Academy sponsor led · Essex

St James Church of England Primary School

3–11Ages
211Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
141657URN

Paringdon Road, Harlow, CM18 7RH · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded GoodJan 2018

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · Oct 2023

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.4per place

close to Essex median (2.4)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Essex

51 applications for 21 places · 159th of 363 in Essex

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

53%met the expected standard

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded GoodJan 2018

School remains GoodUngraded inspection · Oct 2023

Inspection history

11 October 2023
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good
10 January 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

2.4applications per place, Reception

close to Essex median (2.4) 0.2 above England median (2.2)

51 applications · 21 places offered · 19 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.4; Essex median median 2.4
2025 2.1; Essex median median 2.4
2024 2.7; Essex median median 2.4
2023 3.2; Essex median median 2.4
2022 1.9; Essex median median 2.4
2021 2.3; Essex median median 2.3
2020 2.7; Essex median median 2.4
2019 3.9; Essex median median 2.5
2018 2.2; Essex median median 2.5
2017 2.8; Essex median median 2.6
2016 2.7; Essex median median 2.8
2015 2.0; Essex median median 2.7
2014 2.3; Essex median median 2.8; as the previous school

This school
Essex median

Dashed bars: as St James' Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Harlow (URN 115172), the previous school.

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	21	51	2.4	19	0.90
Sep 2025	20	42	2.1	15	0.75
Sep 2024	23	62	2.7	23	1.00
Sep 2023	22	71	3.2	20	0.91
Sep 2022	27	52	1.9	26	0.96
Sep 2021	24	55	2.3	20	0.83
Sep 2020	23	62	2.7	20	0.87
Sep 2019	12	47	3.9	12	1.00
Sep 2018	29	64	2.2	27	0.93
Sep 2017	25	69	2.8	22	0.88
Sep 2016	30	81	2.7	23	0.77
Sep 2015	30	60	2.0	21	0.70
Sep 2014 *	28	65	2.3	17	0.61

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 63% · Writing 66% · Maths 66% → all three 53% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard53%295th of 387 in Essex

Essex 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard63%

Essex 79% England 78%

Higher standard22%

Essex 33% England 33%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard66%

Essex 76% England 75%

Greater depth16%

Essex 13% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard66%

Essex 78% England 77%

Higher standard16%

Essex 24% England 24%

Average scaled score 103 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Essex median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	53%	13%	104	103
2023/24	56%	0%	102	103
2022/23	42%	0%	100	102

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 SchoolThis school
This school

Remains Good2023

2.4applications per place 53%met the SATs standard
Longwood Primary Academy
0.4 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

1.6applications per place 77%met the SATs standard
Kingsmoor Academy
0.5 km · Essex

Standards maintained2025

2.8applications per place 79%met the SATs standard
Milwards Primary School and Nursery
0.7 km · Essex

Good2023

2.3applications per place 77%met the SATs standard
Abbotsweld Primary Academy
1.1 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

2.0applications per place 73%met the SATs standard
St Luke's Catholic Academy
1.2 km · Essex

Good2023

1.9applications per place 53%met the SATs standard
Jerounds Primary Academy
1.2 km · Essex

Good2022

2.2applications per place 76%met the SATs standard
Latton Green Primary Academy
1.3 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

3.3applications per place 76%met the SATs standard
Water Lane Primary Academy
1.6 km · Essex

Remains Good2023

1.2applications per place 36%met the SATs standard

School details

Type: Academy sponsor led
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 141657 · 881/2121
Trust: The Diocese of Chelmsford Vine Schools Trust
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 218 pupils · 211 on roll
Free school meals: 23.7% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 March 2015
Replaced: St James' Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Harlow (URN 115172)
Address: Paringdon Road, Harlow, CM18 7RH
Local authority: Essex · Harlow

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