St James' CofE Primary School

St James’ C of E Primary School has made significant progress since its previous inspection, moving from a needs improvement rating to an overall good performance across all evaluated areas. The interim executive headteacher and staff emphasize a nurturing environment where pupils feel safe and valued. Parents commend the school's caring approach, contributing to a sense of community where pupils enjoy their school life and maintain positive relationships with each other across age groups.

Strengths

• Pupils enjoy a family-like environment and feel safe at school.
• Leadership has created a culture of togetherness and high expectations.
• The curriculum is well-structured, promoting engagement and retention.
• Strong support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• High levels of staff morale and effective training opportunities.
• Emphasis on reading, resulting in many pupils reading widely and confidently.

Areas for Improvement

• Some teaching practices do not sufficiently help pupils retain specific subject knowledge.
• Younger readers may struggle with unfamiliar vocabulary affecting comprehension.

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' CofE Primary School attended 95.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 4.9% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

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, 0.0% of pupils at St James' CofE Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

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' CofE Primary School had 9.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 27.8% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

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, 25.7% of pupils at St James' CofE Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 11.4% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

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' CofE Primary School received £12,332 and spent £15,856 for each of its 35 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £41,000 (-£1,179 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Malvern · Worcestershire local authority: places and applications

What is St James' CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St James' CofE Primary School is Good, from an inspection in June 2025.

When was St James' CofE Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

St James' CofE Primary School was last inspected in June 2025.

How many pupils does St James' CofE Primary School have?

St James' CofE Primary School has 35 pupils on roll.

What age range does St James' CofE Primary School cover?

St James' CofE Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are St James' CofE Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 73% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St James' CofE Primary School?

St James' CofE Primary School is at West Malvern Road, Malvern, Worcestershire, WR14 4BB.