Classpot

St James the Great Church of England Primary School

Colchester, CO1 2RAPrimaryAges 2–11MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Jan 2025
KS2 Results
40%
meeting expected standard in RWM
Competition
0.8×
Not oversubscribed
28 1st-choice / 35 places
Ranking
#12,480
of 13,686 nationally

About St James the Great Church of England Primary School

St James the Great Church of England Primary School in Colchester is a state primary that, on its headline academic metrics, sits notably below the Essex local authority average. In the most recent Key Stage 2 assessments, only 40% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a local authority average of 62%. That 22-percentage-point gap is significant and places the school in the bottom half of primary schools within Colchester, ranked 46th out of 51. Nationally, it falls in the bottom 10% of all primary schools on this measure. The school is oversubscribed, however, receiving 84 applications for 35 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, with 28 first-preference offers made. This suggests that despite the academic results, local demand remains strong, possibly driven by its Church of England character, nursery provision for children aged two and above, or its location within the community.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range2 to 11 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterChurch of England
AddressGuildford Road, Colchester, Colchester, CO1 2RA
HeadteacherLucy Turner
Local AuthorityEssex
Number of Pupils456
Free School Meals (FSM)23.6%
School Capacity456 / 420 (109% full)
Nursery ClassesYes

The full report on this school

What 28 parents told Ofsted, the inspection in plain English, 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 Jan 2025
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Early Years Provision
Good

Latest monitoring visit (15 Jan 2025): Standards maintained

Source: Ofsted, 9 Oct 2019. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

7
ICT SuitePlaying FieldsSensory RoomArt StudiosDining HallOutdoor PlaygroundChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

11

Sports

FootballSwimmingTennisCross CountryRoundersAthleticsCricket

Clubs & Activities

CodingChoirGardeningBook Club

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

SEND Support

AutismMental HealthSpeech & LanguageVisionLearning DifficultyMulti-Sensory

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

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:55 – 15:15

Breakfast club

07:30-08:35

After-school care

15:15-17:30

Source: st-james-colchester-essex.co.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About St James the Great Church of England Primary School

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