Ofsted: Requires improvement trending_up Places Available emoji_events #33 in County Durham public Top 34% UK

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Coundon

verifiedData: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

personMrs M A Brown

corporate_fareBISHOP HOGARTH CATHOLIC EDUCATION TRUST

location_onBishop Auckland, DL14 8NN

language Visit Website phone 1388602608

verified

Ofsted

Requires improvement

Inspected 2024

groups

Students

120

school

Expected Standard

70%

local_fire_department

Demand Ratio

1.0x

summarize

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Coundon is a Academy converter primary school in Bishop Auckland, serving ages 2-11. Currently Requires Improvement according to Ofsted — the school is working to raise standards. Ranks in the top 34% of primary schools nationally.

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School Summary

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Coundon is an academy converter in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, admitting pupils aged 2-11. It is part of BISHOP HOGARTH CATHOLIC EDUCATION TRUST. The school has approximately 112 pupils on roll, of whom 53% are eligible for free school meals.

In 2025, 70% of pupils met the expected standard in Reading, Writing and Maths combined, with 5% achieving the higher standard. The school ranks #33 of 185 primaries in County Durham and #2,421 of 14,143 nationally.

Ofsted last inspected the school in 2024. The school's current overall rating is Requires improvement. Inspectors assessed quality of education as Requires improvement, behaviour and attitudes Good, personal development Good, and leadership and management Requires improvement.

In the most recent admissions cycle, applications were at 1.0× capacity.

The pupil-to-qualified-teacher ratio is 15.7:1. There are no current teaching vacancies.

In the 2024/25 academic year, there were no permanent exclusions. The average suspension rate was 2.3 per 1,000 pupils per term.

verified Source: DfE 2024/25–2025/26 · Ofsted

Academic Performance

verified Data: UK Gov 2024/25

school

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

2025

R/W/M Expected Standard

70%

LA 60%

Reading90% LA 72%

Writing80% LA 72%

Maths75% LA 72%

Read SS

105

Maths SS

105

GPS SS

103

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2024

R/W/M Expected Standard

60%

LA 58%England 61%

Reading90% LA 73% · Eng 74%

Writing60% LA 71% · Eng 72%

Maths80% LA 70% · Eng 73%

Read SS

103

Maths SS

103

GPS SS

103

Progress (0 = national avg)

Read

Write

Maths

2023

R/W/M Expected Standard

33%

LA 58%England 60%

Reading39% LA 72% · Eng 73%

Writing56% LA 71% · Eng 71%

Maths39% LA 71% · Eng 73%

Read SS

Maths SS

GPS SS

100

Progress (0 = national avg)

-4.4

Read

LA -0.6

-7.3 to -1.5

-1.9

Write

LA -0.1

-4.7 to 0.9

-4.3

Maths

LA -0.9

-7.1 to -1.6

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Report Archive

17 April 2024

Inspection Report

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05 June 2021

Inspection Report

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Inspection Report

Inspection History

3 Evaluations

2024-04-17

S5 Inspection EIF

Requires improvement

Education

Requires improvement

Behaviour

Good

Development

Good

Leadership

Requires improvement

2018-09-18

S5 Inspection EIF

Requires improvement

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Requires improvement

2014-07-08

None EIF

Good

Education

No Judgement

Behaviour

No Judgement

Development

No Judgement

Leadership

Good

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

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Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Official Department for Education (DfE) data. Suspensions measure temporary removals due to behavior, while exclusions represent permanent removals.

Suspension Rate

1.8%per term

warning Above Average

National average: 0.8% for this term (primary).

Pupils Suspended 1+ Times

1.8%(2 pupils)

Spring term 2025

Represents the proportion of unique students suspended at least once in this term.

Permanent Exclusions

0pupils

verified Excellent (Zero)

National average: 1.225% of pupils excluded per term.

Pastoral Context: In the Spring term of 2025, this school served a headcount of 112 pupils. During this period, there were 2 temporary suspensions. The school's suspension rate was 1.8%, which is above the termly national average of 0.8%.

