St James' Church of England Aided Junior School

St James' Church of England Aided Junior School has demonstrated a good overall effectiveness in its first inspection since becoming an academy and its first routine inspection after the COVID-19 pandemic. With strong leadership that is committed to the school's vision, the quality of education provided is good across various domains, including behaviour, attitudes, and personal development. The school cultivates an inclusive culture, celebrating diversity and focusing on the personal growth of each pupil while providing support for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Strengths

• Outstanding leadership and management
• Engaging and well-planned curriculum
• Strong focus on reading and phonics
• Positive relationships between adults and pupils
• Supportive environment for pupils acquiring English language skills
• Rich personal development opportunities

Areas for Improvement

• Inconsistent assessment of pupil progress
• High rates of persistent absenteeism

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 Aided Junior School attended 91.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 21.6% 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, 1.0% of pupils at St James' Church of England Aided Junior 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 Aided Junior School had 20.5 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 11.6% 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, 16.4% of pupils at St James' Church of England Aided Junior School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.3% 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' Church of England Aided Junior School received £7,833 and spent £7,393 for each of its 299 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £190,000 (£634 per pupil).

Across all 33 schools of Derby Diocesan Academy Trust, income was £7,661 and spending £7,414 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 Derby · Derby local authority: places and applications

St James' Church of England Aided Junior School is part of Derby Diocesan Academy Trust, which runs 33 schools. The nearest others:

• Arboretum Primary School Derby
• Hardwick Primary School Derby
• Derby St Chad's CofE Nursery and Infant School Derby
• Firs Primary School Derby
• Bishop Lonsdale Church of England Primary School and Nursery Derby
• Derby Cathedral School Derby
• St Peter's Church of England Aided Junior School Derby
• Griffe Field Primary School Derby
• Walter Evans Church of England Aided Primary School Derby
• St Werburgh's CofE Primary School Derby

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

The latest Ofsted rating for St James' Church of England Aided Junior School is Good, from an inspection in April 2024.

When was St James' Church of England Aided Junior School last inspected by Ofsted?

St James' Church of England Aided Junior School was last inspected in April 2024.

How many pupils does St James' Church of England Aided Junior School have?

St James' Church of England Aided Junior School has 299 pupils on roll.

What age range does St James' Church of England Aided Junior School cover?

St James' Church of England Aided Junior School for pupils aged 7 to 11.

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

In 2025, 46% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St James' Church of England Aided Junior School?

St James' Church of England Aided Junior School is at Reginald Street, Derby, Derbyshire, DE23 8FQ.