St Josephs School Review 2026: All-through independent day school with small-school continuity

Morning routines here are designed to feel manageable, even for families juggling multiple drop-offs. Pupils can start the day from 8am, with the formal Senior School day beginning at 8:20am and lessons finishing at 3:35pm, followed by clubs, supervised prep, and a late prep option.

St Josephs School is an all-through independent day school for pupils aged 4 to 16, so children can move from Reception into GCSE years without a school change. That continuity shapes the culture, with older students sharing the same community spaces and routines as younger pupils at key moments in the year.

The current head teacher is Mr Oliver Scott, with the appointment dating to 2015.

A defining feature is the sense of a single community rather than separate junior and senior silos. Whole-school assemblies bring junior and senior students together to celebrate term achievements, reinforcing the idea that pupils are known and noticed across age groups.

Values are stated clearly and then reflected in day-to-day interactions. In the latest inspection reporting, leaders are described as prioritising pupil wellbeing in line with the school’s values of care, compassion and community, and pupils are characterised as polite and well-mannered within a culture of kindness and respect. The implication for parents is straightforward, children who do best here are likely to be those who respond to consistent expectations, calm relationships with staff, and a community-minded tone that runs from early years through to GCSE.

In the youngest years, the environment is described in practical, child-centred terms. The Reception classroom is presented as bright and spacious, with a separate outdoor garden and a dedicated “messy room” for exploration and making. That matters because Reception success often hinges on confident routines and hands-on learning, especially for pupils who are still developing early language, fine motor skills, and self-regulation.

Facilities named on the school’s own pages also signal priorities. References include the Orchard, an outdoor classroom, an Astro pitch, and the Canopy Classroom, suggesting a clear emphasis on outdoor learning alongside sport and classroom study.

This is an independent school and it is not inspected by Ofsted; formal inspection is through the Independent Schools Inspectorate.

On GCSE outcomes, the school is ranked 2,636th in England and 2nd locally for GCSEs (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This places performance in line with the middle 35% of schools in England (25th to 60th percentile), rather than in the top-performing bracket. The key implication for families is that the academic story is more about steady progress and fit than headline-selective outcomes.

Attainment 8 is 46.6 and the school’s average EBacc APS is 3.98. Some measures, including Progress 8, are not available in the published dataset for this school, so parents should treat the headline as a partial view and use open events to probe subject strengths and the consistency of outcomes across the ability range.

For comparison shopping, families often find it useful to use the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool to place these GCSE indicators alongside other nearby options, especially where schools differ sharply in cohort size and intake profile.

A practical indicator of teaching approach is the school’s long-running emphasis on digital learning in the Senior School. A 1:1 programme has been in place since 2014, with students expected to bring a Windows device from Year 7 as part of their equipment. The educational implication is that homework, research, and lesson resources are likely to assume confident digital habits, so families should be comfortable supporting device setup and sensible home use.

The September 2025 ISI inspection confirmed that the school met all statutory Independent School Standards.

In practice, the inspection reporting describes well-structured lessons supported by technology and good subject knowledge. It also points to the importance of consistent feedback, with a recommendation that the marking and feedback policy is applied more consistently in some Senior School lessons so pupils reliably receive guidance and improvement targets. The implication is that parents should expect solid teaching foundations, while also asking how departments monitor consistency of feedback, particularly as students move towards GCSE courses.

In the Junior School, specialist teaching is explicitly part of the offer. The Prep School pages describe specialist provision in Art, Music, Library, French, Drama and PE, with additional tuition options such as Music, Ballet, Drama and Tennis.

The library is also positioned as more than a quiet room. It is described as a dedicated, centrally located first-floor space with distinct junior and senior usage, including structured class visits, research projects, and timetabled quiet reading. That matters because reading culture tends to be most effective when it is normalised across the week, rather than treated as an occasional enrichment activity.

With an upper age of 16 and no sixth form, the transition point that matters most is post-16. The school publishes destination lists, which is unusually helpful for parents because it replaces vague claims with concrete patterns.

For 2025 leavers, published post-16 destinations include Callywith College (16 students) and Exeter College (3), alongside smaller numbers to a range of other providers and pathways, including Duchy College (2), Launceston College (1), Truro College (1), and an apprenticeship course (1).

The implication is that routes are mixed and pragmatic rather than centred on a single destination provider. Families considering the school from Year 9 onwards should ask how GCSE option choices are shaped around likely post-16 pathways, and how the careers programme supports students aiming for selective sixth forms versus technical and apprenticeship routes.

Admissions are direct to the school, with a non-selective approach and no entrance exam, and the school notes that admission can be possible at points across a child’s journey where places are available.

