St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall, Rossendale
St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall is a primary school for pupils aged 5 to 11 in Rossendale. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2013. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in January 2023 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 4th-highest of the 13 schools in Rossendale with published results, and 3,694th of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025, at 103% of capacity.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2013)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Lancashire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall in detail
Results
In 2025, 81% of Year 6 pupils at St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall reached the expected standard in reading and 88% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 75% and 74% in Lancashire and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 77% in reading and 80% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall
For September 2026 entry, 34 families put St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall as their first choice and 98 named it as one of their preferences, for 29 places offered. That is 1.2 first choices for every place. 6 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall are St Mary's CofE Primary School Rawtenstall (under 0.1 miles, Good, 67% reading, 71% maths); Rawtenstall St Paul's Church of England Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 64% reading, 51% maths); Rawtenstall Balladen Community Primary School (0.8 miles, Requires improvement, 60% reading, 40% maths); and St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School, Haslingden (1 mile, Outstanding, 95% reading, 90% maths).
St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall's 2025 results were higher than 3 of these 4 schools.
St Mary's CofE Primary School RawtenstallRawtenstall St Paul's Church of England Primary SchoolRawtenstall Balladen Community Primary SchoolSt Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School, Haslingden
Who goes there
11.4% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 1.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 20 pupils (9.5%) received SEN support and 3 (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 speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest tram or metro stop is Rawtenstall (East Lancashire Railway), about 640 metres away (roughly a 8-minute walk).
16 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Haslingden Old Road (by), 100 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall 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-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall are Alder Grange School (0.4 miles); All Saints' Roman Catholic High School, a Voluntary Academy (0.8 miles); and Haslingden High School and Sixth Form (1.6 miles).
Alder Grange SchoolAll Saints' Roman Catholic High School, a Voluntary AcademyHaslingden High School and Sixth Form
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 March 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
Ofsted rated this school Good at its March 2013 inspection - unchanged since its previous inspection.
Rated Good for
Leadership & management.
At a Glance
11.4%
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 improved from 77% to 81% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 80% to 88% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 88% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
30.2
Avg class size
29.7
Infant (KS1)
31.0
KS2
5
Total classes
3 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-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall.
- St James PALSAt the school · Not yet graded
- Rossendale After School Club600m away · Not yet graded
Term dates
St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall is a voluntary aided school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Lancashire's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Tube / Metro / Tram
Bus Stops
Free school transport
You apply to the council where you live. St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall is in Lancashire; for families living there:
- Lancashire's school travel policy: school transport policies
- How to apply: Apply for free home to school transport assistance
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 25
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 3
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, 5 serious and 20 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
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 Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 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-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall
Will you get a place at St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Lancashire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Lancashire 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
212 pupils
206 places
6 pupils over capacity in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Rossendale
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Rossendale
Across Lancashire council
Places available
15,442
Applications
12,122
Got 1st preference
91.3%
Got preferred school
98.3%
All primary applications across Lancashire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(6)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
20
SEN Support
3
EHC Plans
10.9%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
211
Total Pupils
99
Boys
112
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
21.1:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,779
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,190
Per pupil
£1208k
Total funding
£38k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.5%
Overall absence
4.4%
Persistent absence
183
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-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall
Questions parents ask about St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall
What are SATs results like at St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall?
Of the pupils at St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 81% reached the expected standard in reading and 88% did so in maths.
What is St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall's Ofsted rating?
St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2023, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2013, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall?
No fixed boundary. When St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall is oversubscribed, Lancashire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall?
St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall 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-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall?
Classes at St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall average 30.2 pupils (2025/26). 3 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-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall?
St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall has around 211 pupils on roll. 11% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall?
3.5% of sessions were missed at St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall in 2024/25. 4.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall?
Apply through Lancashire's coordinated admissions process, naming St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall 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-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club at the school: St James PALS (registered, not yet graded). There is another 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-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall?
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, 5 serious and 20 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot, 1 on a bicycle and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 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 Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 schools, same distance and years).
Where is St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall?
St James-the-Less Roman Catholic Primary School, Rawtenstall is at Unity Way, Rawtenstall, Rossendale, Lancashire, BB4 8SU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)