St James' Catholic High School, London

Good
Secondary
Voluntary aided school
Mixed
Roman Catholic
Ages 1118

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~830m)Possible (~1.2km)Unlikely (~1.5km)Confidence: medium

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data. Admissions policy: Non-selective

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr Anthony Ellul
Pupils:1,243 / 1,400 capacity
LA:Barnet
Phone:02083582800
Address:Great Strand, Colindale, London, NW9 5PE
Admissions:Non-selective
Status:open

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 4 years ago
-

Overall

Inspected 4 May 2022View full report
URN:101364
UKPRN:10006183
Diocese:Archdiocese of Westminster
Constituency:Hendon
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

St James' creates a supportive and nurturing environment where all pupils are encouraged to work hard and achieve highly. The school has successfully helped disadvantaged pupils make excellent progress, and pupils show outstanding behaviour with respect and courtesy towards each other. Teachers feel valued and supported, which means experienced staff stay at the school and new teachers quickly become confident and competent.

Key Strengths

  • Consistently good teaching across the school with strong support for staff development and professional learning
  • Excellent progress made by disadvantaged pupils through strategic use of pupil premium funding
  • Very good pupil conduct with strong respect for each other and the wider community
  • Effective leadership from the new headteacher with clear vision and accurate evaluation of the school
  • Well-resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs

Areas for Improvement

  • Some of the most able pupils do not make the same substantial progress as other pupils at the school
  • Variability in progress made by students on A-level courses in the sixth form
  • Personal, social and health education programme is not mapped cohesively across the school
  • Performance management procedures need to ensure consistent accountability at all levels

Safeguarding

The report text was cut off before safeguarding information was provided.

Extracurricular Activities

Sporting activities, charitable works, sixth-form prefects, head boy and head girl recruitment programme, school council, alternative provision options

St James' Catholic High School is a good school where leaders have created a nurturing learning environment where pupils thrive academically and spiritually. All pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, make significant progress from their starting points.

At a Glance

32.6%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

No

Nursery

Yes

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Class Sizes

22.5

Avg class size

42

Total classes

7 classes with more than 30 pupils

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Tube / Metro / Tram

Colindale Underground Station
861m · 14 min walk
Colindale Station
868m · 14 min walk

Bus Stops

Saracens High School / South Mead (Stop QQ)
209m · 3 min walk
Royal Air Force Museum (Stop QJ)
268m · 4 min walk
Long Mead (Stop QP)
341m · 6 min walk
Quakers Course (Stop QD)
344m · 6 min walk
Fiveways Corner (->N)
365m · 6 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

89%

Available places

1,243 pupils

1,400 capacity

157 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - London

Medium pressure
New homes approved:104,823
Projected new pupils:18,868

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for London

Admissions Demand - Barnet

Low demand0.87x oversubscription

Places available

4,877

Applications

4,221

Got 1st preference

72.4%

Got preferred school

92.6%

Secondary admissions across Barnet (2025/26)

Inspection History(10)

4 May 2022
6 October 2020
7 March 2017
Leadership & ManagementGood

House Prices

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SEN Provision

How many pupils have special educational needs, what types of support the school provides, and how it compares to similar schools.

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Pupil Demographics

The school's pupil mix - ethnicity breakdown, free school meals eligibility, and English as an additional language. Useful context when evaluating school fit.

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Teachers & Staff

Teacher qualification rates, pupil-to-teacher ratio, staff turnover, and salary data. Shows how well-resourced and stable the school's workforce is.

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School Funding

Annual funding per pupil, total budget, pupil premium grants, and how the school's resources compare to similar schools nationally.

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Pupil Absence
2024/25

7.56069%

Overall absence

20.7024%

Persistent absence

1,082

Enrolments

Authorised4.52267%
Unauthorised3.03801%
Persistent (10%+)20.7024%
Severe (50%+)2.5878%

Absence trend

3.95305%
18/19
5.88404%
20/21
8.69431%
21/22
9.75776%
22/23
8.71768%
23/24
7.56069%
24/25
Overall absence rate

Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.

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