The important practical nuance is capacity. The admissions pages flag that some year groups can be full or nearing capacity, so early contact remains wise even in a non-selective setting.

For 2026 entry planning, the school publishes open event dates. The next open day listed is Friday 06 March 2026 at 10am, and the school also references events each term, including an autumn open evening pattern.

Transition into Year 7 is treated as a structured process. The school describes a Year 6 to Year 7 programme including open evenings, a Year 7 taster day in January, and additional transition days that can include outdoor team-building activities. For children moving from another setting, the implication is that the school expects a deliberate acclimatisation process, not simply a September start.

Pastoral culture is framed as an institutional priority rather than an add-on. Inspection reporting highlights wellbeing as a leadership focus and describes a culture of kindness and respect modelled by staff.

The PSHE and relationships and sex education curriculum is described as well-organised and taught throughout the school, with content designed to support discussion of wider world events and themes such as staying safe and healthy in an age-appropriate way. For parents, the practical implication is that wellbeing education is likely to be planned and revisited across year groups rather than delivered as one-off talks.

Support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities is described as effective, with needs identified on arrival and individualised support put in place so pupils can make good progress.

Extracurricular life is strongest where it is tied to named activities and facilities, and St Josephs provides unusually specific examples.

Music is a clear pillar. The school references multiple choral groups, including the Senior Boys’ Choir, the Girls’ Chamber Choir, and Canzonetta, as well as a history of ensembles such as jazz bands, folk groups, rock band, wind band, and brass band. The implication is that pupils who enjoy performance and ensemble work can build confidence and discipline through regular rehearsals and events across the year.

Outdoor and challenge activities also feature prominently. Inspection reporting references clubs such as Lego, chess and table games, and mentions opportunities including residential trips, Ten Tors, and The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. For families, this signals breadth beyond traditional team sports, especially for pupils who prefer structured clubs or challenge-based experiences.

Sport provision is supported by named facility investment, including a floodlit Astroturf pitch, a grass sports and athletics facility, and a strength and conditioning suite. That infrastructure matters because it makes it easier for an inclusive sports programme to run through darker winter months and still offer progression for students who want competitive fixtures.

In the Junior School, clubs explicitly include choir, Lego club, wellbeing sessions, chess and games, environmental club, drawing, and sport clubs. There is also a Friday football club for Reception to Year 6 run by Plymouth Argyle Football Club, which is a distinctive detail rarely seen at this age range.

Fees are published by year group and charged per term for the 2025 to 2026 academic year. Reception is £2,940 per term (including VAT), rising through the school to £7,452 per term (including VAT) in Year 11. The school also lists a registration fee of £75 plus VAT and an acceptance fee of £250 plus VAT.

VAT is explicitly stated as being added to fees from 01 January 2025, and sibling discounts are listed as 5% for a second child and 10% for a third child.

Scholarships are offered with examinations in the Spring Term and are reviewed annually; awards carry a discount on fees and may be academic, musical, or sporting. Bursaries are described as available in limited circumstances, with the process discussed directly with the bursar and head teacher. The implication is that support exists, but families should expect an individual discussion rather than a published, formula-led bursary grid.

The school publishes term dates well in advance. For the 2025 to 2026 academic year, Autumn Term runs from 04 September to 11 December 2025; Spring Term runs from 06 January to 27 March 2026; Summer Term runs from 21 April to 10 July 2026.

For Senior School students, the structured day begins at 8:20am, lessons finish at 3:35pm, and supervised prep and clubs run to 4:40pm, with late prep available until 5:30pm. Early arrival from 8am is also described.

Transport support is practical for a rural catchment. The school describes nine daily bus routes and publishes zone-based pricing.

• No sixth form. The school finishes at 16, so families need to plan early for post-16 transition and confirm how GCSE choices align with sixth form or college entry requirements.

• Costs extend beyond headline fees. VAT is added to fees, external GCSE examination charges are billed separately, and Year 7 families should budget for the required Windows device for the 1:1 programme.

• Capacity can be a real constraint. Admissions are non-selective, but the school notes that some year groups can be at or near capacity, so early engagement matters.

• Feedback consistency is an area to probe. The latest inspection reporting identifies inconsistency in applying the marking and feedback policy in some Senior School lessons, which can affect how reliably students receive improvement targets.

St Josephs School suits families who value continuity from Reception to GCSE, small class culture, and a community tone that emphasises kindness, wellbeing, and steady progress. It is likely to fit pupils who enjoy a broad mix of music, clubs, sport, and outdoor challenge, and who benefit from being known well by staff across multiple years. The main decision point is structural, there is no sixth form, so parents should be confident about the post-16 plan and use published destination patterns and open events to test fit before committing.