Voluntary controlled school · Oxfordshire

Church Cowley St James Church of England Primary School

3–11Ages
459Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
123139URN

Bartholomew Road, Cowley, Oxford, OX4 3QH · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded GoodMar 2018

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · Sep 2023

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.1per place

0.5 below Oxfordshire median (2.5)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Oxfordshire

125 applications for 60 places · 134th of 187 in Oxfordshire

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

59%met the expected standard

Oxfordshire 64% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded GoodMar 2018

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · Sep 2023

Inspection history

20 September 2023
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good
6 March 2018
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

2.1applications per place, Reception

0.5 below Oxfordshire median (2.5) close to England median (2.2)

125 applications · 60 places offered · 70 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.1; Oxfordshire median median 2.6
2025 2.4; Oxfordshire median median 2.7
2024 2.3; Oxfordshire median median 2.6
2023 2.2; Oxfordshire median median 2.6
2022 1.9; Oxfordshire median median 2.3
2021 2.0; Oxfordshire median median 2.3
2020 2.5; Oxfordshire median median 2.3
2019 1.9; Oxfordshire median median 1.9
2018 1.8; Oxfordshire median median 2.1
2017 2.3; Oxfordshire median median 2.1
2016 2.4; Oxfordshire median median 2.1
2015 2.0; Oxfordshire median median 2.1
2014 2.6; Oxfordshire median median 2.1

This school
Oxfordshire 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	60	125	2.1	70	1.17
Sep 2025	58	138	2.4	57	0.98
Sep 2024	59	136	2.3	61	1.03
Sep 2023	52	116	2.2	49	0.94
Sep 2022	60	111	1.9	54	0.90
Sep 2021	44	89	2.0	43	0.98
Sep 2020	60	148	2.5	69	1.15
Sep 2019	60	114	1.9	69	1.15
Sep 2018	60	110	1.8	55	0.92
Sep 2017	60	138	2.3	67	1.12
Sep 2016	60	141	2.4	71	1.18
Sep 2015	60	121	2.0	57	0.95
Sep 2014	60	156	2.6	68	1.13

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 73% · Writing 70% · Maths 73% → all three 59% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard59%135th of 226 in Oxfordshire

Oxfordshire 64% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard73%

Oxfordshire 79% England 78%

Higher standard20%

Oxfordshire 33% England 33%

Average scaled score 103 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard70%

Oxfordshire 74% England 75%

Greater depth11%

Oxfordshire 14% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard73%

Oxfordshire 75% England 77%

Higher standard21%

Oxfordshire 23% England 24%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Oxfordshire median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	59%	5%	103	104
2023/24	56%	0%	104	103
2022/23	57%	7%	105	105

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

Church Cowley St James Church of England Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Remains Good2023

2.1applications per place 59%met the SATs standard
St John Fisher Catholic Primary School, Littlemore
0.5 km · Oxfordshire

Good2023

3.3applications per place 65%met the SATs standard
Our Lady's Roman Catholic Primary School
0.6 km · Oxfordshire

Good2022

3.3applications per place 81%met the SATs standard
St Christopher's Church of England School, Cowley
0.9 km · Oxfordshire

Good2024

3.0applications per place 53%met the SATs standard
Orchard Meadow Primary School
1.1 km · Oxfordshire

Good2022

2.7applications per place 56%met the SATs standard
John Henry Newman Academy
1.1 km · Oxfordshire

Remains Good2024

1.5applications per place 69%met the SATs standard
Tyndale Community School
1.3 km · Oxfordshire

Standards maintained2025

3.6applications per place 59%met the SATs standard
St Francis Church of England Primary School
1.3 km · Oxfordshire

Good2021

2.6applications per place 55%met the SATs standard
Rose Hill Primary School
1.3 km · Oxfordshire

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.8applications per place 34%met the SATs standard

School details

Type: Voluntary controlled school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 123139 · 931/3210
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 480 pupils · 459 on roll
Free school meals: 28.2% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: Bartholomew Road, Cowley, Oxford, OX4 3QH
Local authority: Oxfordshire · Oxford

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