St James' CofE Academy

This school has not been graded since it changed URN, usually on converting to an academy. The rating shown is from its predecessor, St James' Church of England VA Primary School, inspected in January 2017.

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 Academy attended 95.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 12.5% 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, 0.5% of pupils at St James' CofE Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). One pupil was 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 Academy had 19.8 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 20.2% 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, 10.8% of pupils at St James' CofE Academy were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.5% 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' CofE Academy received £6,540 and spent £6,442 for each of its 192 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £80,000 (£416 per pupil).

Across all 14 schools of Diocese of St Albans Multi-Academy Trust, income was £7,648 and spending £7,542 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 Bedford · Bedford local authority: places and applications

St James' CofE Academy is part of Diocese of St Albans Multi-Academy Trust, which runs 15 schools. The nearest others:

• Ursula Taylor Church of England School Bedford
• Ravensden CofE Primary Academy Bedford
• Great Barford Church of England Primary Academy Bedford
• Northill CofE Academy Biggleswade
• Roxton Church of England Academy Bedford
• Caldecote Church of England Academy Biggleswade
• St Leonards CE Academy Leighton Buzzard
• Thomas Whitehead Church of England Academy Dunstable
• Totternhoe Church of England Academy Dunstable
• Manshead Church of England Academy Luton

What is St James' CofE Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St James' CofE Academy is Good, from an inspection in January 2017 of its predecessor, St James' Church of England VA Primary School.

When was St James' CofE Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

St James' CofE Academy was last inspected in March 2025.

How many pupils does St James' CofE Academy have?

St James' CofE Academy has 194 pupils on roll.

What age range does St James' CofE Academy cover?

St James' CofE Academy for pupils aged 5 to 11.

What are St James' CofE Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 54% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St James' CofE Academy?

St James' CofE Academy is at Main Road, Biddenham, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK40 4BD.