Academy converter · Gloucestershire

St James' Church of England Primary School

4–11Ages
408Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
144089URN

Merestones Road, Cheltenham, GL50 2RS · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Oct 2023 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

3.3per place

0.8 above Gloucestershire median (2.5)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Gloucestershire

185 applications for 56 places · 17th of 148 in Gloucestershire

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

59%met the expected standard

Gloucestershire 63% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 11 October 2023Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes	Outstanding
Personal development	Outstanding
Leadership and management		Good
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

3.3applications per place, Reception

0.8 above Gloucestershire median (2.5) 1.1 above England median (2.2)

185 applications · 56 places offered · 49 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 3.3; Gloucestershire median median 2.5
2025 3.4; Gloucestershire median median 2.5
2024 3.8; Gloucestershire median median 2.6
2023 3.8; Gloucestershire median median 2.4
2022 4.2; Gloucestershire median median 2.3
2021 3.9; Gloucestershire median median 2.2
2020 4.2; Gloucestershire median median 2.2
2019 4.4; Gloucestershire median median 2.1
2018 4.1; Gloucestershire median median 2.3
2017 5.0; Gloucestershire median median 2.2
2016 4.9; Gloucestershire median median 2.5; as the previous school
2015 5.2; Gloucestershire median median 2.4; as the previous school
2014 4.4; Gloucestershire median median 2.3; as the previous school

More applications per place than the Gloucestershire median in 10 of 10 years.

This school
Gloucestershire median

Dashed bars: as St James' Church of England Primary School (URN 115668), 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	56	185	3.3	49	0.88
Sep 2025	60	204	3.4	48	0.80
Sep 2024	56	212	3.8	46	0.82
Sep 2023	60	226	3.8	47	0.78
Sep 2022	60	254	4.2	57	0.95
Sep 2021	59	232	3.9	42	0.71
Sep 2020	60	249	4.2	67	1.12
Sep 2019	60	265	4.4	57	0.95
Sep 2018	59	239	4.1	48	0.81
Sep 2017	60	301	5.0	72	1.20
Sep 2016 *	60	295	4.9	75	1.25
Sep 2015 *	60	312	5.2	59	0.98
Sep 2014 *	60	262	4.4	82	1.37

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 79% · Writing 79% · Maths 77% → all three 59% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard59%123rd of 208 in Gloucestershire

Gloucestershire 63% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard79%

Gloucestershire 80% England 78%

Higher standard34%

Gloucestershire 34% England 33%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard79%

Gloucestershire 74% England 75%

Greater depth18%

Gloucestershire 13% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard77%

Gloucestershire 77% England 77%

Higher standard30%

Gloucestershire 23% England 24%

Average scaled score 105 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Gloucestershire median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	59%	11%	106	105
2023/24	65%	7%	107	105
2022/23	62%	12%	106	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 SchoolThis school
This school

Good2023

3.3applications per place 59%met the SATs standard
Warden Hill Primary School
0.7 km · Gloucestershire

Good2022

3.0applications per place 73%met the SATs standard
Greatfield Park Primary School
1.1 km · Gloucestershire

Graded · no overall grade2025

4.5applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
Leckhampton Church of England Primary School
1.4 km · Gloucestershire

Good2022

2.7applications per place 81%met the SATs standard
Naunton Park Primary School
1.4 km · Gloucestershire

Graded · no overall grade2024

4.0applications per place 76%met the SATs standard
Lakeside Primary School
1.6 km · Gloucestershire

Standards maintained2025

3.1applications per place 52%met the SATs standard
Christ Church CofE Primary School
1.6 km · Gloucestershire

Outstanding2023

5.1applications per place 69%met the SATs standard
Benhall Infant School
1.8 km · Gloucestershire

Good2023

2.5applications per place
St Mark's Church of England Junior School
1.9 km · Gloucestershire

Remains Good2023

66%met the SATs standard

School details

Type: Academy converter
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 144089 · 916/3096
Trust: The Diocese of Gloucester Academies Trust
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 420 pupils · 408 on roll
Free school meals: 6.9% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 April 2017
Replaced: St James' Church of England Primary School (URN 115668)
Address: Merestones Road, Cheltenham, GL50 2RS
Local authority: Gloucestershire · Cheltenham

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