St James' CofE Primary School Gorton, Manchester
St James' CofE Primary School Gorton is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Manchester, part of Vantage CE Academies Trust. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2018. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in May 2023 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 225th-highest of the 258 schools in Manchester with published results, and 12,428th of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025, at 103% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2018)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Below England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Manchester (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
St James' CofE Primary School Gorton in detail
St James' CofE Primary School Gorton in its own words
In its own words: "St James is a sponsored academy, becoming part of the SS Simon and Jude Multi Academy Trust T/A Vantage Academy Trust family on 1st March 2015. In February 2018 the school had its first Ofsted Inspection and was graded Good with Outstanding features. We have since been inspected again in May 2023 and we continue to be a Good school."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 61% of Year 6 pupils at St James' CofE Primary School Gorton reached the expected standard in reading and 64% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 74% and 74% in Manchester and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (63% in reading, 60% in maths).
Getting a place at St James' CofE Primary School Gorton
For September 2026 entry, 62 families put St James' CofE Primary School Gorton as their first choice and 149 named it as one of their preferences, for 60 places offered. That is slightly more first choices than places. 3 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at St James' CofE Primary School Gorton
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St James' CofE Primary School Gorton are Abbey Hey Primary Academy (0.3 miles, Good, 93% reading, 92% maths); Sacred Heart RC Primary School (0.5 miles, Outstanding, 89% reading, 80% maths); Old Hall Drive Academy (0.5 miles, Good, 79% reading, 75% maths); and Varna Community Primary School (0.6 miles, Outstanding, 68% reading, 45% maths).
St James' CofE Primary School Gorton's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
Abbey Hey Primary AcademySacred Heart RC Primary SchoolOld Hall Drive AcademyVarna Community Primary School
The trust
St James' CofE Primary School Gorton is one of 10 schools run by Vantage CE Academies Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 60% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
Who goes there
62.7% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 38.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Black (30%), White British (22%) and Asian (19%).
In 2026, 64 pupils (13.7%) received SEN support and 51 (10.9%) 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.
St James' CofE Primary School Gorton has a resourced provision for autism: 12 places, 12 pupils on roll.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Gorton Rail Station, about 610 metres away (roughly a 8-minute walk).
17 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Carberry Road (near), 120 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St James' CofE Primary School Gorton 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' CofE Primary School Gorton issued 28 suspensions, 6.1 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 Gorton are Co-op Academy Belle Vue (0.7 miles), Wright Robinson College (0.8 miles), Cedar Mount Academy (1 mile) and Fairfield High School for Girls (1.1 miles).
Co-op Academy Belle VueWright Robinson CollegeCedar Mount AcademyFairfield High School for Girls
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; 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 · 3 years agoThis judgement is from February 2018, 8 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 February 2018 inspection - up from Inadequate.
Rated Outstanding for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
62.7%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
Resourced provision: Autism
SEN Provision
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 61% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 60% to 64% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 58% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
27.6
Avg class size
29.0
Infant (KS1)
28.0
KS2
16
Total classes
4 classes with more than 30 pupils
1 unlawfully large infant class
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St James' CofE Primary School Gorton
Before and after school care
St James' CofE Primary School Gorton 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 Manchester
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St James' CofE Primary School Gorton.
- Premier Sport Wraparound Abbey Hey Primary Academy480m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St James' CofE Primary School Gorton from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St James' CofE Primary School Gorton is in Manchester; for families living there:
Apply to Manchester for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 48
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 13
- Children hurt
- 15
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 48 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 13 serious and 35 slight.
15 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 8 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 6 in a vehicle or otherwise.
11 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 Manchester is 22 (the median across 222 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' CofE Primary School Gorton
Will you get a place at St James' CofE Primary School Gorton? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St James' CofE Primary School Gorton's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St James' CofE Primary School Gorton:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St James' CofE Primary School Gorton.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Manchester, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St James' CofE Primary School Gorton for 2015 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Manchester 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
103%
Over capacity
431 pupils
420 places
11 pupils over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Manchester
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Manchester
Across Manchester council
Places available
7,530
Applications
5,736
Got 1st preference
95.0%
Got preferred school
99.1%
All primary applications across Manchester council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(2)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
64
SEN Support
51
EHC Plans
24.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
St James' CofE Primary School Gorton has a resourced provision for autism: 12 places, 12 pupils on roll.
Source: GIAS, Department for Education.
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
466
Total Pupils
226
Boys
240
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
21
Teachers
22.2:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£45,167
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,284
Per pupil
£3136k
Total funding
£373k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
6.5%
Overall absence
23.6%
Persistent absence
398
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 Primary School Gorton
Questions parents ask about St James' CofE Primary School Gorton
What are SATs results like at St James' CofE Primary School Gorton?
Of the pupils at St James' CofE Primary School Gorton who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 61% reached the expected standard in reading and 64% did so in maths.
What is St James' CofE Primary School Gorton's Ofsted rating?
St James' CofE Primary School Gorton's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2018, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St James' CofE Primary School Gorton?
No fixed boundary. When St James' CofE Primary School Gorton is oversubscribed, Manchester 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 Gorton?
St James' CofE Primary School Gorton was full in 2025, at 103% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at St James' CofE Primary School Gorton?
Classes at St James' CofE Primary School Gorton average 27.6 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' CofE Primary School Gorton?
St James' CofE Primary School Gorton has around 466 pupils on roll. 63% are eligible for free school meals.
Does St James' CofE Primary School Gorton have specialist SEN provision?
St James' CofE Primary School Gorton has a resourced provision for autism: 12 places, 12 pupils on roll.
What is attendance like at St James' CofE Primary School Gorton?
6.5% of sessions were missed at St James' CofE Primary School Gorton in 2024/25. 23.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St James' CofE Primary School Gorton?
Apply through Manchester's coordinated admissions process, naming St James' CofE Primary School Gorton 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 Gorton have a breakfast club or after-school club?
St James' CofE Primary School Gorton 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' CofE Primary School Gorton: Premier Sport Wraparound Abbey Hey Primary Academy (480m away, registered, not yet graded).
How many road collisions happen near St James' CofE Primary School Gorton?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 48 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 13 serious and 35 slight. 15 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 8 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 6 in a vehicle or otherwise. 11 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 Manchester is 22 (the median across 222 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St James' CofE Primary School Gorton?
St James' CofE Primary School Gorton is at Stelling Street, Gorton, Manchester, M18 8LW.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)