St James CofE Aided Primary School

About St James CofE Aided Primary School

St James CofE Aided Primary School in Waverley posts a Key Stage 2 combined reading, writing and maths expected standard attainment of 63%, which sits just three percentage points below the Surrey local authority average of 66% for primary schools. That places it squarely in the middle of the pack — ranked 119th out of 298 primary schools in the county, and 16th out of 22 in Waverley itself. The school is comfortably within the national mainstream, ranking in the 48th percentile across England. Where it does stand out is in its Ofsted inspection from June 2024, which awarded top marks for personal development and for behaviour and attitudes — both rated Outstanding. Leadership and management, quality of education, early years provision and overall effectiveness were all judged Good. This is a school that has held a Good rating across both its recent inspections, with the 2024 report showing a clear strength in how it supports children's character and conduct.

Looking more closely at the 2023/24 SATs data, the picture is mixed but solid. Reading is the strongest subject: 81% of pupils reached the expected standard and 30% achieved the higher standard, with an average scaled score of 107. Maths follows with 70% at expected and 22% at higher, average score 104. Writing is slightly weaker at 70% expected and 15% higher. Only 11% of pupils hit the higher standard across all three subjects, which is below the national average for that top tier. The school's Progress 8 scores are not available in the data, so it's not possible to say how much value the school adds relative to pupils' starting points. However, the 63% combined expected standard is a reasonable benchmark for a school that serves a relatively average intake — 11.9% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is close to the national primary average.

St James is a Church of England aided primary school for children aged 2 to 11, with nursery provision on site. It is oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, there were 45 applications for 29 places, with 27 first-preference offers made. That ratio of 1.55 applicants per place suggests strong local demand. The school offers a broad range of facilities including a sports hall, gymnasium, sensory room, chapel, art studios and playing fields. Sports on offer include cross country, netball, football, cricket, swimming, gymnastics and rounders, while clubs range from drama and choir to science club, chess and gardening. SEND provision is well-documented, covering dyslexia, speech and language needs, autistic spectrum disorder and social, emotional and mental health support. This is a solid, well-regarded village primary that will suit families looking for a Good-rated school with strong pastoral care and a clear Christian character, set in a competitive Surrey admissions environment.

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