St James' CofE Academy

St James' CofE Academy is a caring, inclusive and ambitious school where pupils feel safe, valued and proud to belong. Inspectors found strong practice in inclusion, leadership and governance, and personal development and wellbeing. Pupils behave very well, relationships are positive, safeguarding is met, and pupils benefit from a rich wider curriculum including clubs, visits, leadership opportunities and charity work. Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils is a particular strength, with tailored help and effective use of pupil premium funding. The school meets expected standards in achievement, attendance and behaviour, and curriculum and teaching. Pupils generally achieve well, with reading a notable strength, and most leave well prepared for the next stage. Attendance is close to national and improving, and behaviour is a significant strength; bullying is rare. The school is part of The Diocese of Coventry Multi-Academy Trust and has a higher-than-average proportion of pupils receiving special educational needs support, which leaders manage well through inclusive practice. The main area for improvement is that learning is not always matched closely enough to pupils' needs, so a few pupils do not build and remember important knowledge as securely as their peers. Leaders should ensure consistent challenge and support across the curriculum. Persistent absence, though close to national, remains an ongoing focus.

Strengths

• Caring, inclusive and highly ambitious culture where every child is known and valued
• Strong leadership and governance with a clear commitment to inclusion and high expectations
• Highly effective personal development and wellbeing provision
• Pupils behave very well and show respect, kindness and pride in their school
• Reading is a particular strength and pupils develop strong foundations in English and mathematics
• Effective support for pupils with SEND, including quick identification of needs and tailored adjustments
• Disadvantaged pupils are well supported through effective use of pupil premium funding
• Pupils benefit from a rich range of clubs, visits, leadership roles and community activities
• Safeguarding arrangements are met and pupils feel safe and know how to seek help
• Positive relationships between staff, pupils and families create a warm, nurturing environment
• Staff professional development is a strength, with strong support for new and experienced staff
• Attendance is improving and close to national figures

Areas for Improvement

• Learning is not consistently well matched to pupils' needs, so some pupils do not build and remember important knowledge as securely as their peers
• Persistent absence is close to but slightly above national figures and remains a focus for leaders

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 Academy attended 94.2% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 14.5% 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, 1.9% of pupils at St James' CofE Academy 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 Academy had 20.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 20.0% 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, 29.5% of pupils at St James' CofE Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.0% 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' CofE Academy received £6,671 and spent £6,568 for each of its 209 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £81,000 (£386 per pupil).

Across all 22 schools of The Diocese of Coventry Multi-Academy Trust, income was £7,560 and spending £7,478 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 Bedworth · Warwickshire local authority: places and applications

St James' CofE Academy is part of The Diocese of Coventry Multi-Academy Trust, which runs 22 schools. The nearest others:

• St Michael's Church of England Academy Bedworth
• All Saints Bedworth CofE Academy Bedworth
• St Laurences CofE Primary School Coventry
• Queen's Church of England Academy Nuneaton
• St Nicolas CofE Academy Nuneaton
• St Bartholomew's Church of England Academy Coventry
• Stretton Church of England Academy Coventry
• St John's Church of England Academy Coventry
• Ryton-On-Dunsmore Provost Williams Church of England Academy Coventry
• Leigh Church of England Academy Coventry

What is St James' CofE Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St James' CofE Academy is Expected standard, from an inspection in September 2026.

When was St James' CofE Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

St James' CofE Academy was last inspected in September 2026.

How many pupils does St James' CofE Academy have?

St James' CofE Academy has 200 pupils on roll.

What age range does St James' CofE Academy cover?

St James' CofE Academy for pupils aged 7 to 11.

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

In 2025, 65% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St James' CofE Academy?

St James' CofE Academy is at Barbridge Road, Bulkington, Bedworth, Warwickshire, CV12 9PF.