St James' CofE Junior School, Barrow-in-Furness
St James' CofE Junior School is a primary school for pupils aged 7 to 11 in Barrow-in-Furness. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2012. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2022 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 19th-highest of the 20 schools in Barrow-in-Furness with published results, and 14,057th of 14,452 across England. It was 50% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2012)
- Capacity
- 50% full
- Attendance
- In line with England
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St James' CofE Junior School in detail
St James' CofE Junior School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "I am extremely proud to be Head Teacher at St James' CE Junior school. Our vision for the school is to provide a caring and nurturing environment ensuring children are happy and safe, giving them opportunities to flourish and develop respect for all faiths and beliefs."
Headteacher's welcome (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 46% of Year 6 pupils at St James' CofE Junior School reached the expected standard in reading and 50% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 73% in Westmorland and Furness and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 71% in reading and 75% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St James' CofE Junior School
Across Westmorland and Furness, 96% of families were offered their first-choice primary school for 2026 entry, and 99% were offered one of the schools they named.
In 2026, families in Westmorland and Furness lodged 5 appeals against primary school offers; 5 reached a hearing and none succeeded.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St James' CofE Junior School are Brisbane Park Infant School (under 0.1 miles, Good); Ramsden Infant School (0.5 miles, Good); Greengate Junior School (0.7 miles, Good, 74% reading, 81% maths); and Victoria Academy (0.8 miles, Outstanding, 83% reading, 79% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than St James' CofE Junior School.
Brisbane Park Infant SchoolRamsden Infant SchoolGreengate Junior SchoolVictoria Academy
Who goes there
46.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 23 pupils (20%) received SEN support and 8 (7%) 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.
Staffing
St James' CofE Junior School had 8 teachers in 2026, one for every 15 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Station Entrance, about 530 metres away (roughly a 7-minute walk).
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St James Vicarage (at), 140 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St James' CofE Junior School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
In August 2026, police recorded 301 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, public order offences and drug offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Westmorland and Furness (11), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St James' CofE Junior School issued 3 suspensions, 2.5 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St James' CofE Junior School are Furness Academy (1 mile) and Walney Academy (1.4 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; DfE school workforce census; 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 · 4 years agoThis judgement is from March 2012, 14 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 2012 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
46.1%
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 71% to 46% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 75% to 50% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 80% to 46% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
19.2
Avg class size
19.2
KS2
6
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St James' CofE Junior School
Term dates
St James' CofE Junior School is a voluntary aided school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Westmorland and Furness's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St James' CofE Junior School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St James' CofE Junior School is in Westmorland and Furness; for families living there:
- Westmorland and Furness's school travel policy: Home to School Transport Policy 2027 to 2028 (Reception to Year 11)
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 25
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 5
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 25 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 21 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot.
4 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 Westmorland and Furness is 3 (the median across 161 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
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
50%
Available places
120 pupils
240 places
120 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Barrow-in-Furness
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Barrow-in-Furness
Across Westmorland and Furness council
Places available
2,590
Applications
1,692
Got 1st preference
96.1%
Got preferred school
99.4%
All primary applications across Westmorland and Furness council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
23
SEN Support
8
EHC Plans
27.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
115
Total Pupils
59
Boys
56
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
8
Teachers
14.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,320
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,801
Per pupil
£995k
Total funding
£95k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.7%
Overall absence
9.2%
Persistent absence
130
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' CofE Junior School
Questions parents ask about St James' CofE Junior School
What are SATs results like at St James' CofE Junior School?
Of the pupils at St James' CofE Junior School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 46% reached the expected standard in reading and 50% did so in maths.
What is St James' CofE Junior School's Ofsted rating?
St James' CofE Junior School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2022, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2012, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St James' CofE Junior School?
No fixed boundary. When St James' CofE Junior School is oversubscribed, Westmorland and Furness allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St James' CofE Junior School?
St James' CofE Junior School was not full in 2025: it ran at 50% of its 240 places.
How big are the classes at St James' CofE Junior School?
Classes at St James' CofE Junior School average 19.2 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St James' CofE Junior School?
St James' CofE Junior School has around 115 pupils on roll. 46% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St James' CofE Junior School?
4.7% of sessions were missed at St James' CofE Junior School in 2024/25. 9.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St James' CofE Junior School?
Apply through Westmorland and Furness's coordinated admissions process, naming St James' CofE Junior School on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near St James' CofE Junior School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 25 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 21 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot. 4 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 Westmorland and Furness is 3 (the median across 161 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St James' CofE Junior School?
St James' CofE Junior School is at Blake Street, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA14 1NY.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)