St James' CofE Junior School

  • Primary
  • Local authority maintained
  • Ages 7 to 11
Ofsted: Good

Blake Street, Barrow-in-Furness, LA14 1NYOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)

St James' CofE Junior School is a primary school in Barrow-in-Furness for ages 7 to 11. It is one of the 160 schools in Westmorland and Furness. It ranks 19th of 20 primary schools in Barrow-in-Furness. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in March 2012.

Ofsted inspection

Inspected 21 March 2012, report published 23 April 2012

Overall effectiveness
Good
Leadership and management
Good

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 20 October 2022

Pupils enjoy attending St James' C of E Junior School. They feel safe and happy. Pupils settle in well. This is because staff help them to make a smooth transition from infant school. Leaders and staff know pupils well. Pupils feel confident to share any worries or concerns that they may have with staff. Staff act quickly to stop any bullying if it occurs. Many parents and carers spoke positively about the school. Pupils benefit from a well-thought-out curriculum. They have many opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills. Teachers have high expectations of what pupils can and should achieve. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well. Leaders expect pupils to behave well around the school and in class. Pupils easily live up to teachers' high expectations of their behaviour. They are well mannered and eagerly welcome visitors. Pupils uphold the school's values well. They are accepting of each other and respect people of different faiths and backgrounds. Pupils value the opportunities that they have to take part in the many extra-curricular activities on offer to them, including the thriving breakfast and after-school clubs. They proudly champion the well-resourced library and dedicated reading areas that leaders have created around the school.

What the school should improve

  • In a few subjects, pupils are not confident in recalling the knowledge that they have been taught in the past. This hampers their ability to build on this knowledge and develop a deeper understanding in these subjects. Leaders should finalise their design of the curriculum in these subjects so that teachers are clear about the essential knowledge that pupils need to remember.
  • In a few subjects, assessment strategies are at an early stage of development. This means that some teachers do not know how well pupils have learned the most important concepts and vocabulary in the curriculum overtime. Leaders should ensure that assessment strategies in these subjects give teachers the information that they need to check how well pupils have learned the curriculum.

Exam results

SATs results (key stage 2), 2024/25

26 pupils took the tests

Expected standard in reading, writing and maths31%

31%, 31 percentage points below 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 score100

100, 6 below the England average of 106.

Maths, average scaled score99

99, 6 below the England average of 105.

Grammar, punctuation and spelling, average scaled score99

99, 6 below the England average of 105.

Pupil numbers and mix

115 pupils on roll, with places for 240

Eligible for free school meals46.1%

46.1%, 19.6 percentage points above the England average of 26.5%.

English as an additional language15.7%

15.7%, 5.9 percentage points below the England average of 21.6%.

Special educational needs support20%

20%, 5.2 percentage points above the England average of 14.8%.

Education, health and care plan7%

7%, 1 percentage points above the England average of 6%.

Schools near St James' CofE Junior School

SchoolDistanceOfstedResults
Brisbane Park Infant School0.1 milesOfsted: GoodNot published
Ramsden Infant School0.5 milesOfsted: GoodNot published
Greengate Junior School0.7 milesReport card: Expected standard60% met the expected standard
Victoria Academy0.8 milesOfsted: Outstanding65% met the expected standard
Victoria Infant and Nursery School0.8 milesOfsted: GoodNot published

School details

School type
Voluntary aided school
Sector
Local authority maintained
Age range
7 to 11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England
Nursery classes
No
Headteacher
Mrs Jacqueline Rushton
Address
Blake Street, Barrow-in-Furness, LA14 1NY
URN
112362

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.