Voluntary aided school · Kent

St James' Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School

4–11Ages
629Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
118725URN

Sandrock Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN2 3PR · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Mar 2024 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.8per place

0.3 above Kent median (2.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Kent

245 applications for 88 places · 114th of 385 in Kent

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

72%met the expected standard

Kent 65% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 5 March 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes	Outstanding
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		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

2.8applications per place, Reception

0.3 above Kent median (2.4) 0.6 above England median (2.2)

245 applications · 88 places offered · 95 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.8; Kent median median 2.4
2025 2.7; Kent median median 2.3
2024 2.9; Kent median median 2.4
2023 2.5; Kent median median 2.3
2022 2.6; Kent median median 2.1
2021 2.4; Kent median median 2.2
2020 2.6; Kent median median 2.2
2019 2.3; Kent median median 2.1
2018 2.5; Kent median median 2.1
2017 2.1; Kent median median 2.2
2016 2.8; Kent median median 2.5
2015 2.8; Kent median median 2.4
2014 2.6; Kent median median 2.3

More applications per place than the Kent median in 12 of 13 years.

This school
Kent 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	88	245	2.8	95	1.08
Sep 2025	90	239	2.7	105	1.17
Sep 2024	90	257	2.9	93	1.03
Sep 2023	90	223	2.5	82	0.91
Sep 2022	90	233	2.6	93	1.03
Sep 2021	90	218	2.4	90	1.00
Sep 2020	90	235	2.6	113	1.26
Sep 2019	89	200	2.3	87	0.98
Sep 2018	90	222	2.5	120	1.33
Sep 2017	90	192	2.1	95	1.06
Sep 2016	90	248	2.8	113	1.26
Sep 2015	90	255	2.8	106	1.18
Sep 2014	90	231	2.6	125	1.39

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 88% · Writing 80% · Maths 84% → all three 72% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard72%130th of 421 in Kent

Kent 65% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard88%

Kent 78% England 78%

Higher standard57%

Kent 35% England 33%

Average scaled score 109 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard80%

Kent 77% England 75%

Greater depth13%

Kent 15% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard84%

Kent 75% England 77%

Higher standard25%

Kent 24% England 24%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Kent median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	72%	10%	109	106
2023/24	72%	12%	109	106
2022/23	75%	10%	109	106

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 Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Good2024

2.8applications per place 72%met the SATs standard
St Peter's Church of England Primary School
0.5 km · Kent

Graded · no overall grade2025

4.3applications per place 70%met the SATs standard
St Barnabas CofE VA Primary School
0.7 km · Kent

Remains Good2024

2.5applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
Claremont Primary School
0.9 km · Kent

Good2023

3.0applications per place 80%met the SATs standard
The Wells Free School
1.0 km · Kent

Standards maintained2025

2.8applications per place 68%met the SATs standard
Skinners' Temple Grove
1.3 km · Kent

Some aspects not as strong2025

1.3applications per place 39%met the SATs standard
St John's Church of England Primary School
1.7 km · Kent

Remains Good2023

2.4applications per place 70%met the SATs standard
St Augustine's Catholic Primary School
1.7 km · Kent

2026

3.6applications per place 56%met the SATs standard
St Matthew's High Brooms Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School
2.1 km · Kent

Requires improvement2024

2.5applications per place 59%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Voluntary aided school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 118725 · 886/3322
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 630 pupils · 629 on roll
Free school meals: 10.5% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 January 1900
Replaced: St James' Church of England Junior School (URN 118610)
Address: Sandrock Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN2 3PR
Local authority: Kent · Tunbridge Wells

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