St James' CofE Primary School, London
St James' CofE Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in London. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in March 2023 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 682nd-highest of the 959 schools in London with published results, and 7,071st of 14,452 across England. It was 52% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2013)
- Capacity
- 52% full
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Newham (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St James' CofE Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 74% of Year 6 pupils at St James' CofE Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 81% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 83% and 85% in Newham and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 73% in reading and 67% 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 Primary School
Across Newham, 91% 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 Newham lodged 83 appeals against primary school offers; 72 reached a hearing and 2 succeeded (2.8% of those heard).
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St James' CofE Primary School are Odessa Infant School (under 0.1 miles, Good); Earlham Primary School (0.1 miles, Outstanding, 84% reading, 93% maths); Maryland Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 72% reading, 77% maths); and Woodgrange Infant School (0.5 miles, Good).
St James' CofE Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 2 schools.
Odessa Infant SchoolEarlham Primary SchoolMaryland Primary SchoolWoodgrange Infant School
Who goes there
56.8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 68.9% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (37%), Black (21%) and other ethnic groups (16%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Forest Gate Rail Station, about 430 metres away (roughly a 5-minute walk).
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St James' School (->w), 60 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St James' CofE Primary School issued 1 suspension, 0.5 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 Primary School are Forest Gate Community School (0.2 miles), Sarah Bonnell School (0.6 miles), Buxton School (0.6 miles) and Stratford School Academy (0.6 miles).
Forest Gate Community SchoolSarah Bonnell SchoolBuxton SchoolStratford School 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); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 years agoThis judgement is from January 2013, 13 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 March 2023 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St James' is a welcoming, inclusive school where children thrive both academically and personally. The school excels at reading and uses a carefully planned curriculum that helps pupils build strong knowledge. Your child will benefit from excellent behaviour standards, inclusive values, and a rich range of clubs and trips that develop new skills and broaden horizons.
Key Strengths
- Broad, carefully sequenced curriculum that builds pupil knowledge over time, particularly strong in mathematics and history
- Excellent reading support with targeted help for pupils who need it and strong links with the infant school
- Pupils behave very well, showing excellent respect for each other and strong adherence to the school's values
- Very effective support for pupils with SEND, who access the same rich curriculum as their peers
- Wide range of enrichment activities including trips, clubs, and specialist teaching in cooking, fencing, Tai chi, and crochet
Areas for Improvement
- Leaders do not always clearly identify the most important content teachers should focus on, leading to some gaps in pupil knowledge in certain areas
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is effective with regular staff training, vigilant staff who know their community well, and pupils feeling safe and knowing how to report concerns.
Extracurricular Activities
Cooking, fencing, Tai chi, crochet, clubs, trips to central London museums and places of cultural significance
St James' CofE Junior School continues to be a good school where pupils are safe, happy, and work hard. Leaders have developed a clear Christian vision with inclusive values that serve the diverse community.
At a Glance
56.8%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 74% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 67% to 81% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 61% to 74% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
23.8
Avg class size
23.8
KS2
8
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St James' CofE Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St James' CofE Primary School.
- Elite Kids ChildcareAt the school · Not yet graded
- Global Switch Professionals Childcare Centre460m away · Not yet graded
- Globe Youth Limited460m away · Not yet graded
- THRIVE Tuition460m away · Not yet graded
- The Wright Education Limited At Maryland Primary School/children Centre640m away · Not yet graded
- Merit Tutors680m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St James' CofE Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St James' CofE Primary School is in Newham; for families living there:
Apply to Newham for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 87
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 10
- Children hurt
- 8
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 87 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 10 serious and 76 slight.
8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise.
18 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 Newham is 110 (the median across 113 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
Will you get a place at St James' CofE Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St James' CofE Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St James' CofE Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St James' CofE Primary School.
- Newham publishes last distance offered figures, but none for St James' CofE Primary School that we hold, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- How many families in Newham 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
52%
Available places
203 pupils
390 places
187 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - London
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for London
Across Newham council
Places available
4,725
Applications
3,960
Got 1st preference
91.3%
Got preferred school
98.6%
All primary applications across Newham council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(10)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
22
SEN Support
6
EHC Plans
14.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
190
Total Pupils
86
Boys
104
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
19.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£58,871
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£7,255
Per pupil
£1776k
Total funding
£153k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.5%
Overall absence
11.0%
Persistent absence
227
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
Questions parents ask about St James' CofE Primary School
What are SATs results like at St James' CofE Primary School?
Of the pupils at St James' CofE Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 74% reached the expected standard in reading and 81% did so in maths.
What is St James' CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?
St James' CofE Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in March 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2013, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St James' CofE Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When St James' CofE Primary School is oversubscribed, Newham allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St James' CofE Primary School?
St James' CofE Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 52% of its 390 places.
How big are the classes at St James' CofE Primary School?
Classes at St James' CofE Primary School average 23.8 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to St James' CofE Primary School?
St James' CofE Primary School has around 190 pupils on roll. 57% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St James' CofE Primary School?
4.5% of sessions were missed at St James' CofE Primary School in 2024/25. 11% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St James' CofE Primary School?
Apply through Newham's coordinated admissions process, naming St James' CofE 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' CofE Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: Elite Kids Childcare (registered, not yet graded). There are 5 more 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' CofE Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 87 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 10 serious and 76 slight. 8 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 4 on foot and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise. 18 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 Newham is 110 (the median across 113 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St James' CofE Primary School?
St James' CofE Primary School is at Tower Hamlets Road, Forest Gate, London, E7 9DA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)