St James and St John CofE Primary School
St James and St John CofE Primary School is a voluntary controlled school in Buckingham for pupils aged 4 to 11. It has a Church of England religious character. It has 144 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for St James and St John CofE Primary School is Good, from an inspection in June 2024. In 2025, 69% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.
Ofsted inspection: June 2024. KS2 results: 2025.
| Type | Primary / Voluntary controlled school |
| Age Range | 4-11 |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Address | Main Street Chackmore Buckingham Buckinghamshire MK18 5JE |
| Phone | 01280812291 |
| Reference Number | 110410 |
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 144 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 53.47%
Girls: 46.53% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 11.8% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 2.1% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 20.6 |
| Average size of Key Stage 1 classes taught by one teacher | 14.7 |
| Average size of Key Stage 2 classes taught by one teacher | 25 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 14 | 19 |
| 2 | 6 | 6 | 12 |
| 3 | 15 | 6 | 21 |
| 4 | 13 | 16 | 29 |
| 5 | 14 | 11 | 25 |
| 6 | 15 | 10 | 25 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 81.9% |
| Mixed, Other | 3.5% |
| White, Other | 2.8% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 2.8% |
| White & Asian | 2.8% |
| White & Black (African) | 2.8% |
| Indian | 1.4% |
| Unclassified | 0.7% |
| African | 0.7% |
| Irish | 0.7% |
St James and St John CofE Primary School is performing well, achieving a 'Good' grade across all areas of inspection except for early years provision, which is rated as 'Outstanding'. Pupils are happy and demonstrate strong values such as courage, kindness, and respect, contributing to a positive learning environment. The school has shown significant improvements in education quality, particularly in reading and writing, and supports pupils' personal development effectively. However, there are some gaps in knowledge retention in a few subjects, preventing pupils from achieving their full potential in those areas.
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Good |
| > Quality of education | Good |
| > Behaviour & Attitude | Good |
| > Personal Development | Good |
| > Leadership & Management | Good |
| > Early Years Provision | Outstanding |
| Last Report Date | 30 Apr 2024 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 30 Apr 2024 | School inspection: |
| 28 Sep 2022 | School inspection |
| 02 Mar 2017 | Short inspection |
| 13 Dec 2012 | Full inspection: |
| 07 Jan 2011 | Interim assessment |
| 25 Sep 2007 | Full inspection: |
| 03 Oct 2005 | Full inspection: |
| 13 Mar 2000 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Strong focus on pupils' personal development and behaviour.
- High-quality early years provision.
- Effective reading curriculum leading to high phonics achievement.
- Strong relationships among pupils, promoting a nurturing environment.
- Teachers exhibit strong subject knowledge and deliver curriculum effectively.
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistent checking of knowledge retention across some subjects.
How many students meet the standards
| Reading, Writing & Maths | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils meeting the expected standard | 69% | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Pupils meeting a higher standard | 19% | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
Average Scaled Score
Results are converted into scaled scores to allow accurate comparisons of performance over time even if the difficulty of the test varies over time. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120.
| Subject | School | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 108 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Maths | 106 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
Progress Scores
A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 0.7 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Writing | -6.6 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Maths | -2.1 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
How many students meet the standards
Sample
UnlockAverage Scaled Score
Results are converted into scaled scores to allow accurate comparisons of performance over time even if the difficulty of the test varies over time. Scaled scores range from 80 to 120.
Sample
UnlockProgress Scores
A progress score is a way to measure how well a student progressed in comparison to other students of a similar starting ability. A score of zero means would mean that a student made the same progress as others that had a similar starting a ability. A positive score would mean that the student made more progress than other students of similar starting ability. The scores below are for the whole school so is the average progress score across all students.
Sample
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See how St James and St John CofE Primary School ranks locally and nationally. Percentile rankings against every other school, historic result charts, admissions data and post-GCSE destinations are all included.
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Unlock for £9.99Reception admissions, 2026 entry
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| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Second Preference | 12 | 1 |
| Third Preference | 8 | 0 |
| From another Local Authority | 4 | 1 |
Previous years
Sample
UnlockPlaces and pupil numbers
In 2024–25 St James and St John CofE Primary School had 139 pupils for 184 places. 45 places (24.5%) were unfilled.
Pupils and places
Reception intake in the “Buckingham Primary” planning area
Buckinghamshire counted 215 Reception pupils in this area in 2024–25 and forecasts 213 in 2029–30, down 1%.
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Places | 142 | 157 | 157 | 157 | 157 | 169 | 166 | 166 | 166 | 166 | 166 | 166 | 184 | 184 | 184 |
| Pupils | 134 | 130 | 132 | 130 | 133 | 123 | 123 | 158 | 157 | 153 | 156 | 166 | 151 | 146 | 139 |
| Unfilled | 5.6% | 17.2% | 15.9% | 17.2% | 15.3% | 27.2% | 25.9% | 4.8% | 5.4% | 7.8% | 6.0% | 0.0% | 17.9% | 20.7% | 24.5% |
Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.
In 2024–25 pupils at St James and St John CofE Primary School attended 95.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 6.3% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).
Sessions missed
Pupils persistently absent
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Authorised absence | 3.3% | 2.9% | 3.4% | 2.9% | 3.1% | 3.0% | 3.2% | 6.3% | 3.8% | 4.1% | 3.6% |
| Unauthorised absence | 0.4% | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.3% | 0.7% | 1.1% | 1.6% | 0.7% |
| Severely absent pupils | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 2.8% | 0.8% |
Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.
