Sankey Valley St James Church of England Primary School

About Sankey Valley St James Church of England Primary School

Sankey Valley St James Church of England Primary School outperforms the Warrington local authority average for Key Stage 2, with 74% of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared to the LA average of 69%. That five-point gap places the school 23rd out of 69 primary schools in the borough, putting it comfortably in the top third of its local peers. The school also scores above the LA average in individual subjects: 90% of pupils met the expected standard in maths, 84% in reading and 74% in writing. At the higher standard, 35% of pupils achieved above expectations in reading and 32% in maths, though only 3% reached that level in writing and the combined RWM measure. Nationally, the school sits in the top 22% of all primary schools for combined expected standards, and in the North West region it ranks 424th out of 2,065 schools. These figures suggest a school that is delivering solidly above-average outcomes for its pupils, particularly in maths and reading.

The school’s most recent graded Ofsted inspection, in 2011, rated it Good overall, with Good for leadership and management, and Good for early years provision. An ungraded inspection in 2021 confirmed the school remains Good. This represents a clear improvement from its previous graded inspection in 2008, when it was rated Requires Improvement across all measured categories. The school has no sixth form, as it is a primary school for ages 2 to 11, and it offers nursery provision. With 222 pupils on roll, it is a relatively small school, and 33.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is above the national average. The school’s Progress 8 scores for reading, writing and maths are not available in the data, so it is not possible to assess how much value the school adds beyond raw attainment, but the headline results are clearly above the local norm.

Sankey Valley St James is a Church of England school with a strong set of facilities including music rooms, an ICT suite, a sensory room, art studios and a chapel. Sports provision is broad, with swimming, cricket, netball, tennis, cross country, athletics and gymnastics on offer, and clubs include gardening, art, choir, book club and drama. The school is oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 academic year, it received 30 applications for 14 places, with 14 first-preference offers made, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.14. SEND provision is comprehensive, covering specific learning difficulties, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, hearing impairment, physical disability and autistic spectrum disorder. This is a school that suits families looking for a Church of England primary with strong academic outcomes above the local average, a wide range of enrichment activities, and a clear commitment to inclusive support. The nearest Outstanding-rated primary is Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, 1.1 km away.

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