Academy converter · Bedford

St James' CofE Academy

5–11Ages
194Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
148982URN

Main Road, Biddenham, Bedford, MK40 4BD · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded GoodMar 2012

Standards maintainedUngraded inspection · Feb 2025

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

4.1per place

1.9 above Bedford median (2.2)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Bedford

124 applications for 30 places · 1st of 38 in Bedford

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

54%met the expected standard

Bedford 58% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded GoodMar 2012

Standards maintainedUngraded inspection · Feb 2025

Inspection history

5 February 2025
Ungraded inspection: Standards maintained
21 March 2012
Graded inspection: Good · as St James' Church of England VA Primary School, URN 109614

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

4.1applications per place, Reception

1.9 above Bedford median (2.2) 1.9 above England median (2.2)

124 applications · 30 places offered · 28 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 4.1; Bedford median median 2.2
2025 2.7; Bedford median median 1.9
2024 3.1; Bedford median median 1.8
2023 3.1; Bedford median median 1.8
2022 3.4; Bedford median median 1.8; as the previous school
2021 3.3; Bedford median median 1.9; as the previous school
2020 3.6; Bedford median median 1.9; as the previous school
2019 4.3; Bedford median median 1.9; as the previous school
2018 3.1; Bedford median median 1.9; as the previous school
2017 2.4; Bedford median median 1.8; as the previous school
2016 2.3; Bedford median median 2.0; as the previous school
2015 2.0; Bedford median median 1.9; as the previous school
2014 3.2; Bedford median median 1.9; as the previous school

This school
Bedford median

Dashed bars: as St James' Church of England VA Primary School (URN 109614), 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	30	124	4.1	28	0.93
Sep 2025	30	80	2.7	24	0.80
Sep 2024	30	94	3.1	32	1.07
Sep 2023	29	91	3.1	23	0.79
Sep 2022 *	30	103	3.4	24	0.80
Sep 2021 *	30	99	3.3	34	1.13
Sep 2020 *	30	108	3.6	40	1.33
Sep 2019 *	15	64	4.3	14	0.93
Sep 2018 *	18	56	3.1	18	1.00
Sep 2017 *	27	65	2.4	30	1.11
Sep 2016 *	25	57	2.3	25	1.00
Sep 2015 *	25	50	2.0	28	1.12
Sep 2014 *	18	57	3.2	15	0.83

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 79% · Writing 61% · Maths 64% → all three 54% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard54%30th of 49 in Bedford

Bedford 58% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard79%

Bedford 73% England 78%

Higher standard25%

Bedford 28% England 33%

Average scaled score 105 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard61%

Bedford 70% England 75%

Greater depth11%

Bedford 3% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard64%

Bedford 71% England 77%

Higher standard14%

Bedford 20% England 24%

Average scaled score 103 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Bedford median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	54%	11%	105	103
2023/24	52%	6%	104	102
2022/23	71%	4%	109	108

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' CofE AcademyThis school
This school

Standards maintained2025

4.1applications per place 54%met the SATs standard
Great Denham Primary School
0.8 km · Bedford

Outstanding2024

2.7applications per place 72%met the SATs standard
St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary and Pre-School
0.9 km · Bedford

Good2023

1.9applications per place 44%met the SATs standard
Westfield Primary School
1.1 km · Bedford

2026

2.5applications per place 48%met the SATs standard
Queen's Park Academy
1.2 km · Bedford

Good2022

1.5applications per place 61%met the SATs standard
Great Ouse Primary Academy
1.3 km · Bedford

2026

2.1applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
Bromham CofE Primary School
2.1 km · Bedford

Remains Good2023

2.1applications per place 74%met the SATs standard
Livingstone Primary School
2.2 km · Bedford

Good2023

2.6applications per place 49%met the SATs standard
Priory Primary School
2.2 km · Bedford

Graded · no overall grade2024

3.5applications per place 50%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: Academy converter
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 148982 · 822/3300
Trust: Diocese of St Albans Multi-Academy Trust
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 210 pupils · 194 on roll
Free school meals: 18.0% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 1 June 2022
Replaced: St James' Church of England VA Primary School (URN 109614)
Address: Main Road, Biddenham, Bedford, MK40 4BD
Local authority: Bedford

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