Church Cowley St James Church of England Primary School
Church Cowley St James Church of England Primary School is a voluntary controlled school in Oxford for pupils aged 3 to 11. It has a Church of England religious character. It has 459 pupils on roll. The latest Ofsted rating for Church Cowley St James Church of England Primary School is Good, from an inspection in October 2023. In 2025, 59% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Absence is higher than at most other primary schools, with 7.7% of sessions missed in 2024/25 against 5.2% nationally, and 22% of pupils were persistently absent.
Ofsted inspection: October 2023. KS2 results: 2025.
| Type | Primary / Voluntary controlled school |
| Age Range | 3-11 |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Address | Bartholomew Road Cowley Oxford Oxfordshire OX4 3QH |
| Phone | 01865778484 |
| Reference Number | 123139 |
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 459 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 50.76%
Girls: 49.24% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 28.2% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 55.1% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 28.6 |
| Average size of Key Stage 1 classes taught by one teacher | 27.8 |
| Average size of Key Stage 2 classes taught by one teacher | 27.6 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 32 | 27 | 59 |
| 2 | 24 | 26 | 50 |
| 3 | 33 | 23 | 56 |
| 4 | 27 | 27 | 54 |
| 5 | 23 | 37 | 60 |
| 6 | 25 | 28 | 53 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 28.1% |
| Asian, Other | 15% |
| Pakistani | 10.2% |
| White, Other | 9.8% |
| African | 6.5% |
| Mixed, Other | 5.9% |
| Indian | 4.8% |
| White & Asian | 3.5% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 2.2% |
| Unclassified | 2.2% |
| White & Black (African) | 0.7% |
| Irish | 0.4% |
| Caribbean | 0.4% |
| Chinese | 0.2% |
Church Cowley St James Church of England Primary School continues to deliver a good standard of education, characterized by a strong culture of ambition and inclusivity. Pupils thrive in a supportive environment that prioritizes their well-being and encourages high standards of behavior. Opportunities for personal development through various clubs and activities foster a sense of belonging among students, who display respect and compassion towards one another and staff alike. While the school has established several strengths, there are areas that require attention, particularly in ensuring consistent delivery of the curriculum across all subjects.
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Good |
| Last Report Date | 19 Sep 2023 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 19 Sep 2023 | School inspection |
| 06 Mar 2018 | Full inspection: |
| 20 Mar 2013 | Full inspection: |
| 01 Dec 2011 | Monitoring visit |
| 15 Jun 2010 | Full inspection: |
| 07 Mar 2007 | Full inspection: |
| 02 Jul 2001 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Strong culture of ambition and inclusivity.
- Pupils demonstrate respect and compassion towards each other.
- Wide range of clubs and activities promoting personal development.
- Effective safeguarding practices are in place.
- Strong partnership with parents enhancing communication.
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistent curriculum delivery in some subjects affects pupil knowledge.
- Attendance rates are lower than expected, impacting learning.
- Some disadvantaged pupils lack the support needed to catch up.
How many students meet the standards
| Reading, Writing & Maths | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils meeting the expected standard | 59% | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Pupils meeting a higher standard | 5% | 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 | 103 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Maths | 104 | 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 | 1.1 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Writing | 0.1 | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment | Locked: unlock for £9.99, one-off payment |
| Maths | 2.3 | 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.
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See how Church Cowley St James Church of England 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 | 29 | 0 |
| Third Preference | 21 | 0 |
| From another Local Authority | 0 | 0 |
Previous years
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UnlockPlaces and pupil numbers
In 2024–25 Church Cowley St James Church of England Primary School had 411 pupils for 420 places. 9 places (2.1%) were unfilled.
