Schools by area › Kent › St James' Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
St James' Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Primary · Mixed · Ages 4–11 · Voluntary aided
Sandrock Road, Tunbridge Wells TN2 3PR · st-james.kent.sch.uk · 01892 523006
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected Mar 2024
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 72%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Kent 62%, England 62%
- Demand for places
- 1.1
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 629
- 100% of 630 places
- Local authority
- Kent
- Nursery class
- No
- Free school meals
- 10.5%
- First language not English
- 37.8%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, 95 families put the school first and 88 places were offered; 86% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 88 | 95 | 1.1▲ | 86% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 90 | 105 | 1.2▲ | 84% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 90 | 93 | 1▲ | 85% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 90 | 82 | 0.9 | 91% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 90 | 93 | 1▲ | 86% |
Results
In 2024/25, 72% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 10% the higher standard. Across Kent it was 62%, and across England 62%.
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ▲72% | 62% | ||
| ●10% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ▲109 | 106 | ||
| ●106 | 105 | ||
| Grammar and spelling | ●106 | 105 | |
Ofsted
St James' Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 5 March 2024, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Good
- Inspected
- 5 Mar 2024
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Outstanding |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Early years | Good |
Previously: Outstanding, graded inspection, Mar 2008
Earlier inspections
Before September 2019
Mar 2008Outstanding
Outcomes for pupils Outstanding Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years Outstanding
What parents said
98% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (262 replies, to 6 January 2025).
- Recommend
- 98%
- Replies
- 262
- 42% · 6 Jan 2025
based on the 67% who raised concerns
based on the 25% who had a child bullied
based on 26 parents (10%) with SEND