St James the Great Church of England Primary School, Colchester
St James the Great Church of England Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Colchester, part of The Diocese of Chelmsford Vine Schools Trust. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in September 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in January 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 45th-highest of the 66 schools in Colchester with published results, and 8,618th of 14,452 across England. It was 99% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Essex (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
St James the Great Church of England Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 79% of Year 6 pupils at St James the Great Church of England Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 70% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 78% and 76% in Essex and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 60% in reading and 45% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at St James the Great Church of England Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 48 families put St James the Great Church of England Primary School as their first choice and 100 named it as one of their preferences, for 57 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 the Great Church of England Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St James the Great Church of England Primary School are St Thomas More's Catholic Primary School, Colchester (0.2 miles, Outstanding, 100% reading, 97% maths); Willow Brook Primary School and Nursery (0.7 miles, Good, 80% reading, 77% maths); St John's Green Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 74% reading, 82% maths); and North Primary School and Nursery (0.8 miles, Good, 65% reading, 63% maths).
St James the Great Church of England Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.
St Thomas More's Catholic Primary School, ColchesterWillow Brook Primary School and NurserySt John's Green Primary SchoolNorth Primary School and Nursery
The trust
St James the Great Church of England Primary School is one of 21 schools run by The Diocese of Chelmsford Vine Schools Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 49% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
All 21 schools in The Diocese of Chelmsford Vine Schools Trust
What parents say
28 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St James the Great Church of England Primary School (as of September 2025): 57% would recommend the school, 75% say their child is happy there and 31% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child is happy at the school (75%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (31%).
Who goes there
31.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (36%), Black (26%) and Asian (13%).
In 2026, 91 pupils (20.8%) received SEN support and 6 (1.4%) 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.
Staffing
St James the Great Church of England Primary School had 17 teachers in 2026, one for every 25 pupils: fewer teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Colchester Town Rail Station, about 780 metres away (roughly a 10-minute walk).
3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Surgery (opposite), 250 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 655 crimes within a mile of the school, most often violence and sexual offences, anti-social behaviour and shoplifting. That is well above the typical figure around schools in Essex (97), as is usual near a town centre.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St James the Great Church of England Primary School issued 10 suspensions, 2.2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St James the Great Church of England Primary School are St Helena School (1 mile), Colchester Royal Grammar School (1.1 miles), Colchester Academy (1.2 miles) and The Thomas Lord Audley School (1.6 miles).
St Helena SchoolColchester Royal Grammar SchoolColchester AcademyThe Thomas Lord Audley School
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; Ofsted Parent View; 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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from September 2019, 7 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
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's January 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
The school provides a calm, pleasant learning environment where pupils are engaged and enjoy coming to school. Teachers use proven methods to teach reading exceptionally well, with pupils progressing quickly and falling behind pupils catching up fast. The school also offers excellent learning opportunities beyond the classroom through local trips and enrichment activities that connect to Colchester's rich history.
Key Strengths
- Strong teaching of early reading with consistent phonics routines and fluent learners
- Effective mathematics teaching with adaptations based on pupils' understanding
- Well-established early years curriculum with good pupil engagement
- Good behaviour in most settings, especially during structured learning times
- Wide range of local trips and enrichment activities to prepare pupils for life beyond school
Areas for Improvement
- Writing skills are not developing well enough for some pupils
- Support for pupils with SEND is sometimes inadequate, affecting their learning and behaviour
- Behaviour expectations are not consistently high in less-structured times like lunchtime and breaktime
- Some pupils with SEND needs not being met effectively in how teachers adapt their teaching
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with school demonstrating commitment to keeping pupils safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Breakfast club, after-school club, play leader responsibilities, local art learning activities, visits to places of worship, faith celebration events
St James' Church of England Primary School has maintained good standards following its previous inspection. Pupils enjoy attending school and learn well, with effective teaching in reading and mathematics, though improvements are still needed in writing and support for pupils with SEND.
At a Glance
21.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
28 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 improved from 60% to 79% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 45% to 70% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 67% to 51% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
27.7
Avg class size
26.8
Infant (KS1)
30.3
KS2
15
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 the Great Church of England Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St James the Great Church of England Primary School.
- Colchester Leisure World Kid's Camp760m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St James the Great Church of England Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St James the Great Church of England Primary School is in Essex; for families living there:
- Essex's school travel policy: Education Transport Policy
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 56
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 14
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 56 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 14 serious and 42 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot.
12 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 Essex is 9 (the median across 614 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 the Great Church of England Primary School
Will you get a place at St James the Great Church of England Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St James the Great Church of England Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St James the Great Church of England Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St James the Great Church of England Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Essex, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St James the Great Church of England Primary School for 2017 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Essex 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
99%
Near capacity
418 pupils
420 places
2 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Colchester
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Colchester
Across Essex council
Places available
17,932
Applications
15,737
Got 1st preference
90.3%
Got preferred school
98.2%
All primary applications across Essex council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(2)
Ungraded inspection: Standards have been maintained.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
91
SEN Support
6
EHC Plans
22.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
438
Total Pupils
213
Boys
225
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
17
Teachers
25.8:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,960
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,363
Per pupil
£2512k
Total funding
£168k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.9%
Overall absence
15.7%
Persistent absence
394
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 the Great Church of England Primary School
Questions parents ask about St James the Great Church of England Primary School
What are SATs results like at St James the Great Church of England Primary School?
Of the pupils at St James the Great Church of England Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 79% reached the expected standard in reading and 70% did so in maths.
What is St James the Great Church of England Primary School's Ofsted rating?
St James the Great Church of England Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in September 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St James the Great Church of England Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When St James the Great Church of England Primary School is oversubscribed, Essex allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St James the Great Church of England Primary School?
St James the Great Church of England Primary 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 the Great Church of England Primary School?
Classes at St James the Great Church of England Primary School average 27.7 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 the Great Church of England Primary School?
St James the Great Church of England Primary School has around 438 pupils on roll. 21% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St James the Great Church of England Primary School?
5.9% of sessions were missed at St James the Great Church of England Primary School in 2024/25. 15.7% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St James the Great Church of England Primary School?
Apply through Essex's coordinated admissions process, naming St James the Great Church of England 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 the Great Church of England Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of St James the Great Church of England Primary School: Colchester Leisure World Kid's Camp (760m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near St James the Great Church of England Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 56 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 14 serious and 42 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot. 12 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 Essex is 9 (the median across 614 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St James the Great Church of England Primary School?
St James the Great Church of England Primary School is at Guildford Road, Colchester, Essex, CO1 2RA.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)