SchoolScoresSt James' CofE Junior School
Voluntary aided school · Primary, ages 7 to 11 · Mixed · Church of England
Blake Street, Barrow-in-Furness, LA14 1NY
01229 833610 · School website · Map and directions
Ofsted inspection
Ofsted rated this school Good at the inspection that started on 21 March 2012.
This inspection used Ofsted's older format with four grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement and Inadequate. Newer inspections use report cards. What changed.
| Area | Grade |
|---|---|
| Quality of education | Good |
| Outcomes for pupils | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
Since then, a shorter ungraded inspection on 20 October 2022: Ofsted found the school was still Good.
Read the full Ofsted reports for this school
Source: Ofsted state-funded schools inspection data.
Results
Key stage 2 (SATs, age 11), 2024/25
26 pupils in this year group.
31% — 27 points below the Westmorland and Furness average, and 31 points below the England average.
| Measure | This school | Westmorland and Furness | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths | 31% | 58% | 62% |
| Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths | 0% | 6% | 8% |
| Met the expected standard in reading | 46% | 74% | 75% |
| Met the expected standard in writing | 46% | 69% | 72% |
| Met the expected standard in maths | 50% | 73% | 74% |
| Average reading scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. | 100 | 105 | 106 |
| Average maths scoreScaled score from 80 to 120; 100 is the expected standard. | 99 | 104 | 105 |
Source: DfE key stage 2 performance tables, 2024/25. England figures are for state-funded schools.
Admissions
Apply through the council where you live, even if the school is in a different council area. This school is in Westmorland and Furness. The national closing date for primary applications is 15 January, and offers are sent on 16 April.
This is a Church of England school. When it has more applicants than places it can give priority to families of the faith, for example those who can show regular worship. Check the school's admissions policy to see how places are allocated.
Pupils, staff and SEND
| Pupils | This school | Westmorland and Furness | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years 4th highest of 24 state primary schools in Barrow-in-Furness. Higher than 91% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 51.2% | 16.5%* | 26.3% |
| With an education, health and care plan 8th highest of 24 state primary schools in Barrow-in-Furness. Higher than 93% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 7.4% | 4.5%* | 3.5% |
| Receiving special educational needs support 15th highest of 24 state primary schools in Barrow-in-Furness. Higher than 54% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 14.9% | 13.0%* | 15.0% |
| English as an additional language 3rd highest of 24 state primary schools in Barrow-in-Furness. Higher than 58% of 16,656 state primary schools in England. | 13.2% | 5.4%* | 23.4% |
| Overall absence (sessions missed) 13th lowest of 24 state primary schools in Barrow-in-Furness. Lower than 59% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 4.7% | 4.4%* | 5.2% |
| Persistently absent (missed 10% or more) 9th lowest of 24 state primary schools in Barrow-in-Furness. Lower than 65% of 16,640 state primary schools in England. | 9.2% | 8.7%* | 13.0% |
| Suspensions per 100 pupils 21st lowest of 24 state primary schools in Barrow-in-Furness. Lower than 31% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 2.5 | 1.0 | 2.5 |
| Pupils suspended at least once 21st lowest of 24 state primary schools in Barrow-in-Furness. Lower than 24% of 16,651 state primary schools in England. | 1.7% | 0.6% | 1.1% |
| Pupils permanently excluded0 pupils | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.03% |
| Pupils per teacher Joint 18th highest of 24 state primary schools in Barrow-in-Furness. Higher than 9% of 16,642 state primary schools in England. | 15.4 | 19.0 | 20.7 |
| Pupils per adult (teachers and support staff) 20th highest of 24 state primary schools in Barrow-in-Furness. Higher than 5% of 16,653 state primary schools in England. | 7.0 | 9.5 | 10.6 |
| Teachers who left during the year Joint 15th highest of 23 state primary schools in Barrow-in-Furness. Higher than 0% of 15,063 state primary schools in England. | 0.0% | 13.3%* | 14.4%* |
Comparisons are with primary schools. Scales run from lower (left) to higher (right) figures. For absence and suspensions lower is better, so their scales run green to red; blue scales describe the school's pupils and staff and aren't good or bad. * Calculated by SchoolScores from the council's or England's schools, weighted by pupils (or teachers, for turnover); other figures are published by DfE. Sources: DfE school census 2024/25; DfE pupil absence 2024/25; DfE suspensions and permanent exclusions 2024/25; DfE school workforce census 2025/26; DfE teacher turnover 2024/25.
Nearby primary schools
- Brisbane Park Infant School 0.1 miles · Ofsted: Good (2024)
- Ramsden Infant School 0.5 miles · Ofsted: Good (2022)
- Greengate Junior School 0.7 miles · Ofsted: Report card 2026: 6 expected · 60% met expected standard (KS2)
- Victoria Academy 0.8 miles · Ofsted: Outstanding (2024) · 65% met expected standard (KS2)
- Victoria Infant and Nursery School 0.8 miles · Ofsted: Good (2018), confirmed 2024
- St George's CofE School 0.9 miles · Ofsted: No overall grade (2024) · 50% met expected standard (KS2)
- St Pius X Catholic Primary School, Barrow 0.9 miles · Ofsted: Report card 2026: 1 strong, 5 expected, 1 needs attention · 48% met expected standard (KS2)
- Parkside Academy 0.9 miles · Ofsted: Report card 2026: 4 strong, 3 expected · 71% met expected standard (KS2)
- Vickerstown School 1.0 miles · Ofsted: Report card 2026: 2 expected, 4 needs attention, 1 urgent improvement · 15% met expected standard (KS2)
- Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Barrow 1.0 miles · Ofsted: Good (2016, before conversion), confirmed 2024 · 43% met expected standard (KS2)
Straight-line distance. Distance isn't the same as a catchment area.
Questions parents ask
What is St James' CofE Junior School's Ofsted rating?
St James' CofE Junior School was rated Good by Ofsted at its inspection in 21 March 2012. At a shorter ungraded inspection in 20 October 2022, Ofsted found the school was still Good.
How did St James' CofE Junior School do in its SATs?
In 2024/25, 31% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths, 31 points below the England average of 62%.
Sources
- School details: Get Information about Schools (DfE), 26 September 2026. URN 112362.
- Inspections: Ofsted management information, data to 31 August 2026.
- Results: DfE school performance tables, Key stage 2 2024/25.
Spotted a mistake? Report it and we'll check it against the source.
Page updated 26 September 2026.