Pupils and places
Reception intake in the “Oxford South Primary” planning area
Oxfordshire counted 275 Reception pupils in this area in 2024–25 and forecasts 232 in 2029–30, down 16%.
| 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Places | 420 | 420 | 420 | 420 | 420 | 420 | 420 | 420 | 420 | 420 | 420 | 420 | 420 | 420 | 420 |
| Pupils | 405 | 415 | 411 | 400 | 407 | 402 | 397 | 405 | 408 | 410 | 399 | 389 | 408 | 411 | 411 |
| Unfilled | 3.6% | 1.2% | 2.1% | 4.8% | 3.1% | 4.3% | 5.5% | 3.6% | 2.9% | 2.4% | 5.0% | 7.4% | 2.9% | 2.1% | 2.1% |
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 Church Cowley St James Church of England Primary School attended 92.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 22.4% 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 | 3.6% | 3.9% | 3.2% | 3.3% | 3.7% | 3.7% | 2.4% | 5.5% | 6.0% | 5.5% | 4.9% |
| Unauthorised absence | 1.5% | 1.3% | 1.1% | 1.3% | 1.5% | 1.4% | 0.8% | 1.7% | 2.4% | 2.5% | 2.8% |
| Severely absent pupils | 1.1% | 0.8% | 0.5% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.0% | 0.3% | 0.6% | 1.4% | 2.7% | 2.2% |
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, 0.6% of pupils at Church Cowley St James Church of England 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 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 2.6 | 4.4 | 3.0 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 3.4 | 1.1 | 2.5 | 2.6 | 3.9 | 3.6 | 1.1 |
| 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 Church Cowley St James Church of England Primary School had 23.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 25.4% 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 | 12.5 | 11.9 | 10.4 | 13.7 | 12.6 | 12.1 | 11.2 | 11.4 | 13.0 | 12.7 | 11.9 | 11.9 | 13.1 | 11.6 | 12.1 | 10.6 |
| Teachers who left state teaching | 10.6% | 3.8% | 15.6% | 5.6% | 4.7% | 0.0% | 12.1% | 21.5% | 0.0% | 9.4% | 2.8% | 4.8% | 13.1% | 13.1% | 5.1% | – |
| Teachers who took any sick leave | 50.0% | 58.3% | 51.9% | 68.4% | 48.1% | 50.0% | 64.0% | 53.8% | 36.0% | – | 21.7% | 68.0% | 46.2% | 60.0% | 38.9% | – |
| Sick days per teacher | 1.2 | 12.9 | 4.3 | 12.7 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 4.6 | 4.0 | 0.7 | – | 1.1 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 2.7 | 0.9 | – |
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, 16.6% of pupils at Church Cowley St James Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.8% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).
Pupils by main type of need
| SEN support | EHC plan | |
|---|---|---|
| Speech, language and communication needs | 30 | 4 |
| Social, emotional and mental health | 18 | 1 |
| Autistic spectrum disorder | 9 | 4 |
| Moderate learning difficulty | 10 | 0 |
| Hearing impairment | 4 | 1 |
| Physical disability | 3 | 1 |
| Other difficulty or disability | 0 | 1 |
| Severe learning difficulty | 0 | 1 |
| Specific learning difficulty | 1 | 0 |
| Vision impairment | 1 | 0 |
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 Church Cowley St James Church of England Primary School received £7,331 and spent £7,872 for each of its 428 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £199,000 (-£466 per pupil).
Income per pupil
Spending per pupil
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue reserve | £266,000 | £208,000 | £157,000 | £234,000 | £228,000 | £111,000 | £32,000 | -£199,000 |
| per pupil | £610 | £470 | £366 | £533 | £508 | £242 | £70 | -£466 |
| In-year balance | -£200,000 | -£58,000 | -£51,000 | £76,000 | -£5,000 | -£118,000 | -£78,000 | -£232,000 |
| per pupil | -£460 | -£132 | -£118 | £174 | -£12 | -£258 | -£169 | -£541 |
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 |
|
St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, Littlemore
Sandy Lane West, Littlemore, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 6LD |
0.34 miles |
|
Our Lady's Roman Catholic Primary School
Oxford Road, Cowley, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 2LF |
0.38 miles |
|
St Christopher's Church of England School, Cowley
Temple Road, Cowley, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 2HB |
0.58 miles |
|
Orchard Meadow Primary School
Wesley Close, Oxford, OX4 6BG |
0.68 miles |
|
Emmanuel Christian School
Sandford Road, Littlemore, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 4PU |
0.69 miles |
|
John Henry Newman Academy
Grange Road, Littlemore, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 4LS |
0.7 miles |
|
Tyndale Community School
William Morris Close, Cowley Marsh, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 2JX |
0.8 miles |
|
St Francis Church of England Primary School
