Academy converter · Croydon

St James the Great RC Primary and Nursery School

3–11Ages
447Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Roman CatholicReligious character
137959URN

St. James the Great School, Windsor Road, Thornton Heath, CR7 8HJ · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Nov 2023 Previous framework

Outstanding

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.9per place

close to Croydon median (3.0)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Croydon

172 applications for 59 places · 41st of 74 in Croydon

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

71%met the expected standard

Croydon 71% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Outstanding · 1 November 2023Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education	Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes	Outstanding
Personal development	Outstanding
Leadership and management	Outstanding
Early years provision	Outstanding

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

2.9applications per place, Reception

close to Croydon median (3.0) 0.7 above England median (2.2)

172 applications · 59 places offered · 69 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.9; Croydon median median 3.0
2025 2.9; Croydon median median 3.1
2024 3.2; Croydon median median 3.1
2023 2.6; Croydon median median 3.0
2022 2.6; Croydon median median 3.1
2021 2.9; Croydon median median 2.9
2020 2.9; Croydon median median 3.1
2019 3.3; Croydon median median 3.1
2018 3.5; Croydon median median 3.4
2017 3.7; Croydon median median 3.4
2016 3.6; Croydon median median 3.3
2015 4.2; Croydon median median 3.4
2014 4.1; Croydon median median 3.5

This school
Croydon 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	59	172	2.9	69	1.17
Sep 2025	60	173	2.9	71	1.18
Sep 2024	60	189	3.2	69	1.15
Sep 2023	60	154	2.6	73	1.22
Sep 2022	60	155	2.6	64	1.07
Sep 2021	60	175	2.9	67	1.12
Sep 2020	60	176	2.9	69	1.15
Sep 2019	60	199	3.3	80	1.33
Sep 2018	59	208	3.5	88	1.49
Sep 2017	60	220	3.7	88	1.47
Sep 2016	60	218	3.6	91	1.52
Sep 2015	57	239	4.2	96	1.68
Sep 2014	60	244	4.1	93	1.55

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 84% · Writing 80% · Maths 82% → all three 71% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard71%38th of 77 in Croydon

Croydon 71% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard84%

Croydon 81% England 78%

Higher standard49%

Croydon 34% England 33%

Average scaled score 107 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard80%

Croydon 79% England 75%

Greater depth9%

Croydon 12% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard82%

Croydon 82% England 77%

Higher standard47%

Croydon 31% England 24%

Average scaled score 107 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Croydon median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	71%	7%	107	107
2023/24	74%	17%	109	108
2022/23	50%	5%	108	107

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 the Great RC Primary and Nursery SchoolThis school
This school

Outstanding2023

2.9applications per place 71%met the SATs standard
Beulah Junior School
0.5 km · Croydon

Requires improvement2024

59%met the SATs standard
Beulah Infants' School
0.6 km · Croydon

Remains Good2023

2.5applications per place
St Cyprian's Greek Orthodox Primary Academy
0.6 km · Croydon

Requires improvement2024

6.3applications per place 51%met the SATs standard
David Livingstone Academy
0.6 km · Croydon

Standards maintained2025

4.9applications per place 88%met the SATs standard
Kensington Avenue Primary School
0.7 km · Croydon

Requires improvement2023

2.7applications per place 64%met the SATs standard
Winterbourne Junior Girls' School
1.0 km · Croydon

Good2024

89%met the SATs standard
Winterbourne Nursery and Infants' School
1.0 km · Croydon

Good2023

2.2applications per place
Winterbourne Boys' Academy
1.0 km · Croydon

Remains Good2022

80%met the SATs standard

School details

Type: Academy converter
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 137959 · 306/5201
Trust: St Benedict Catholic Academy Trust
Religious character: Roman Catholic
Capacity: 420 pupils · 447 on roll
Free school meals: 20.2% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 April 2012
Replaced: St James the Great RC Primary and Nursery School (URN 101816)
Address: St. James the Great School, Windsor Road, Thornton Heath, CR7 8HJ
Local authority: Croydon

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