Schools by area › Dorset › St James Church of England First School
St James Church of England First School
Primary · Mixed · Ages 2–9 · Academy
Gaunts Common, Wimborne BH21 4JN · stjames.dsat.org.uk · 01258 840669
On the mapSearch near BH21 4JN
Overview
- Ofsted
- No overall grade
- 2019 framework · inspected Feb 2025
- Last distance offered
- 3.55 mi
- 5.71 km · Reception, September 2026 entry · Dorset Council
- Demand for places
- 1.0
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 134
- 9 over 125 places · 107%
- Local authority
- Dorset
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 4.5%
- First language not English
- 3%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, the last place offered on distance went to a home 3.55 mi (5.71 km) from the school. Source: Dorset Council’s document.
For Reception in September 2026, 25 families put the school first and 25 places were offered; 96% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
Demand for places
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 25 | 25 | 1 | 96% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 24 | 35 | 1.5▲ | 69% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 24 | 23 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 18 | 18 | 1 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 26 | 26 | 1 | 100% |
Last distance offered
| Reception | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | 3.55 mi5.71 km | |
The last place was offered to a child in this criterion, at this distance (the council's sheet for the school).
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected St James Church of England First School on 4 February 2025 under its 2019 framework. Inspections from September 2024 give no overall grade.
- Overall
- No overall grade
- Inspected
- 4 Feb 2025
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Early years | Good |
Previously: Outstanding, graded inspection, Jan 2014
Earlier inspections
Including inspections of the predecessor school (URN 113761), which Ofsted links to this one.
Before September 2019
Jan 2014Outstanding
Outcomes for pupils Outstanding Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 113761)
Oct 2010Good
Outcomes for pupils Outstanding Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good Inspection of the predecessor school (URN 113761)
What parents said
94% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (80 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 94%
- Replies
- 80
- 58% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 60% who raised concerns
based on the 29% who had a child bullied