St James CofE Primary School

About St James CofE Primary School

St James CofE Primary School in Enfield is a Church of England primary with 173 pupils on roll against a capacity of 210, meaning it has some spare places despite being officially oversubscribed. For 2025/26 admissions, the school received 25 applications for 11 places, with 10 of those coming as first preferences, giving an oversubscription ratio of 2.27 applicants per place. The school serves a community with a notably high proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals — 46.8 per cent, well above the national average. Under headteacher Michelle Sheehan, the school has recently improved its Ofsted rating. Its most recent graded inspection in May 2025 saw it move from Requires Improvement to Good across all areas, with personal development judged Outstanding. Parent feedback is strong: 97 per cent would recommend the school, and 81 per cent strongly agree their child is happy here.

Academically, St James is performing well within Enfield. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 83 per cent of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined — well above the local authority average of 67 per cent. That places the school 5th out of 59 primaries in Enfield, putting it in the top 10 per cent locally, and 1037th nationally out of 13,686 schools. The picture is particularly strong in maths, where 96 per cent of pupils met the expected standard and the average scaled score was 107. In reading, the average score was also 107, with 92 per cent hitting the expected mark. The proportion reaching the higher standard in reading and maths was 21 per cent each, while in writing it was 17 per cent. These are solid results for a school with a high FSM intake, and suggest effective teaching and targeted support are making a real difference.

The school offers a broad range of facilities including a sports hall, library, music rooms, forest school area and a chapel, reflecting its Church of England foundation. Sports provision covers swimming, gymnastics, netball and tennis, while clubs include drama, choir, science club and gardening. SEND support is well-developed, with provisions for autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language needs, social and emotional mental health, and physical disabilities — though parent view data on SEND support was not available. The school has a nursery provision, making it a natural choice for families wanting continuity from early years through to Year 6. For parents weighing up options in Enfield, St James offers strong academic outcomes relative to its intake, a recent Ofsted turnaround, and a clear sense of community approval. It’s a school that seems to be on an upward trajectory, and one worth a close look if you’re in the area.

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