St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth, Birmingham
St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Birmingham. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in April 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in July 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 95th-highest of the 275 schools in Birmingham with published results, and 5,071st of 14,452 across England. It was 99% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 75 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Birmingham (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 1 Nov 2026
St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth in detail
St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth in its own words
In its own words: "At our school, our children and staff talk about being part of the "Family of St. James" and I very much hope that you will have a sense of this, as you explore this site. We are a school that is working hard to make sure that we live our core value of Love in all that we do:"
The school runs a breakfast club and after-school care.
Vision and values (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 80% of Year 6 pupils at St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth reached the expected standard in reading and 83% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 76% in Birmingham and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (89% in reading, 79% in maths).
Getting a place at St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth
For September 2026 entry, 30 families put St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth as their first choice and 67 named it as one of their preferences, for 31 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth are St Augustine's Catholic Primary School (0.4 miles); Oasis Academy Wattville (0.5 miles); Rookery School (0.5 miles, Good, 61% reading, 68% maths); and William Murdoch Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 78% reading, 86% maths).
St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 2 schools.
St Augustine's Catholic Primary SchoolOasis Academy WattvilleRookery SchoolWilliam Murdoch Primary School
Who goes there
53.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 64.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (49%), Black (24%) and Mixed (7%).
In 2026, 77 pupils (18.8%) received SEN support and 10 (2.4%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Handsworth Booth Street (West Midlands Metro), about 640 metres away (roughly a 8-minute walk).
14 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Sandwell Road (after), 160 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth issued 8 suspensions, 1.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth are Holyhead School (0.2 miles), St John Wall Catholic School (0.5 miles), King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys (0.7 miles) and Windsor Olympus Academy (0.8 miles).
Holyhead SchoolSt John Wall Catholic SchoolKing Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for BoysWindsor Olympus Academy
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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from April 2015, 11 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
From Ofsted's July 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St James is a caring school where children flourish and make strong progress, particularly disadvantaged pupils and those with additional needs. Staff have high expectations for every child and work hard to help them overcome barriers to learning. Pupils are happy, behave well, and the school prepares them excellently for life in modern Britain through enriching experiences and teaching about values like respect and equality.
Key Strengths
- Strong support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities - staff understand barriers and provide effective targeted help
- Very effective reading curriculum that helps most pupils read at an appropriate level for their age
- Well-designed curriculum focused on language and communication to help pupils catch up
- Teachers have strong subject knowledge and present learning clearly so pupils grasp concepts quickly
- Excellent wider opportunities including trips, visits and after-school clubs that reinforce classroom learning
Areas for Improvement
- Staff sometimes do not quickly identify and challenge pupils who have finished their work and are ready to learn new things, which can slow their progress
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
After-school clubs, daily breakfast club, after-school club, trips and visits, external speakers
St James Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school. The school is at the heart of its community and helps pupils overcome learning barriers to achieve well.
At a Glance
53.1%
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 declined from 89% to 80% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 79% to 83% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 75% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.2
Avg class size
28.5
Infant (KS1)
29.8
KS2
14
Total classes
1 class 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 Primary School, Handsworth
Apply online for Reception 2027
2 Oct 2026
CHILDREN RETURN TO SCHOOL
3 Sep 2026
School Closure Notice
9 Jan 2026
WOW 2025 PLAYSCHEMES
5 Dec 2025
DISTRICT FOOTBALL TRIALS
27 Mar 2025
February half-term Free Activities
13 Feb 2025
From St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth's website. School Signal is not affiliated with the school.
Social & online
Keep up with St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth.
- Seven Up Play400m away · Not yet graded
Nurseries
The nearest nurseries and pre-schools to St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth, with their latest published grades:
- Grapevine Day Nursery Limited - Day nursery, under 0.1 milesOfsted, 7 November 2022: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
- Little Peaches Nursery - Day nursery, 0.1 milesOfsted report card, 7 July 2026: Expected standard in 4 areas, Urgent improvement in 2 areas; safeguarding standards not met
- Digital Creativity Explorers & Skill Club - Day nursery, 0.4 miles
- Insight Learning - Day nursery, 0.4 miles
- Ilm Day Nursery - Day nursery, 0.5 milesOfsted, 29 April 2024: Good overall; safeguarding is effective
Term dates
St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth is a voluntary controlled school, so its term dates are set by Birmingham. Training (INSET) days, when pupils are not in school, vary by school: check the school's own calendar.
