Voluntary controlled school · Birmingham

St James Church of England Primary School, Handsworth

4–11Ages
409Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
103401URN

Sandwell Road, Birmingham, B21 8NH · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded GoodApr 2015

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · Jul 2024

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.2per place

0.5 below Birmingham median (2.7)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Birmingham

67 applications for 31 places · 211th of 262 in Birmingham

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

71%met the expected standard

Birmingham 66% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded GoodApr 2015

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · Jul 2024

Inspection history

10 July 2024
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good
23 April 2015
Graded inspection: Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

2.2applications per place, Reception

0.5 below Birmingham median (2.7) close to England median (2.2)

67 applications · 31 places offered · 30 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.2; Birmingham median median 2.7
2025 2.3; Birmingham median median 2.7
2024 2.7; Birmingham median median 2.7
2023 2.3; Birmingham median median 2.7
2022 2.2; Birmingham median median 2.7
2021 2.5; Birmingham median median 2.8
2020 2.8; Birmingham median median 2.8
2019 2.6; Birmingham median median 2.8
2018 2.0; Birmingham median median 2.7
2017 1.7; Birmingham median median 2.5
2016 1.7; Birmingham median median 2.2
2015 1.8; Birmingham median median 2.1
2014 1.6; Birmingham median median 2.1

More applications per place than the Birmingham median in 1 of 13 years.

This school
Birmingham median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	31	67	2.2	30	0.97
Sep 2025	45	104	2.3	42	0.93
Sep 2024	43	117	2.7	42	0.98
Sep 2023	47	108	2.3	46	0.98
Sep 2022	53	114	2.2	49	0.92
Sep 2021	54	134	2.5	48	0.89
Sep 2020	51	140	2.8	47	0.92
Sep 2019	60	157	2.6	59	0.98
Sep 2018	51	100	2.0	47	0.92
Sep 2017	55	94	1.7	42	0.76
Sep 2016	60	101	1.7	67	1.12
Sep 2015	42	75	1.8	34	0.81
Sep 2014	48	77	1.6	39	0.81

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 80% · Writing 75% · Maths 83% → all three 71% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard71%84th of 257 in Birmingham

Birmingham 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard80%

Birmingham 78% England 78%

Higher standard36%

Birmingham 33% England 33%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard75%

Birmingham 74% England 75%

Greater depth7%

Birmingham 10% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard83%

Birmingham 77% England 77%

Higher standard22%

Birmingham 26% England 24%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Birmingham median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	71%	5%	106	106
2023/24	67%	5%	107	104
2022/23	50%	2%	103	103

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

St James Church of England Primary School, HandsworthThis school
This school

Remains Good2024

2.2applications per place 71%met the SATs standard
St Augustine's Catholic Primary School
0.7 km · Birmingham

Good2023

1.8applications per place
Oasis Academy Wattville
0.7 km · Birmingham

Special measures Inadequate2023

2.6applications per place
Rookery School
0.8 km · Birmingham

Good2023

2.6applications per place 53%met the SATs standard
William Murdoch Primary School
0.8 km · Birmingham

Good2022

2.5applications per place 68%met the SATs standard
Oasis Academy Boulton
1.1 km · Birmingham

Standards maintained2024

4.1applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
Grove School
1.1 km · Birmingham

Remains Good2023

2.1applications per place 53%met the SATs standard
James Watt Primary School
1.2 km · Birmingham

Some aspects not as strong2024

2.5applications per place 54%met the SATs standard
Galton Valley Primary School
1.6 km · Sandwell

Standards maintained2025

1.4applications per place 71%met the SATs standard

School details

Type: Voluntary controlled school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 103401 · 330/3010
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 420 pupils · 409 on roll
Free school meals: 53.1% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Sandwell Road, Birmingham, B21 8NH
Local authority: Birmingham

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources