Classpot

St James Academy

Dudley, DY1 3JESecondaryAges 11–16MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Nov 2023
Progress 8
+0.09
Above average
−20+2
Competition
1.2×
Oversubscribed
220 1st-choice / 187 places
Ranking
#1,316
of 3,141 nationally

About St James Academy

St James Academy sits within Dudley local authority, a mixed 11-16 state secondary that ranks 6th out of 17 schools of its type in the borough, placing it in the top 35% locally. The top-performing peers in the area are Old Swinford Hospital, Pegasus Academy, and Redhill School, all of which post higher Progress 8 scores. St James is also one of only three schools in Dudley rated Outstanding by Ofsted within 2.6 kilometres, with Beacon Hill Academy being the nearest. The school is led by headteacher Ian Moore and has a capacity of 980 pupils, currently housing 859 students. With 25% of pupils eligible for free school meals, it serves a community with above-average disadvantage compared to the national average. The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 404 total applications for 187 places, with 220 first-preference applications and 183 first-preference offers, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.16.

Key Details

School TypeSecondary (State)
Age Range11 to 16 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterNone
AddressSt James's Road, Dudley, Dudley, DY1 3JE
HeadteacherIan Moore
Local AuthorityDudley
Number of Pupils859
Free School Meals (FSM)25.0%
School Capacity859 / 980 (88% full)

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

15 Nov 2023
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Leadership & Management
Good

Latest monitoring visit (15 Nov 2023): School remains Good

Source: Ofsted, 27 Apr 2015. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

11
Swimming PoolArt StudiosICT SuiteSports HallDining HallTheatreMusic RoomsScience LabsSixth Form CentreAstro TurfLibrary

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

14

Sports

NetballRoundersDanceBadmintonCross CountrySwimmingHockeyRowingMartial Arts

Clubs & Activities

DramaDuke of EdinburghChessYoung EnterpriseChoir

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

AutismDyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingPhysicalLearning DifficultyMulti-SensoryOther

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

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Frequently Asked Questions About St James Academy

St James Academy has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.