St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Christchurch

Primary · Voluntary aided school · Ages 5–11 · Christchurch, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

Last distance offered · Reception 2026

Every applicant was offered a place

From Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council · offers on 16 April 2026

2016–2024 trend 🔒

Nearby schools' earlier years 🔒

Unlock earlier years · £9.99 Open on the map →

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Christchurch is a primary school in Christchurch, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole for ages 5–11 (voluntary aided school). Its latest Ofsted outcome is School remains Good, from the inspection on 20 June 2024. Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole has published a last distance offered for this school for Reception 2016 to 2026 entry.

St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, Christchurch catchment area: last distance offered

Parents often call this the catchment area: it's how far from the school the last child offered a place lived. It changes every year.

Entry	Last distance offered
Reception 2026	Every applicant was offered a place
Reception 2024	🔒 With a pass
Reception 2019	🔒 With a pass
Reception 2018	🔒 With a pass
Reception 2017	🔒 With a pass
Reception 2016	🔒 With a pass

What the pass includes · How to read it: one past year, not a catchment

What the figures show

Every applicant was offered a Reception place in 2026, whereas places ran out, with a last distance published, in all 4 earlier years.
In 2024/25, 74% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (England 62%), and 15% reached the higher standard (England 8%).
Reception 2026 had 21 first-choice applications for 22 offers; every first-choice family was offered a place, and 1 offer went to a family who ranked it second or lower.
31.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals; the middle figure across the 8 nearest primary schools in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is 12.6%.

Worked out by Catchmently from the published figures on this page and those for other Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole schools. Distances are as published; how they were measured differs between admission authorities.

Key facts

Address: Dorset Road, Somerford, Christchurch, BH23 3DA
Type: Voluntary aided school
Phase: Primary
Ages: 5–11
Religious character: Roman Catholic
Council: Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
Pupils on roll: 199 January 2026 school census
Free school meals: 31.7% of pupils eligible
Pupils per teacher: 20

Official record: Get Information about Schools · as at 15 September 2026

Ofsted

School remains Good Inspected 20 June 2024

Strengths

“Community is at the heart of this nurturing and caring school.”
“Pupils live out the school’s vision to ‘let your light shine’ through their day-to-day interactions with one another and with adults.”
“Pupils are polite, kind and caring.”

To improve

“However, assessment in the wider curriculum is less well developed.”
“The school does not have an accurate understanding of the gaps pupils have in their knowledge.”
“As a result, some pupils find it difficult to recall previous learning.”

Safeguarding: Effective

Quoted from the Ofsted report published 9 July 2024 (read the report). Crown copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0.

Exam results

Measure	School	England
Key stage 2 · reading, writing and maths, expected standard (2024/25)	74%	62%

Department for Education school performance data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Applications and offers

2026 Reception entry: 21 first-preference applications, 22 offers in total, 21 offers to first-preference applicants.

Department for Education, school-level applications and offers, figures on national offer day. Earlier years are in the pass.

Nearby primary schools

Straight-line distance, in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

Somerford Primary School 0.5 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
Mudeford Junior School 0.8 mi Good
Mudeford Community Infants' School 0.8 mi School remains Good Last distance published
Burton Church of England Primary School 1.4 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
The Priory Church of England Primary School 1.6 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published
Twynham Primary School 1.8 mi Standards maintained Last distance published
Highcliffe St Mark Primary School 1.8 mi Requires improvement Last distance published
Christchurch Infant School 1.8 mi No Ofsted grade Last distance published