Marshland St James Primary and Nursery School

Marshland St. James Primary and Nursery School has made significant progress since its last inspection, achieving a 'Good' overall effectiveness rating. The school is characterized by a welcoming atmosphere where pupils enjoy learning and feel well-supported by staff. High expectations from leaders translate into an ambitious curriculum that supports pupil success, especially in early years, which has been rated as outstanding. While most subjects are effectively taught, there is an identified need for improvement in the clarity and structure of the curriculum in a few key areas, affecting pupil confidence in those subjects.

Strengths

• Welcoming and supportive environment for pupils
• Strong emphasis on reading and phonics from an early age
• High expectations for pupil achievement set by leaders
• Exceptional early years curriculum preparing children well for Year 1
• Effective use of pupil interests to enhance learning
• Strong relationships forged between pupils and staff
• Effective support for pupils with special educational needs

Areas for Improvement

• In some subjects, the curriculum is not as well developed, leading to gaps in pupil understanding

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 Marshland St James Primary and Nursery School attended 91.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 27.8% 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, 6.6% of pupils at Marshland St James Primary and Nursery 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 Marshland St James Primary and Nursery School had 23.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 53.6% 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, 31.1% of pupils at Marshland St James Primary and Nursery School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.8% 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 Marshland St James Primary and Nursery School received £7,204 and spent £5,843 for each of its 108 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £0 (£0 per pupil).

Across all 38 schools of Grace Schools, income was £7,113 and spending £6,207 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 Wisbech · Norfolk local authority: places and applications

Marshland St James Primary and Nursery School is part of Grace Schools, which runs 38 schools. The nearest others:

• St Peter's CofE Aided Junior School Wisbech
• Orchards Church of England Academy Wisbech
• Elm CofE Primary School Wisbech
• Anthony Curton CofE Primary School Wisbech
• Tilney All Saints CofE Primary School King'S Lynn
• Holy Cross Church of England Primary School King'S Lynn
• Wisbech St Mary CofE Academy Wisbech
• Guyhirn CofE VC Primary School Wisbech
• Hilgay Riverside Academy Downham Market
• St Martin At Shouldham Church of England Primary Academy King'S Lynn

What is Marshland St James Primary and Nursery School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Marshland St James Primary and Nursery School is Good, from an inspection in July 2022.

When was Marshland St James Primary and Nursery School last inspected by Ofsted?

Marshland St James Primary and Nursery School was last inspected in July 2022.

How many pupils does Marshland St James Primary and Nursery School have?

Marshland St James Primary and Nursery School has 106 pupils on roll.

What age range does Marshland St James Primary and Nursery School cover?

Marshland St James Primary and Nursery School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Marshland St James Primary and Nursery School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 77% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Marshland St James Primary and Nursery School?

Marshland St James Primary and Nursery School is at School Road, Marshland St James, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, PE14 8EY.