St James Church of England Controlled Primary School, Emsworth
St James Church of England Controlled Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Emsworth. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2017. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in May 2023 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 2nd-highest of the 5 schools in Emsworth with published results, and 8,950th of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025, at 107% of capacity.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2017)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Hampshire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
St James Church of England Controlled Primary School in detail
St James Church of England Controlled Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "If your child will be starting school in September 2027, we have a choice of three events where you can come and visit our school."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 75% of Year 6 pupils at St James Church of England Controlled Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 72% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 75% in Hampshire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (76% in reading, 76% in maths).
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St James Church of England Controlled Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 30 families put St James Church of England Controlled Primary School as their first choice and 76 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. 3 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at St James Church of England Controlled Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St James Church of England Controlled Primary School are Emsworth Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 75% reading, 71% maths); Westbourne Primary School (0.9 miles); Westbourne Primary School (0.9 miles, Requires improvement, 64% reading, 64% maths); and St Alban's Church of England Aided Primary School (1.5 miles, Good, 70% reading, 73% maths).
St James Church of England Controlled Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.
Emsworth Primary SchoolWestbourne Primary SchoolWestbourne Primary SchoolSt Alban's Church of England Aided Primary School
Who goes there
10.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (88%) and Mixed (5%).
In 2026, 24 pupils (10.7%) received SEN support and 16 (7.1%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Emsworth Rail Station, about 620 metres away (roughly a 8-minute walk).
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Christopher Way (ne-bound), 200 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St James Church of England Controlled Primary School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. On income deprivation affecting children it is in the 6th decile, where the 1st is the most deprived. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
St James Church of England Controlled Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St James Church of England Controlled Primary School are Bourne Community College (1.2 miles) and Warblington School (1.3 miles).
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoThis judgement is from March 2017, 9 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Good at its March 2017 inspection - down from Outstanding.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
10.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 75% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 76% to 72% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 78% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
32.0
Avg class size
30.0
Infant (KS1)
33.5
KS2
7
Total classes
4 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Latest from St James Church of England Controlled Primary School
From St James Church of England Controlled Primary School's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Keep up with St James Church of England Controlled Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St James Church of England Controlled Primary School.
- Active8 Minds St James Wrap Around Care and Holiday ClubAt the school · Not yet graded
- Active8 Minds Emsworth Wrap around care and holiday club910m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St James Church of England Controlled Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St James Church of England Controlled Primary School is in Hampshire; for families living there:
Apply to Hampshire for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 10
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 8 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on a bicycle.
2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Hampshire is 9 (the median across 617 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at St James Church of England Controlled Primary School
Will you get a place at St James Church of England Controlled Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St James Church of England Controlled Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St James Church of England Controlled Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St James Church of England Controlled Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Hampshire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St James Church of England Controlled Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Hampshire got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
107%
Over capacity
225 pupils
210 places
15 pupils over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Emsworth
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Emsworth
Across Hampshire council
Places available
15,642
Applications
12,982
Got 1st preference
93.4%
Got preferred school
98.9%
All primary applications across Hampshire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
24
SEN Support
16
EHC Plans
17.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
224
Total Pupils
117
Boys
107
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
14
Teachers
16.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,926
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,193
Per pupil
£1295k
Total funding
£41k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.9%
Overall absence
5.5%
Persistent absence
201
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
St James Church of England Controlled Primary School
Questions parents ask about St James Church of England Controlled Primary School
What are SATs results like at St James Church of England Controlled Primary School?
Of the pupils at St James Church of England Controlled Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 75% reached the expected standard in reading and 72% did so in maths.
What is St James Church of England Controlled Primary School's Ofsted rating?
St James Church of England Controlled Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2017, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St James Church of England Controlled Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When St James Church of England Controlled Primary School is oversubscribed, Hampshire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St James Church of England Controlled Primary School?
St James Church of England Controlled Primary School was full in 2025, at 107% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at St James Church of England Controlled Primary School?
Classes at St James Church of England Controlled Primary School average 32 pupils (2025/26). 4 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to St James Church of England Controlled Primary School?
St James Church of England Controlled Primary School has around 224 pupils on roll. 10% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St James Church of England Controlled Primary School?
3.9% of sessions were missed at St James Church of England Controlled Primary School in 2024/25. 5.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St James Church of England Controlled Primary School?
Apply through Hampshire's coordinated admissions process, naming St James Church of England Controlled Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
Does St James Church of England Controlled Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Active8 Minds St James Wrap Around Care and Holiday Club (registered, not yet graded). There is another within a kilometre. The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near St James Church of England Controlled Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 10 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 8 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on a bicycle. 2 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Hampshire is 9 (the median across 617 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St James Church of England Controlled Primary School?
St James Church of England Controlled Primary School is at Bellevue Lane, Emsworth, Hampshire, PO10 7PX.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)