2026 to 2027
- Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026)
- Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027)
- Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027)
2027 to 2028
- Autumn term: Thursday 2 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027)
- Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 7 April 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028)
- Summer term: Monday 24 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028)
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth is in Birmingham; for families living there:
- Birmingham's school travel policy: Travel assistance policy for children and young people aged 0 to 25: 2026 to 2027
- How to apply: Travel passes for 5 to 16 year olds
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 59
- Fatal
- 2
- Serious
- 11
- Children hurt
- 16
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 59 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 2 fatal, 11 serious and 46 slight.
16 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 7 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 8 in a vehicle or otherwise.
13 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 Birmingham is 41 (the median across 517 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight are DfT estimates (severity adjustment). 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 Primary School, Handsworth
Will you get a place at St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth?
For 2026 entry it had 30 first choices for 31 places. The report sets your home postcode against these figures.
£9.99 once (inc. VAT; £19.99 for up to three schools), or Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time. What's in the report
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
99%
Near capacity
412 pupils
418 places
6 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Across Birmingham council
Places available
15,375
Applications
12,117
Got 1st preference
92.1%
Got preferred school
99.0%
All primary applications across Birmingham council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Future places in the local planning area
DfE estimates the P28 planning area (Birmingham) will have 250 spare primary places in 2027/28.
Source: Department for Education, School capacity: Academic year 2024/25 (published 19 March 2026), estimates of future school place demand by planning area. Council pupil forecasts against reported places, counting places councils and DfE plan to add or remove; rounded to whole places. Explore Education Statistics
Inspection History(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
77
SEN Support
10
EHC Plans
21.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
409
Total Pupils
237
Boys
172
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
21
Teachers
19.5:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,339
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,155
Per pupil
£2984k
Total funding
£277k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
7.7%
Overall absence
23.8%
Persistent absence
370
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 Primary School, Handsworth
Questions parents ask about St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth
What are SATs results like at St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth?
Of the pupils at St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 80% reached the expected standard in reading and 83% did so in maths.
What is St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth's Ofsted rating?
St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth's most recent Ofsted inspection, in July 2024, was ungraded. At its last graded inspection, in April 2015, it was rated Good.
Is it hard to get a place at St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth?
St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth was close to full in 2025, at 99% of its 418 places.
How big are the classes at St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth?
Classes at St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth average 29.2 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils.
How many pupils go to St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth?
St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth has around 409 pupils on roll. 53% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth?
7.7% of sessions were missed at St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth in 2024/25. 23.8% of pupils were persistently absent.
Does St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth: Seven Up Play (400m away, registered, not yet graded).
What are St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth's term dates?
St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth is a voluntary controlled school, so its term dates are set by Birmingham. In 2026 to 2027: Autumn term: Tuesday 1 September to Friday 18 December 2026 (half term Monday 26 October to Friday 30 October 2026); Spring term: Monday 4 January to Thursday 25 March 2027 (half term Monday 15 February to Friday 19 February 2027); Summer term: Monday 12 April to Wednesday 21 July 2027 (half term Monday 31 May to Friday 4 June 2027). In 2027 to 2028: Autumn term: Thursday 2 September to Friday 17 December 2027 (half term Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October 2027); Spring term: Tuesday 4 January to Friday 7 April 2028 (half term Monday 14 February to Friday 18 February 2028); Summer term: Monday 24 April to Friday 21 July 2028 (half term Monday 29 May to Friday 2 June 2028).
How many road collisions happen near St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 59 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 2 fatal, 11 serious and 46 slight. 16 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 7 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 8 in a vehicle or otherwise. 13 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 Birmingham is 41 (the median across 517 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth?
St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth is at Sandwell Road, Birmingham, West Midlands, B21 8NH.
Sources: Birmingham term dates; Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)