Kettleshulme St James CofE (VA) Primary School

About Kettleshulme St James CofE (VA) Primary School

Kettleshulme St James CofE (VA) Primary School enjoys strong backing from its parent community, with 93% of respondents to the most recent Parent View survey saying they would recommend the school. That survey, covering September 2024 to September 2025, drew 29 responses from a school of just 66 pupils, so the feedback carries weight. The school is also clearly popular: for the 2025/26 admissions round, it received 19 applications for just 8 places, an oversubscription ratio of 2.38. All 8 first-preference applicants were offered a place, but the numbers show demand outstrips supply. Parents report high levels of satisfaction on specific measures too: 95% agree their child is happy, 90% agree their child feels safe, and 93% agree the school has high expectations. The school's most recent Ofsted inspection, an ungraded visit in January 2025, confirmed that standards are maintained, and its previous graded inspection in 2019 rated overall effectiveness as Good.

Academically, Kettleshulme St James performs well above the local average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 assessments, 69% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a Cheshire East average of 64%. The school's average scores in reading and maths both sat at 105, and 85% of pupils met the expected standard in maths specifically. At the higher standard, 38% achieved in maths, 23% in reading and 8% in writing. Nationally, the school ranks in the 34th percentile for the combined expected standard, and within Cheshire East it places 45th out of 113 primary schools, putting it in the top 50% of the local authority. The school's ranking score of 69 reflects solid, consistent outcomes rather than exceptional highs, and there is no Progress 8 data available to measure value-added progress.

The school operates from a small site with a capacity of 63 pupils, and currently has 66 on roll, so it is running slightly over capacity. Facilities include an ICT suite, library, sports hall, sensory room and chapel. Sports provision covers football, rounders, cross country, netball, dance and cricket, while clubs extend to gardening, art, eco, science and film. The school has a specific SEND provision for autistic spectrum disorder, and 55% of Parent View respondents said their child has SEND, with 82% of those agreeing the school gives them the support they need. As a Church of England voluntary aided school, it has a religious character, though the data does not specify admissions criteria. This is a small, oversubscribed village primary that suits families seeking a close-knit setting with strong parent satisfaction and above-average outcomes, but who are prepared for competition for places.

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