View Historical Disciplinary Records (2017–2025)keyboard_arrow_down

Year / Term	Headcount	Suspensions	Susp. Rate	Nat. Avg
2024/25 (Spring term)	112	2	1.8%	0.8%
2024/25 (Autumn term)	110	3	2.7%	0.9%
2023/24 (Summer term)	118	0	0.0%	0.8%
2023/24 (Spring term)	126	1	0.8%	0.7%
2023/24 (Autumn term)	117	0	0.0%	0.8%
2022/23 (Summer term)	126	0	0.0%	0.7%
2022/23 (Spring term)	120	0	0.0%	0.6%
2022/23 (Autumn term)	115	1	0.9%	0.6%
2021/22 (Summer term)	119	1	0.8%	0.5%
2021/22 (Spring term)	119	1	0.8%	0.5%
2021/22 (Autumn term)	119	0	0.0%	0.5%

Source: DfE Suspensions and Permanent Exclusions in England. Data represents termly statistics as published by the Department for Education.

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Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Primary areas of need currently supported by the school. A high number often indicates specialized internal units or high staff experience in these areas.

Speech, Language & Communication 7 pupils

Social, Emotional & Mental Health 7 pupils

Moderate Learning Difficulty 6 pupils

Autistic Spectrum Disorder 2 pupils

Physical Disability 2 pupils

Specific Learning Difficulty 1 pupils

Profound & Multiple Learning 1 pupils

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Parent View on Pastoral Care

Results from the official Ofsted Parent View survey, reflecting direct parent sentiment regarding the school environment.

My child is happy at this school.

89.0%Positive

My child feels safe at this school.

96.0%Positive

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

27.0%Positive

View All Survey Responseskeyboard_arrow_down

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

strongly agree38%

agree38%

disagree12%

don't know12%

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

strongly agree46%

agree38%

disagree15%

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

strongly agree38%

agree19%

disagree27%

not applicable15%

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

strongly agree46%

agree35%

disagree4%

don't know15%

My child does well at this school.

strongly agree62%

agree27%

disagree4%

strongly disagree4%

don't know4%

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

strongly agree54%

agree31%

disagree15%

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

strongly agree50%

agree31%

disagree8%

don't know12%

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

strongly agree58%

agree35%

disagree4%

strongly disagree4%

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

strongly agree46%

agree27%

disagree12%

don't know15%

I would recommend this school to another parent.

yes77%

no23%

Top Primary Schools in County Durham

Other highly-ranked schools in the same local authority

View all arrow_forward

West Cornforth Primary School

Outstanding

location_on Ferryhill, DL17 9HP

emoji_events #1 in LA

Cleves Cross Primary and Nursery School Academy

Outstanding

location_on Ferryhill, DL17 8QY

emoji_events #2 in LA

Sacriston Academy

Good

location_on Durham, DH7 6LQ

emoji_events #3 in LA

Coxhoe Primary School

Good

location_on Durham, DH6 4EJ

emoji_events #4 in LA

Framwellgate Moor Primary School

Outstanding

location_on Durham, DH1 5BG

emoji_events #5 in LA

Burnopfield Primary School

Good

location_on Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE16 6PT

emoji_events #6 in LA

View all schools in County Durham arrow_forward

School Summary

Academic Performance

Primary Performance Trends (KS2)

Ofsted History

Publication Timeline

Inspection History

Admissions Insight

How Places Are Allocated

Faith Priority (Roman Catholic)

Distance to School

School Capacity

Primary Admission Trends

Students & School Environment

School Size

Language Diversity

Inclusive Support

Attendance

Ethnicity Breakdown

Wellbeing, SEN & Pastoral Care

Behaviour & Discipline (Suspensions & Exclusions)

Supported Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Parent View on Pastoral Care

My child is happy at this school.

My child feels safe at this school.

My child has been bullied and the school dealt with the bullying quickly and effectively.

The school makes sure its pupils are well behaved.

The school makes me aware of what my child will learn during the year.

When I have raised concerns with the school they have been dealt with properly

Does your child have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)?

My child has special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the school gives them the support they need to succeed.

The school has high expectations for my child.

My child does well at this school.

The school lets me know how my child is doing.

There is a good range of subjects available to my child at this school.

My child can take part in clubs and activities at this school.

The school supports my child's wider personal development.

I would recommend this school to another parent.

Funding & Staffing

School Funding Allocation

Funding Breakdown

Staffing

Teacher Turnover

Top Primary Schools in County Durham

West Cornforth Primary School

Cleves Cross Primary and Nursery School Academy

Sacriston Academy

Coxhoe Primary School

Framwellgate Moor Primary School

Burnopfield Primary School