In 2024–25, 0.7% of pupils at St James and St John CofE Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.
Pupils suspended at least once
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suspensions per 100 pupils | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 |
| Permanent exclusions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.
In 2025–26 St James and St John CofE Primary School had 18.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 15.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).
Pupils per teacher
Teachers who left the school within a year
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils per adult | 11.2 | 8.2 | 7.6 | 8.4 | 8.4 | 8.9 | 12.9 | 13.2 | 12.5 | 10.5 | 10.4 | 12.4 | 11.9 | 12.1 | 9.3 | 10.0 |
| Teachers who left state teaching | 0.0% | 0.0% | 19.8% | 5.5% | 6.2% | 0.0% | 13.5% | 2.7% | 0.0% | 6.9% | 16.2% | 23.5% | 19.5% | 11.4% | 12.5% | – |
| Teachers who took any sick leave | 0.0% | 27.3% | 33.3% | 18.2% | 70.0% | 30.0% | 50.0% | 40.0% | 40.0% | – | 16.7% | 38.5% | 27.3% | 54.5% | 60.0% | – |
| Sick days per teacher | 0.0 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 2.1 | – | 0.3 | 3.2 | 0.8 | 1.8 | 4.3 | – |
Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.
In 2025–26, 19.4% of pupils at St James and St John CofE Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.5% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).
Pupils by main type of need
| SEN support | EHC plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Social, emotional and mental health | 9 | 0 |
| Speech, language and communication needs | 7 | 2 |
| Autistic spectrum disorder | 2 | 2 |
| No specialist assessment of need | 4 | 0 |
| Moderate learning difficulty | 3 | 0 |
| Specific learning difficulty | 2 | 0 |
| Other difficulty or disability | 1 | 0 |
| Physical disability | 0 | 1 |
Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.
In 2025–26 St James and St John CofE Primary School received £6,747 and spent £7,038 for each of its 144 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £31,000 (£216 per pupil).
Income per pupil
Spending per pupil
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue reserve | £21,000 | £20,000 | £11,000 | -£3,000 | £25,000 | £3,000 | £73,000 | £31,000 |
| per pupil | £134 | £123 | £67 | -£16 | £167 | £19 | £546 | £216 |
| In-year balance | £15,000 | -£1,000 | -£9,000 | -£13,000 | £27,000 | -£22,000 | £70,000 | -£42,000 |
| per pupil | £94 | -£8 | -£54 | -£82 | £184 | -£143 | £524 | -£291 |
Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).
| Name | Distance |
|
Maids Moreton Church of England School
Avenue Road, Maids Moreton, Maids Moreton, Buckinghamshire, MK18 1QA |
1.19 miles |
|
Buckingham Primary School
Foscott Way, Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, MK18 1TT |
1.21 miles |
|
George Grenville Academy
Chandos Road, Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, MK18 1AP |
1.6 miles |
|
Bourton Meadow Academy
Burleigh Piece, Linden Village, Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, MK18 7HX |
1.9 miles |
|
Lace Hill Academy
Catchpin Street, Lace Hill, Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, MK18 7RR |
2.39 miles |
|
Roundwood Primary School
Church Street, Gawcott, Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, MK18 4HY |
2.49 miles |
|
Finmere Church of England Primary School
Mere Road, Finmere, Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, MK18 4AR |
3.55 miles |
|
Thornborough Infant School
High Street, Thornborough, Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, MK18 2DF |
3.79 miles |
|
Akeley Wood Junior School
Wicken Park Road, Wicken, Milton Keynes, Northamptonshire, MK19 6DA |
3.9 miles |
|
Padbury Church of England School
Main Road, Padbury, Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, MK18 2AP |
3.94 miles |
|
Beachborough School
Westbury, Brackley, NN13 5LB |
4.01 miles |
|
Whittlebury Church of England Primary School
High Street, Whittlebury, Towcester, Northamptonshire, NN12 8XH |
4.91 miles |
|
Syresham St James CofE Primary School and Nursery
High Street, Syresham, Brackley, Northamptonshire, NN13 5HL |
4.94 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
Akeley Wood Senior School
Akeley Wood Senior School, Bycell Road, Akeley, MK18 5AE |
1.08 miles |
|
Stowe School
Stowe, Buckingham, MK18 5EH |
1.23 miles |
|
Buckingham School
London Road, Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, MK18 1AT |
1.68 miles |
|
Royal Latin School
Chandos Road, Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, MK18 1AX |
1.72 miles |
|
Thornton College
Convent of Jesus and Mary, Milton Keynes, MK17 0HJ |
4.06 miles |
|
Silverstone UTC
Silverstone Circuit, Towcester, Northamptonshire, NN12 8TL |
4.14 miles |
All schools in Buckingham · Buckinghamshire local authority: places and applications
What is St James and St John CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?
The latest Ofsted rating for St James and St John CofE Primary School is Good, from an inspection in June 2024.
When was St James and St John CofE Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?
St James and St John CofE Primary School was last inspected in June 2024.
How many pupils does St James and St John CofE Primary School have?
St James and St John CofE Primary School has 144 pupils on roll.
What age range does St James and St John CofE Primary School cover?
St James and St John CofE Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.
What are St James and St John CofE Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?
In 2025, 69% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.
Where is St James and St John CofE Primary School?
St James and St John CofE Primary School is at Main Street, Chackmore, Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, MK18 5JE.