St James' Church of England Primary School

  • Primary
  • Academy
  • Ages 3 to 11
Ofsted: Good

Romney Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL6 9HUOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

St James' Church of England Primary School is a primary school in Ashton-under-Lyne for ages 3 to 11. It is one of the 109 schools in Tameside. It ranks 5th of 19 primary schools in Ashton-under-Lyne. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in November 2015.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 4 November 2015, report published 24 November 2015

Overall effectiveness
Good
Leadership and management
Good
Early years provision
Good
Safeguarding
Met

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 12 November 2024

Pupils at St James' embody their school's mission, 'to be the best that we can be'. They are well cared for by kind and nurturing staff who make them feel valued and successful. As a result, they flourish academically and personally. Pupils feel happy and safe in school. The school has high expectations of pupils' academic success across each area of the curriculum. Pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well. Children in the early years are well prepared for key stage 1, and pupils in Year 6 are ready for their secondary education. Pupils' behaviour is exemplary. During lessons, they are engrossed in their learning. From the early years to Year 6, there is a calm and purposeful atmosphere across school. Pupils treat others with thought and consideration. The diverse range of languages, backgrounds and religions that the pupils and their families bring is celebrated in this school. Pupils have a deep understanding of differences, and they embrace each other's cultures. They benefit from the strong relationships between the school, the local mosque and the church. Pupils enjoy regular school events, such as sports days and drama performances, in these venues.

What the school should improve

  • In less-developed subjects, staff do not revisit previously taught learning regularly. As a result, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge. The school should ensure that all staff use effective strategies to support pupils' recall of prior learning so that pupils build a secure body of knowledge over time.
  • The opportunities provided by the school for pupils in key stage 2 to set their work out independently are limited. The work set hinders pupils' ability to practise some essential transcription skills, such as drawing tables or graphs independently in mathematics and science. The school should ensure that pupils have the opportunity to practise these skills in order to gain greater independence and confidence when asked to present work in different ways.

Exam results

SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25

28 pupils took the tests

Expected standard in reading, writing and maths68%

68%, 6 percentage points above the England average of 62%.

Higher standard in reading, writing and maths7%

7%, 1 percentage points below the England average of 8%.

Reading, average scaled score105

105, 1 below the England average of 106.

Maths, average scaled score105

105, the same as the England average.

Grammar, punctuation and spelling, average scaled score108

108, 3 above the England average of 105.

Pupil numbers and mix

230 pupils on roll, with places for 210

Eligible for free school meals52.6%

52.6%, 26.1 percentage points above the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language69.1%

69.1%, 47.5 percentage points above the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support16.1%

16.1%, 1.3 percentage points above the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan8.3%

8.3%, 2.3 percentage points above the England average of 6%.

Schools near St James' Church of England Primary School

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
The Heys Primary School0.1 milesOfsted: Good61% met the expected standard
Our Lady of Mount Carmel RC Primary School, Ashton-under-Lyne0.2 milesOfsted: Good57% met the expected standard
Parochial CofE Primary and Nursery School, Ashton-under-Lyne0.3 milesOfsted: Good63% met the expected standard
Hurst Knoll St James' Church of England Primary School0.3 milesReport card: Needs attention to expected standard47% met the expected standard
Canon Johnson CofE Primary School0.5 milesOfsted: Good62% met the expected standard

School details

School type
Academy converter
Sector
Academy
Trust
FORWARD AS ONE CHURCH OF ENGLAND MULTI ACADEMY TRUST
Age range
3 to 11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England
Nursery classes
Yes
Headteacher
Mr James Rolt
Address
Romney Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL6 9HU
Local authority
Tameside
URN
147916

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.