St James School, Exeter

In its own words: "We are a community with an ambitious curriculum, focused and thoughtful classrooms and great learning . We empower our students to use their education to be kind and community minded and to thrive in happy and healthy lives."

In 2026, pupils at St James School averaged an Attainment 8 score of 49.2, the average grade across their best eight GCSEs. The average state school scored 46.2 in Devon and 47 across England.

51% passed English and maths at grade 5 or above, against 45% in Devon and 47% in England.

That is up from 46.9 in 2025.

Its most recent Progress 8 score, for 2024, was 0.09: pupils made about average progress compared with pupils nationally who started secondary school at the same level. Progress 8 was not published for 2026.

Disadvantaged pupils averaged an Attainment 8 of 38.9, against 54.8 for other pupils at the school - a gap of 15.9 points.

Pupils sat GCSEs in 25 subjects; after English and maths, the most popular were Combined Science, History and French.

For September 2026 entry, 189 families put St James School as their first choice and 355 named it as one of their preferences, for 191 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 7 families who put it first were not offered a place there.

The nearest other state secondary schools to St James School are St Luke's Church of England School (0.8 miles, Good, Attainment 8 45.6); St Peter's Church of England Aided School (1.5 miles, Good, Attainment 8 50.9); Atkinson Secure Children's Home (1.9 miles); and Thomas Hall School (2.2 miles, Requires improvement, Attainment 8 37.4).

St James School's 2026 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.

St James School is one of 18 schools run by The Ted Wragg Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.

Across the trust's secondary schools, pupils averaged an Attainment 8 score of 45.6 in 2024/25.

Of the 193 pupils who finished Year 11 in 2023/24, 85% stayed in education or training for at least two terms, including 81% to a further education college, 4% to an apprenticeship and 4% into work.

In 2026, 215 pupils (21.8%) received SEN support and 52 (5.3%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.

The nearest railway station is Polsloe Bridge Rail Station, about 930 metres away (roughly a 12-minute walk).

17 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St James School (e-bound), 90 metres away.

In August 2026, police recorded 185 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and public order offences. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Devon (16), as is usual near a town centre.

In 2024/25, St James School issued 224 suspensions, 22.6 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The primary schools closest to St James School are Willowbrook School (0.2 miles), Whipton Barton Infants and Nursery School (0.5 miles), Whipton Barton Junior School (0.6 miles) and Stoke Hill Junior School (0.8 miles). Admission does not depend on which primary a child attends unless the school's policy names feeder schools.