St James' Church of England First School and Nursery, Alderholt
Park Lane, Alderholt, Fordingbridge, SP6 3AJOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
St James' Church of England First School and Nursery, Alderholt is a primary school in Fordingbridge for ages 2 to 9. It is one of the 179 schools in Dorset. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in October 2013.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 10 October 2013, report published 6 November 2013
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 14 March 2023
The school's key value of friendship is plain to see. Pupils are respectful and enjoy social times together. The 'friendship spot' helps pupils to find others to play alongside. Leaders work to ensure everyone is included. Leaders and staff have high expectations for pupils' behaviour. Pupils are continually reminded of the school's mantra 'make great choices, be our best'. It helps them to develop self-control and to act responsibly. While pupils may fall out from time to time, this seldom develops into unkind behaviour. Pupils trust staff to resolve any issues quickly. Bullying is very rare. Throughout the school, pupils learn and work together well. Children in the youngest classes enjoy the challenge of 'being invited to learn' and know how to use the many learning activities on offer. They play creatively and explore ideas with sustained interest. Older pupils listen to their teachers and concentrate well in lessons. They work hard. However, some pupils do not show as much pride in their presentation as they should. Pupils know school values such as trust, peace, kindness and hope which reflect the Christian ethos of the school. Pupils' understanding and shared commitment to these values give them a strong sense of community.
What the school should improve
- Assessment is not yet effective in the foundation subjects. Teachers are unsure how well pupils remember the curriculum. As a result, learning is not adapted to close the gaps in pupils' knowledge. Leaders need to put in place effective assessment systems so that the most important curriculum content is learned and remembered by pupils.
- Middle leaders do not yet monitor the effectiveness of the curriculum to gain a sufficient overview of how well the curriculum is being implemented. Also, some important aspects of curriculum knowledge have not been identified. As a result, pupils do not build their knowledge as well as they could. Effective monitoring systems need to be put in place that enable middle leaders to understand the effectiveness of the curriculum and to make adaptions where necessary.
Pupil numbers and mix
125 pupils on roll, with places for 180
Schools near St James' Church of England First School and Nursery, Alderholt
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fordingbridge Infant School | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| Fordingbridge Junior School | 2 miles | Ofsted: Good | 62% met the expected standard |
| Hillside Community First School | 3 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| Trinity Church of England First School | 3 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good to outstanding | Not published |
| Hyde Church of England Primary School | 3 miles | Ofsted: Good | 50% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- THE HEATH ACADEMY TRUST
- Age range
- 2 to 9
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Nursery classes
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Headteacher Jo Hudson
- Phone
- 01425653063
- Address
- Park Lane, Alderholt, Fordingbridge, SP6 3AJ
- Local authority
- Dorset
- URN
- 142506
School details from Get Information about Schools, 17 September 2026. Ofsted outcomes published to 31 August 2026. Pupil mix from the school census, 2025/26.