Horspath Road, Cowley, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 2QT |
0.82 miles |
|
Rose Hill Primary School
The Oval, Rose Hill, Oxford, OX4 4SF |
0.84 miles |
|
St Frideswide Church of England Primary School
Cricket Road, Oxford, OX4 3DJ |
0.94 miles |
|
Windale Primary School
Windale Avenue, Oxford, OX4 6JD |
0.95 miles |
|
Pegasus School
Field Avenue, Blackbird Leys, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 6RQ |
0.98 miles |
|
Larkrise Primary School
Boundary Brook Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 4AN |
1.06 miles |
|
Comper Nursery School
Hertford Street, Oxford, OX4 3AJ |
1.32 miles |
|
St Mary and St John Church of England Primary School
Meadow Lane, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 1TJ |
1.5 miles |
|
Wood Farm Primary School
Titup Hall Drive, Headington, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX3 8QQ |
1.69 miles |
|
East Oxford Primary School
Union Street, Cowley, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 1JP |
1.73 miles |
|
St Swithun's CofE Primary School
Grundy Crescent, Kennington, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX1 5PS |
1.75 miles |
|
Slade Nursery School
Titup Hall Drive, Oxford, OX3 8QQ |
1.77 miles |
|
Horspath Church of England Primary School
Blenheim Road, Horspath, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX33 1RY |
1.96 miles |
| Name | Distance |
|
The Oxford Academy
Sandy Lane West, Littlemore, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 6JZ |
0.43 miles |
|
Kings Education (Oxford)
St Joseph's Hall, Temple Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 2UJ |
0.62 miles |
|
Orion Academy
Knights Road, Blackbird Leys, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 6DQ |
0.71 miles |
|
Oxfordshire Hospital School
61-63 Cuddesdon Way, Blackbird Leys, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 6SB |
0.74 miles |
|
Mabel Prichard School
Cuddesdon Way, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 6SB |
0.75 miles |
|
Greyfriars Catholic School
Cricket Road, Cowley, Greyfriars Catholic School, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 3DR |
0.89 miles |
|
The Iffley Academy
Iffley Turn, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 4DU |
1 miles |
|
Oxford Spires Academy
Glanville Road, Oxford, OX4 2AU |
1.07 miles |
|
Cheney School
Cheney Lane, Headington, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX3 7QH |
1.76 miles |
|
Oxford International College
1-5 London Place, Oxford, OX4 1BD |
1.94 miles |
|
Magdalen College School
Cowley Place, Oxford, OX4 1DZ |
1.98 miles |
|
Headington School Oxford
Headington Road, Oxford, OX3 7TD |
2.07 miles |
|
Oxford Media & Business School
1 Cambridge Terrace, Oxford, OX1 1RR |
2.42 miles |
|
Endeavour Academy, Oxford
Waynflete Road, Headington, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX3 8DD |
2.62 miles |
|
Ruskin College
Dunstan Road, Old Headington, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX3 9BZ |
2.62 miles |
|
Activate Learning
Oxpens Road, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX1 1SA |
2.66 miles |
|
The Eckersley School of English
14 Friars Entry, Oxford, OX1 2BZ |
2.73 miles |
|
Radley College
|
2.89 miles |
|
Cherwell College Oxford
Osney Lane, (Off Mill Street), Oxford, OX1 1BZ |
2.92 miles |
|
John Watson School
Littleworth Road, Wheatley, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX33 1NN |
3.22 miles |
All schools in Oxford · Oxfordshire local authority: places and applications
What is Church Cowley St James Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?
The latest Ofsted rating for Church Cowley St James Church of England Primary School is Good, from an inspection in October 2023.
When was Church Cowley St James Church of England Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?
Church Cowley St James Church of England Primary School was last inspected in October 2023.
How many pupils does Church Cowley St James Church of England Primary School have?
Church Cowley St James Church of England Primary School has 459 pupils on roll.
What age range does Church Cowley St James Church of England Primary School cover?
Church Cowley St James Church of England Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.
What are Church Cowley St James Church of England Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?
In 2025, 59% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.
Where is Church Cowley St James Church of England Primary School?
Church Cowley St James Church of England Primary School is at Bartholomew Road, Cowley, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX4 3QH.