St James' Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Sandrock Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN2 3PROpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
St James' Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is a primary school in Tunbridge Wells for ages 4 to 11. It is one of the 692 schools in Kent. It ranks 8th of 22 primary schools in Tunbridge Wells. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in March 2024.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 5 March 2024, report published 24 April 2024
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Outstanding
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years provision
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 5 March 2024
Everyone is welcome at this highly inclusive school. Pupils thrive here because they have positive and successful learning experiences, learning across a broad curriculum. Pupils value being celebrated for their achievements. They enjoy getting their name recorded in the 'Golden Book' or collecting the school's reward 'shells' in recognition of their accomplishments. Pupils are happy, confident and feel safe. Their behaviour in lessons and around the school site is exemplary because of the high expectations that staff set. Breaktimes are fun-filled occasions. Pupils enjoy playing among the trees on 'the bank' or using the exercise stations. Pupils are kind and respectful to each other. If someone needs a new friend to play with, they sit on the 'Buddy Bench' until others happily include them in their lunchtime games. Pupils say that bullying rarely happens. If it does, they know staff will deal with any issues swiftly and effectively. Pupils actively participate in the school's extra-curricular activities. They are encouraged to set up and run their own groups, such as the Harry Potter club. Pupils make happy memories on the many educational visits the school provides. Pupils can keenly describe their learning about coastal erosion when visiting Birling Gap.
What the school should improve
- In some subjects, teachers do not always check pupils' learning and address gaps in understanding consistently well enough. This means that sometimes pupils are not sufficiently supported to learn as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that teachers are well equipped to identify and address misconceptions so that all pupils can achieve as well as possible.
- Some younger pupils have not yet learned to read as well as they should. This means that they find it difficult to read with fluency and access the wider curriculum. Leaders should continue to ensure that the planned reading catch-up programmes help these pupils to quickly develop into confident readers.
Exam results
SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25
92 pupils took the tests
Pupil numbers and mix
629 pupils on roll, with places for 630
Schools near St James' Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Peter's Church of England Primary School | 0.3 miles | Ofsted judgements: Good to outstanding | 70% met the expected standard |
| St Barnabas CofE VA Primary School | 0.4 miles | Ofsted: Good | 67% met the expected standard |
| Claremont Primary School | 0.6 miles | Ofsted: Good | 80% met the expected standard |
| The Wells Free School | 0.6 miles | Ofsted: Good | 68% met the expected standard |
| Skinners' Temple Grove | 0.8 miles | Ofsted: Good | 39% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Voluntary aided school
- Sector
- Local authority maintained
- Age range
- 4 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Nursery classes
- No
- Headteacher
- Mr John Tutt
- Phone
- 01892523006
- Address
- Sandrock Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN2 3PR
- Local authority
- Kent
- URN
- 118725
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.