St James Church School, Taunton
St James Church School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Taunton, part of The Bath and Wells Diocesan Academies Trust. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 26th-highest of the 36 schools in Taunton with published results, and 11,322nd of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025, at 101% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Somerset (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St James Church School in detail
Results
In 2025, 68% of Year 6 pupils at St James Church School reached the expected standard in reading and 66% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 71% in Somerset and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 65% in reading and 57% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at St James Church School
For September 2026 entry, 39 families put St James Church School as their first choice and 63 named it as one of their preferences, for 44 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 School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St James Church School are Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 65% reading, 65% maths); St George's Catholic School (0.4 miles, Good, 81% reading, 69% maths); North Town Academy (0.6 miles, Good, 73% reading, 73% maths); and St Andrew's Church School (0.7 miles, Good, 76% reading, 56% maths).
St James Church School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
Holy Trinity Church of England Primary SchoolSt George's Catholic SchoolNorth Town AcademySt Andrew's Church School
The trust
St James Church School is one of 46 schools run by The Bath and Wells Diocesan Academies Trust, an academy trust.
All 46 schools in The Bath and Wells Diocesan Academies Trust
What parents say
82 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St James Church School (as of September 2025): 79% would recommend the school, 85% say their child is happy there and 49% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (87%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (49%).
Who goes there
52.8% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (45%), Black (14%) and Asian (14%).
In 2026, 76 pupils (15.9%) received SEN support and 7 (1.5%) 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 railway station is Taunton Rail Station, about 890 metres away (roughly a 11-minute walk).
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Old Hospital (opposite), 240 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 542 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Somerset (22), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St James Church School issued 28 suspensions, 5.7 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 School are Bishop Fox's School (0.8 miles), The Castle School (1.1 miles), Pyrland School (1.4 miles) and Monkton Wood Academy (1.8 miles).
Bishop Fox's SchoolThe Castle SchoolPyrland SchoolMonkton Wood Academy
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; 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 March 2015, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St James is an inclusive school where children feel safe and cared for. The school excels at building a strong love of reading from the earliest years and celebrates the rich diversity of its community. Children develop real responsibility through roles like well-being leaders, and pupils with additional needs are well supported to learn alongside their peers.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on reading from early years with engaging storytelling and puppets to foster love of books
- Excellent behaviour management with consistent staff expectations, leading to fewer behavioural incidents
- Well-supported pupils with SEND who learn alongside their peers with full curriculum access
- Celebration of multicultural diversity and strong personal development provision
- Pupils develop responsibility through roles like well-being leaders supporting younger children
Areas for Improvement
- Some staff still developing expertise in phonics delivery, meaning some pupils read slower than they could
- Curriculum in some subjects still developing with pupils having gaps in knowledge and understanding
- Published 2024 key stage 2 outcomes do not yet reflect recent curriculum improvements
- Attendance rates, while improving, still need further development
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with clear procedures in place and warm relationships helping pupils know which adults they can talk to if worried.
Extracurricular Activities
Theatre visits, well-being leader roles, community work with local and national politicians on park improvements, cookery workshops for parents
St James Church School is an inclusive and welcoming primary school where pupils behave well and are keen to learn. The school has recently implemented curriculum changes and is emerging from a period of significant staffing transitions.
At a Glance
21.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
82 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 68% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 57% to 66% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 57% to 62% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
25.8
Avg class size
26.8
Infant (KS1)
27.9
KS2
16
Total classes
4 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St James Church School
Before and after school care
St James Church School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Somerset
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St James Church School.
- Player Ready Taunton860m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St James Church School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St James Church School is in Somerset; for families living there:
Apply to Somerset for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 58
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 14
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 58 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 14 serious and 44 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
10 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 Somerset is 3 (the median across 307 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 School
Will you get a place at St James Church School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St James Church School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St James Church School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St James Church School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Somerset, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St James Church School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Somerset 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
101%
Over capacity
421 pupils
420 places
1 pupil over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Taunton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Taunton
Across Somerset council
Places available
6,414
Applications
4,928
Got 1st preference
95.0%
Got preferred school
99.0%
All primary applications across Somerset council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(3)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
76
SEN Support
7
EHC Plans
17.3%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
479
Total Pupils
253
Boys
226
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
23
Teachers
20.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,791
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,472
Per pupil
£2619k
Total funding
£191k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.2%
Overall absence
14.2%
Persistent absence
386
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 School
Questions parents ask about St James Church School
What are SATs results like at St James Church School?
Of the pupils at St James Church School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 68% reached the expected standard in reading and 66% did so in maths.
What is St James Church School's Ofsted rating?
St James Church School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2015, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St James Church School?
No fixed boundary. When St James Church School is oversubscribed, Somerset allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St James Church School?
St James Church School was full in 2025, at 100% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at St James Church School?
Classes at St James Church School average 25.8 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 School?
St James Church School has around 479 pupils on roll. 21% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St James Church School?
6.2% of sessions were missed at St James Church School in 2024/25. 14.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St James Church School?
Apply through Somerset's coordinated admissions process, naming St James Church 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 School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
St James Church School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of St James Church School: Player Ready Taunton (860m away, registered, not yet graded).
How many road collisions happen near St James Church School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 58 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 14 serious and 44 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 10 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 Somerset is 3 (the median across 307 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St James Church School?
St James Church School is at Cranmer Road, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 1XU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)