St James' Church of England Primary School, London

Good
Primary
Voluntary aided school
Mixed
Church of England
Ages 311

Data last updated 11 Sept 2026

Location

Very likely (~498m)Possible (~711m)Unlikely (~924m)Confidence: high

Estimated admission likelihood based on school density and oversubscription data

Key Information

DfE GIAS
Head:Mr Michael Oliver
Pupils:403 / 420 capacity
LA:Southwark
Phone:02072373111
Address:Old Jamaica Road, Bermondsey, London, SE16 4SU
Admissions:Not applicable
Status:open

Ofsted Rating

Ofsted · 2 years ago
-

Overall

Inspected 16 July 2024View full report
URN:100829
UKPRN:10076248
Diocese:Diocese of Southwark
Constituency:Bermondsey and Old Southwark
Urban/Rural:Urban: Nearer to a major town or city

Ofsted Insights

What This School Does Well

St James' is a welcoming school where children feel safe and happy, with strong parent support and improving attendance. The school excels at promoting character development through spiritual, moral, social and cultural activities, and uses sports funding well to encourage healthy lifestyles. Leadership has successfully navigated major changes while maintaining consistently good teaching across the school.

Key Strengths

  • Pupils make good progress overall, with above-average attainment in mathematics, reading and writing by Year 6
  • Strong leadership team with ambitious headteacher who has successfully managed significant changes including school amalgamation and staff turnover
  • Effective systems to track pupil progress and provide timely support for those at risk of falling behind
  • Excellent promotion of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development
  • Good behavior and positive attitudes that support learning, with improved attendance

Areas for Improvement

  • Reading progress is not as fast as in writing or mathematics
  • Most able pupils are not always sufficiently challenged to reach higher levels
  • Pupils don't always act on teacher feedback to improve their work
  • Work presentation and tidiness need improvement
  • Teachers' questioning could be sharper to check understanding and extend learning

Safeguarding

Safeguarding arrangements are effective and meet statutory requirements, with all staff receiving appropriate training in safeguarding and child protection.

Extracurricular Activities

After-school clubs, school visits, cricket, netball, sports activities, art

St James' Church of England Primary School is a good school where pupils achieve well and make good progress from their starting points. By the end of Year 6, the proportion of pupils reaching expected levels in mathematics, reading and writing is above the national average.

At a Glance

73.3%

Free School Meals

No

Boarding

Yes

Nursery

No

Sixth Form

No

Special Measures

Primary Performance (KS2)

Academic year 2025/26

KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)

2024
2025
Reading-1ppMaths-7ppWriting

Reading has remained stable at around 79%. Maths has declined from 82% to 75%. Writing has remained stable at around 80%.

Class Sizes

23.4

Avg class size

21.7

Infant (KS1)

24.0

KS2

12

Total classes

2024/25 academic year

Getting There

Tube / Metro / Tram

Bermondsey Underground Station (Northbound)
261m · 4 min walk
Bermondsey Station
288m · 5 min walk

Ferry Terminals

Wapping Pier (Quay)
678m · 11 min walk

Bus Stops

St James's Road (Stop C)
18m · 0 min walk
Jamaica Road / Abbey Street (Stop J)
135m · 2 min walk
Bermondsey Station (Stop D)
160m · 3 min walk
Old Jamaicia Road (Stop B)
275m · 4 min walk
Dockhead (Stop H)
355m · 6 min walk
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Capacity & Demand

School Occupancy

96%

Near capacity

403 pupils

420 capacity

17 spare places available

Area Demand Pressure - London

Low pressure
New homes approved:104,823
Projected new pupils:26,206

Based on MHCLG housing supply data for London

Admissions Demand - Southwark

Low demand0.68x oversubscription

Places available

3,264

Applications

2,205

Got 1st preference

84.7%

Got preferred school

98.6%

Primary admissions across Southwark (2025/26)

Inspection History(9)

16 July 2024
22 January 2019
19 November 2014
Good
Leadership & ManagementGood

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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

5.12274%

Overall absence

12.31231%

Persistent absence

333

Enrolments

Authorised4.49051%
Unauthorised0.63223%
Persistent (10%+)12.31231%
Severe (50%+)0.3003%

Absence trend

3.47601%
18/19
3.13657%
20/21
5.82474%
21/22
6.12874%
22/23
5.34385%
23/24
5.12274%
24/25
Overall absence rate

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

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