Schools by area › Dudley › St James Academy
St James Academy
Secondary · Mixed · Ages 11–16 · Academy
St James's Road, Dudley DY1 3JE · stjamesacademy.org.uk · 01384 685200
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected Jun 2024
- GCSEs, 2024/25
- 36.8
- average Attainment 8 score. Dudley 43, England 46
- Demand for places
- 0.8
- first choices for each place · Year 7, September 2026
- Pupils
- 867
- 96% of 900 places
- Local authority
- Dudley
- Sixth form
- No
- Admissions
- Non-selective
- Free school meals
- 50.1%
- First language not English
- 34.6%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Year 7 in September 2026, 139 families put the school first and 176 places were offered; 98% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Year 7 | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 176 | 139 | 0.8 | 98% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 174 | 118 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 171 | 94 | 0.5 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 164 | 107 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 163 | 108 | 0.7 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25 the average Attainment 8 score at GCSE was 36.8, and 37.3% of pupils got grade 5 or above in English and maths. Across Dudley it was 43, and across England 46.
GCSE results
Attainment 8
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| ▼36.8 | 46.0 | ||
| ▼37.3% | 45.4% | ||
| ▼47.7% | 64.8% | ||
| ▼37.9% | 40.5% | ||
| ▼3.32 | 4.09 |
Some years are for the predecessor school (URN 103867)
Where Year 11 leavers went
| Left in 2023/24 | Since 2021/22 | |
|---|---|---|
| School sixth form | 0.6 | −1 |
| Sixth form college | 6.7 | +1.1 |
| Further education | 71.8 | +1.6 |
| Employment | 1.2 | −1.2 |
| Not in a lasting destination | 11.7 | −0.4 |
| Activity not captured | 8 | +3.2 |
Ofsted
St James Academy was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 4 June 2024, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework.
- Overall
- Good
- Inspected
- 4 Jun 2024
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
Previously: Requires improvement, graded inspection, Mar 2022
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Mar 2022Requires improvement
Quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Feb 2016Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Leadership and management Good Safeguarding Effective Oct 2013Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Leadership and management Good
What parents said
45% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (49 replies, to 7 April 2025).
- Recommend
- 45%
- Replies
- 49
- 6% · 7 Apr 2025
based on the 88% who raised concerns
based on the 49% who had a child bullied