St James' Catholic Primary School

  • Primary
  • Local authority maintained
  • Ages 4 to 11
Ofsted: Good

Lonsdale Road, Lonsdale Road, Millom, Millom, LA18 4ASOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

St James' Catholic Primary School is a primary school in Millom for ages 4 to 11. It is one of the 178 schools in Cumberland. It ranks 48th of 111 primary schools in Cumberland. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in January 2014.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 29 January 2014, report published 14 October 2014

Overall effectiveness
Good
Leadership and management
Good

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 14 June 2023

Pupils make a strong contribution to the sense of calm that exists at the school. They are kind, caring and well mannered. They respond well to the high expectations that leaders have of their achievement and conduct. Pupils are happy. Pupils said that they feel confident to speak to staff if they have any worries or concerns. Leaders deal effectively with any rare cases of bullying that occur. This helps pupils to feel safe. Pupils, including those that benefit from the specially resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are fully included in the life of the school. Most pupils, including those in the early years, thrive at the school. Pupils enjoy taking part in a wide range of activities that help them to develop their talents and interests. These include clubs such as drama, art and the aiming high club, which help pupils to become confident and resilient young people. Pupils benefit from the trips that leaders make available to them. The trips are closely linked to the curriculum. These include a city visit to London, and a geography field trip to Coniston which helps pupils to learn about the history of the local copper mines.

What the school should improve

  • In a small number of subjects, teachers' subject knowledge is not as secure as it could be. As a result, teachers sometimes miss opportunities to address the misconceptions that pupils have about their learning. Leaders should ensure that teachers receive the support that they need to accurately identify and address the misconceptions that some pupils have so that these pupils achieve as well as they should.

Exam results

SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25

28 pupils took the tests

Expected standard in reading, writing and maths64%

64%, 2 percentage points above the England average of 62%.

Higher standard in reading, writing and maths0%

0%, 8 percentage points below the England average of 8%.

Reading, average scaled score106

106, the same as the England average.

Maths, average scaled score105

105, the same as the England average.

Grammar, punctuation and spelling, average scaled score105

105, the same as the England average.

Pupil numbers and mix

186 pupils on roll, with places for 210

Eligible for free school meals17.2%

17.2%, 9.3 percentage points below the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language2.2%

2.2%, 19.4 percentage points below the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support16.7%

16.7%, 1.9 percentage points above the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan7.5%

7.5%, 1.5 percentage points above the England average of 6%.

Schools near St James' Catholic Primary School

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
Millom Infant School0.2 milesReport card: Urgent improvement to expected standardNot published
Black Combe Junior School0.6 milesOfsted: Requires improvement50% met the expected standard
Haverigg Primary School1 mileOfsted: Good50% met the expected standard
Askam Village School3 milesOfsted: Good26% met the expected standard
Thwaites School3 milesOfsted judgements: Good to outstanding29% met the expected standard

School details

School type
Voluntary aided school
Sector
Local authority maintained
Age range
4 to 11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Roman Catholic
Nursery classes
No
Headteacher
Mrs Anna Orchard
Address
Lonsdale Road, Lonsdale Road, Millom, Millom, LA18 4AS
Local authority
Cumberland
URN
112351

School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Exam results for 2024/25 from the Department for Education. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.