive, Dovercourt, CO12 3SU
Local authority: Essex · Tendring

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