St James Church of England Primary School

St James Church of England Primary School demonstrates a strong standard of education with impressive offerings in personal development and wellbeing. Safeguarding measures are effectively implemented, creating an environment where students feel safe and included. The school's commitment to support pupils, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with special educational needs, is noteworthy, contributing to positive outcomes for many. Despite a generally solid performance, there are indications that further refinement in teaching practices and strategic evaluation is needed to enhance overall pupil progress and learning outcomes.

Strengths

• Strong personal development program that prepares pupils for life in modern Britain.
• Effective safeguarding measures ensuring pupils feel safe and cared for.
• High levels of support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• High expectations for pupil behaviour and consistent application of these expectations.
• Ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum designed to meet pupils' needs.
• Strong participation in community events and celebration of cultural diversity.

Areas for Improvement

• Teaching quality could be more consistent to enhance pupil learning opportunities.
• Leaders' evaluative practices need to be improved for better oversight of performance.

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 Church of England Primary School attended 94.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 14.9% 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, 2.7% of pupils at 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

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 Church of England Primary School had 18.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 16.2% 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, 20.4% of pupils at St James Church of England Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 6.5% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

The school has a SEN unit with 6 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 Church of England Primary School received £7,633 and spent £7,546 for each of its 429 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £456,000 (£1,063 per pupil).

Across all 36 schools of Peterborough Diocese Education Trust, income was £6,820 and spending £6,815 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 Northampton · West Northamptonshire local authority: places and applications

St James Church of England Primary School is part of Peterborough Diocese Education Trust, which runs 36 schools. The nearest others:

• St Luke's Church of England Primary School Northampton
• Kislingbury Primary School Northampton
• Collingtree Church of England Primary School Northampton
• Milton Parochial Primary School Northampton
• Spratton Church of England Primary School Northampton
• Sywell Church of England Primary School Northampton
• Mears Ashby Church of England Primary School Northampton
• Greens Norton Church of England Primary School Towcester
• Towcester Church of England Primary School Towcester
• Guilsborough Church of England Primary School Northampton

What is St James Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St James Church of England Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in March 2026.

When was St James Church of England Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

St James Church of England Primary School was last inspected in March 2026.

How many pupils does St James Church of England Primary School have?

St James Church of England Primary School has 445 pupils on roll.

What age range does St James Church of England Primary School cover?

St James Church of England Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are St James Church of England Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 69% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St James Church of England Primary School?

St James Church of England Primary School is at Harlestone Road, St James, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN5 7AG.