St James' CofE Primary School Gorton

St James’ CofE Primary School Gorton continues to perform well as a good school, showing significant improvements in academic achievements and pupil engagement since its last inspection in February 2018. Leaders have made effective changes to the curriculum, particularly to help pupils who were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring that they catch up with their peers. The school culture promotes kindness and respect, contributing to a positive environment where pupils feel safe and valued.

Strengths

• Warm and welcoming school environment
• High expectations for all pupils, especially those with SEND
• Effective curriculum changes addressing past weaknesses
• Strong support for pupils affected by COVID-19
• Broad and creative curriculum supports learning well
• Rigorous phonics program effectively prepares students for reading
• Strong emphasis on personal development and community engagement
• Positive relationships between staff and pupils leading to good behavior

Areas for Improvement

• In a minority of subjects, teachers struggle to help pupils remember prior knowledge effectively

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 Gorton attended 93.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 23.6% 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, 2.8% of pupils at St James' CofE Primary School Gorton 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 Gorton had 21.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 17.2% 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, 13.7% of pupils at St James' CofE Primary School Gorton were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 10.9% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

The school has resourced provision with 10 pupils.

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 Primary School Gorton received £8,183 and spent £7,829 for each of its 442 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £2,322,000 (£5,254 per pupil).

Across all 10 schools of Vantage Ce Academies Trust, income was £7,696 and spending £7,506 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 Manchester · Manchester local authority: places and applications

St James' CofE Primary School Gorton is part of Vantage Ce Academies Trust, which runs 10 schools. The nearest others:

• Gorton Primary School Manchester
• St Barnabas CofE Primary Academy Manchester
• St Hilda's CofE Primary School Manchester
• St Paul's CofE Primary School Salford
• St Augustine's CofE Primary School Manchester
• Flixton Girls School Manchester
• Ss Simon & Jude CofE Primary School, Bolton Bolton
• Willow Tree Primary School Liverpool
• Knowsley Lane Primary School Liverpool

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

The latest Ofsted rating for St James' CofE Primary School Gorton is Good, from an inspection in June 2023.

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

St James' CofE Primary School Gorton was last inspected in June 2023.

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

St James' CofE Primary School Gorton has 466 pupils on roll.

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

St James' CofE Primary School Gorton for pupils aged 3 to 11.

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

In 2025, 48% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St James' CofE Primary School Gorton?

St James' CofE Primary School Gorton is at Stelling Street, Gorton, Manchester, M18 8LW.