St James Church of England Primary School

About St James Church of England Primary School

St James Church of England Primary School in Haringey stands out clearly against the local authority average for Key Stage 2 outcomes. The most recent data shows that 80% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a LA average of 69% for primary schools. That eleven-point gap places the school comfortably above the typical Haringey state primary. It also ranks 9th out of 51 schools in the borough on this metric, putting it in the top 25% nationally. The school’s performance is not just about hitting the baseline either: 28% of pupils achieved the higher standard in all three subjects, and in reading specifically, 56% reached that higher threshold. Maths and writing also saw strong higher-standard figures of 44% and 40% respectively. For a relatively small school with 190 pupils and a low proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 7.4%, these results suggest a focused academic environment that pushes beyond the minimum.

The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, carried out in March 2022, rated it Good overall, with every category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision — all judged Good. This represents a change from its previous inspection in 2007, when it was rated Outstanding. The inspection report noted that the school had maintained strong standards across the board, with no areas requiring improvement. In terms of exam scores, the average scaled scores were 108 for maths and 109 for reading, both above the national average of 100. Writing was particularly strong, with 96% of pupils reaching the expected standard. The school does not have a sixth form, as it is a primary school, but it does offer nursery provision for children aged three and above. Progress scores are not available in the data, so it is not possible to compare how much value the school adds relative to pupils’ starting points.

St James is a Church of England school with a religious character, and it is oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, there were 133 applications for 25 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 5.32. Only 17 first-preference applications were made, but the school filled its places from those. Facilities include a library, sports hall, gymnasium, music rooms, ICT suite, outdoor playground, and a chapel. Sports on offer include tennis, athletics, swimming and rounders, while clubs range from science and film to chess and drama. The school supports pupils with moderate learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and autistic spectrum disorder. For families looking for a small, academically strong primary with a Christian ethos and good facilities, St James is a solid choice — though the high demand means applying early is essential. The nearest Outstanding-rated primary is Our Lady of Muswell Catholic Primary School, 0.9 km away.

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