St James' Roman Catholic Primary School

St James' Roman Catholic Primary School demonstrates strong overall performance, showcasing exceptional educational outcomes and a commitment to student wellbeing. Pupils consistently exhibit high levels of engagement and behave exceptionally well, contributing to a positive learning environment. Strong progress across the curriculum is evident, particularly in key areas such as reading, writing, and mathematics, with results significantly above national averages. Furthermore, the leadership team's clear vision and effective governance underpins the school's stability and direction for future development.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve extremely well across the curriculum.
• Strong focus on attendance with high levels maintained.
• Leaders and staff adapt teaching to support diverse pupil needs.
• Early years provision fosters language development and confidence.
• Comprehensive personal development programme enhances pupils' social and moral understanding.

Areas for Improvement

• Impact of inclusion provision for SEND pupils needs closer monitoring.

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' Roman Catholic Primary School attended 97.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 1.1% 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' Roman Catholic 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' Roman Catholic Primary School had 20.4 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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, 5.1% of pupils at St James' Roman Catholic Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.3% 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 2024–25 St James' Roman Catholic Primary School received £6,899 and spent £6,963 for each of its 218 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £15,000 (£69 per pupil).

Across all 16 schools of St Oscar Romero Catholic Academy Trust, income was £8,412 and spending £8,501 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). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Bromley · Bromley local authority: places and applications

St James' Roman Catholic Primary School is part of St Oscar Romero Catholic Academy Trust, which runs 16 schools. The nearest others:

• St Peter and St Paul Catholic Primary School Orpington
• Holy Innocents Catholic Primary School Orpington
• St Philomena's Primary School Orpington
• St Joseph's Catholic Primary School Bromley
• St Vincent's Catholic Primary School London
• St Peter Chanel Catholic Primary School Sidcup
• St Thomas More Catholic Comprehensive School London
• St Mary's Catholic Primary School London
• Coloma Convent Girls' School Croydon
• St Anthony's Catholic Primary School London

What is St James' Roman Catholic Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St James' Roman Catholic Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in March 2026.

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

St James' Roman Catholic Primary School was last inspected in March 2026.

How many pupils does St James' Roman Catholic Primary School have?

St James' Roman Catholic Primary School has 216 pupils on roll.

What age range does St James' Roman Catholic Primary School cover?

St James' Roman Catholic Primary School for pupils aged 5 to 11.

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

In 2025, 94% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St James' Roman Catholic Primary School?

St James' Roman Catholic Primary School is at Maybury Close, Petts Wood, Orpington, Kent, BR5 1BL.