St James Infant School
90 St James Street, Daventry, NN11 4AGOpen in maps (opens in a new tab)
St James Infant School is a primary school in Daventry for ages 3 to 8. It is one of the 204 schools in West Northamptonshire. Its latest Ofsted rating is Good, from an inspection in February 2024.
Ofsted inspection
Inspected 13 February 2024, report published 24 April 2024
- Overall effectiveness
- Good
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years provision
- Outstanding
- Safeguarding
- Met
What Ofsted said
From the inspection on 13 February 2024
St James is a happy school. Pupils enjoy attending. This is because everyone is welcome. Pupils learn to be tolerant and respectful. They behave well towards each other. 'Friendship pals' check on pupils and make sure that they are happy. They know not to leave anyone out. As one pupil typically stated: 'We take care of people here and make sure no one is lonely.' Central to all the school does are the school's values of teamwork, fairness, honesty, caring, creativity and independence. Pupils learn to identify with these values because of the 'values bears' Timmy, Florence, Orla, Christopher, Bramble and Isaac. Pupils learn about the importance of understanding their own emotions. Regular 'kaleidoscope' sessions enable pupils to explore their own feelings and express them too. As a consequence, pupils settle really quickly in the school. 'Bertie Butterfly' helps them to let their worries out. The school is ambitious for all pupils to achieve well. It is especially ambitious for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged. The school does all it can to help pupils and their families to overcome barriers. As a consequence, pupils do well here.
What the school should improve
- Recently, a number of new strategies have been introduced to help pupils remember what they have been taught. However, in a few subjects, not all pupils are recalling all they have been taught, and teachers are not checking closely enough when it is appropriate to move pupils' learning on. This is because the school has not checked precisely whether these new strategies have been implemented fully and effectively. The school should check that strategies introduced have the desired impact on pupils' learning and that all pupils recall what they have learned.
Pupil numbers and mix
199 pupils on roll, with places for 212
Schools near St James Infant School
| School | Distance | Ofsted | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abbey CofE Academy | 0.4 miles | Ofsted: Good | 56% met the expected standard |
| E-ACT The Grange School | 0.5 miles | Ofsted: Requires improvement | 33% met the expected standard |
| Falconer's Hill Infant School | 0.5 miles | Ofsted: Good | Not published |
| Falconer's Hill Academy | 0.6 miles | Ofsted: Good | 54% met the expected standard |
| Ashby Fields Primary School | 1 mile | Ofsted judgements: Good | 73% met the expected standard |
School details
- School type
- Academy converter
- Sector
- Academy
- Trust
- INMAT
- Age range
- 3 to 8
- Gender
- Mixed
- Nursery classes
- Yes
- Headteacher
- Mrs Sarah O'Shea
- Phone
- 01327702783
- Address
- 90 St James Street, Daventry, NN11 4AG
- Local authority
- West Northamptonshire
- URN
- 144178
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.