St James's Church of England High School
| Type | Secondary / Academy converter |
| Age Range | 11-16 |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Address | Lucas Road Farnworth Bolton Greater Manchester BL4 9RU |
| Phone | 01204333000 |
| Reference Number | 144046 |
St James's Church of England High School has demonstrated a strong overall effectiveness, achieving a good rating with notable strengths in behaviour, personal development, and leadership. The school, which has not been previously inspected under section 5, has established a calm and supportive environment where pupils excel in both their academic and personal growth. The commitment of staff to fostering high expectations and providing rich extracurricular opportunities contributes to a thriving school culture where students feel safe and happy. However, despite the many positive aspects, there are areas that need improvement. Some subjects, particularly for pupils in Year 10 and 11, have not implemented a fully rigorous and sequenced curriculum, which affects the depth of knowledge retention. Additionally, the assessment strategies across various subjects are still in development, leading to inconsistency in how well teachers track and support pupils' learning. Leaders are aware of these challenges and are actively working to strengthen the curriculum and assessment methods to enhance overall educational outcomes for all pupils.
General Makeup
| Number of pupils | 1064 |
| Boy/Girl ratio |
Boys: 51.88%
Girls: 48.12% |
| Percentage of students eligible for free school meals | 19.7% |
| Percentage of students where English is not their first language | 12.1% |
Class Sizes
| Average size of one teacher classes | 22.5 |
Year Groups
| Year | Boys | Girls | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 108 | 106 | 214 |
| 8 | 106 | 107 | 213 |
| 9 | 119 | 95 | 214 |
| 10 | 109 | 105 | 214 |
| 11 | 110 | 99 | 209 |
Ethnicities
| Ethnicity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White, British | 67% |
| African | 13.3% |
| Pakistani | 3.9% |
| Indian | 3.8% |
| White, Other | 3.7% |
| White & Black (African) | 1.4% |
| Mixed, Other | 1.4% |
| Chinese | 0.9% |
| White & Black (Caribbean) | 0.8% |
| White & Asian | 0.8% |
| Asian, Other | 0.5% |
| Overall Ofsted Rating | Good |
| > Quality of education | Good |
| > Behaviour & Attitude | Outstanding |
| > Personal Development | Outstanding |
| > Leadership & Management | Outstanding |
| Last Report Date | 02 Nov 2022 |
| Date | Report |
|---|---|
| 02 Nov 2022 | School inspection: |
| 06 Dec 2017 | Academy conversion letter |
| 01 Dec 2011 | Full inspection: |
| Previously as St James's Church of England High School | |
| 01 Dec 2011 | Full inspection: |
| 22 Apr 2010 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 22 Apr 2010 | Curriculum and development visit |
| 01 Oct 2008 | Full inspection: |
| 01 Oct 2008 | Full inspection: |
| 21 Sep 2005 | Full inspection: |
| 21 Sep 2005 | Full inspection: |
| 11 Oct 1999 | Full inspection |
| 11 Oct 1999 | Full inspection |
Strengths
- Outstanding behaviour and attitudes among pupils.
- High expectations set by leaders and staff for pupil achievement.
- Exceptional pastoral care and personal development opportunities.
- Strong relationships between pupils and staff foster a sense of belonging.
- Effective support for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND.
- Rich range of extracurricular opportunities available to pupils.
Areas for Improvement
- Inconsistent curriculum quality in some subjects for Years 10 and 11.
- Variable assessment strategies not fully implemented across all year groups.
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
- English
- Maths
- 3 subjects from qualifications that count towards the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), like sciences, language and history
- 3 more GCSE qualifications (including EBacc subjects) or technical awards from a list approved by the Department for Education
Each grade a pupil gets is assigned a point score from 9 (the highest) to 1 (the lowest). These scores are added up, with English and maths counted twice.
| School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|
| 53.5 |
GCSE Results
| Metric | School Score | Percentile (local) | Percentile (nationwide) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 57.5% | ||
| 5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4 (or A-C) | 75.8% |
Attainment 8 Score
Attaimenment 8 is a measure of a pupil's average grade across a set of 8 subjects. The 8 subjects which make up Attainment 8 are:
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| Number of Applications | Number of Offers | |
| First Preference | ||
| Second Preference | 309 | 3 |
| Third Preference | 137 | 0 |
| From another Local Authority | 102 | 22 |
Previous Years
Sample
UnlockDestinations after GCSE's
| Staying in Education | |
| > Further Education | |
| > School Sixth Form | |
| > Sixth Form College | |
| > Other Education | |
| Apprenticeships | |
| Employment | |
| Not in education or employment | |
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