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St James CofE Primary School, Farnworth | Ofsted Ratings, Reviews, Exam Results & Admission 2026
St James CofE Primary School, Farnworth
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St James CofE Primary School, Farnworth
- Primary
- Bolton BL4 9QB
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Ofsted report
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| Effectiveness of leadership and management | Good |
| Early years provision | Outstanding |
| Overall effectiveness at previous inspection | Not Previously Inspected |
| Quality of teaching, learning and assessment | Good |
| Personal development, behaviour and welfare | Good |
| Outcomes for pupils | Good |
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Foundational Skills: Leaders have prioritised the teaching of reading; phonics teaching is systematic and effective.
Success of the Curriculum: The curriculum is well planned, offering exciting and engaging experiences that develop skills across many subjects.
Foundational Skills: Phonics programme delivered consistently by well-trained staff; pupils become fluent readers by Year 2.
Success of the Curriculum: Pupils prepared for secondary school; strong early years curriculum.
Areas Needing Improvement: Middle leaders new to role need support; progress of lower-ability pupils and those with SEND is sometimes hindered.
Areas Needing Improvement: Some pupils have gaps due to previous curriculum weaknesses.
Performance in Maths & Reading: Pupils make strong progress in phonics; achievements in reading and mathematics have significantly improved.
Behaviour and Attitudes: Pupils display good attitudes to learning, are well-behaved, and take great care with their presentation and handwriting.
Support for Falling Behind: Effective checks in place to address knowledge gaps.
Behaviour and Attitudes: Generally positive behaviour; supported by nurturing staff.
Support for Falling Behind: The school provides targeted support and interventions, but monitoring of SEND support impact is needed.
Performance in Maths & Reading: Reading attainment was below national average.
Support for SEND Pupils: Effective identification and support, enabling access to the same curriculum.
Support for SEND Pupils: The newly appointed SENCo is making improvements, but support impact needs better monitoring.
Managing Bullying and Pupil Safety: Pupils feel safe and happy; staff are vigilant, ensuring a strong safeguarding culture.
Promotion of Welfare and Safety: Learning mentors provide effective support; vulnerable families receive well-targeted help.
Managing Bullying and Pupil Safety: Strong safeguarding systems with open, positive culture.
Promotion of Welfare and Safety: Pupils follow established routines and behave well.
Parent Feedback: Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school, appreciating approachable staff and a welcoming environment.
Parental Involvement: The school involves parents through 'stay and play' sessions and workshops, enhancing parental understanding of children's learning.
Parent Feedback: Parents value school's support for home learning.
Parental Involvement: School offers ways for parents to reinforce learning.
Extracurricular Activities: Pupils enjoy a range of extra-curricular activities supported by effective use of PE and sport funding.
Outdoor Facilities: The outdoor environment in early years is vibrant, well-resourced, and promotes independence among children.
Extracurricular Activities: Opportunities include eco committee and junior leaders.
Teacher Engagement: Teachers are well-supported with high-quality training and coaching.
Impact on Student Progress: Improvements in teaching quality have led to rising pupil achievement across the school.
Assessment of Teaching Quality: Regular checks ensure accurate understanding of strengths and areas needing support.
Teacher Engagement: Staff appreciate minimized paperwork to focus on teaching.
Impact on Student Progress: Well-chosen resources help close knowledge gaps.
Assessment of Teaching Quality: Trustees and governors have strong focus on education quality.
Teaching Staff Challenges: Some tasks do not match the needs of lower-ability pupils and those with SEND, leading to occasional distraction.
Historical Ofsted reports
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About Us
St James CofE Primary School, Farnworth is a Primary, Co-Ed, Church of England school located in Greater Manchester, North West.
It has 344 students from age 2-11 yr with a student-teacher ratio of 21 : 1.
At this school, 57% of pupils achieved higher standard in reading, writing & maths at key stage 2.
This school rated Good by recent Ofsted inspection.
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St James CofE Primary School, Farnworth
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Our new six values have been decided upon after collaboration with a variety of community stakeholders, including staff, parents, children, and governors. These ideals convey the character of our school and the way we want the people who attend it to conduct their lives. Each term, during worship and during the school day, we will pay closer attention to one value.
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Compare with similar schools
| Phase of Education | Primary | Primary | Primary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Academies | Academies | Academies |
| Snobe grade |
A
|
A
|
A-
|
| Ofset report | Good | Good | Good |
| Age range | 2-11 | 3-11 | 4-11 |
| Gender | Co-Ed | Co-Ed | Co-Ed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student teacher ratio | 21.8 | 32.2 | 24.1 |
| Proficient Math | 105 | 107 | 105 |
| Proficient Read | 103 | 105 | 106 |
| Grade 5 or above GCSE | - | - | - |
| Grade 5 or above A Level | - | - | - |
| Day Fees | - | - | - |
Primary Exam Result
View the average scaled scores of pupils in the key stage 2 reading and math tests. Scores of 100 or more indicate the expected standard, while 110 or more indicate a higher standard.
| Average scaled score | School | LA | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maths | 105 | 102 | 97 |
| Reading | 103 | 102 | 98 |
Explore how well our pupils are doing academically. Discover the percentage of pupils who reach the expected level (with a score of 100 or more) and those who excel even further (achieving a score of 110 or more).
| Reading, writing and maths | School | LA | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils meeting the expected standard | 57% | 63.62% | 55.96% |
| Pupils achieving at a higher standard | 10% | 9.95% | 7.42% |
Explore how much progress pupils have made in reading, writing, and math from key stage 1 to key stage 2.
| Subject | Progress score | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | -3.4 | Below Average |
| Writing | -1.7 | Below Average |
| Maths | -0.2 | Average |
Exam Result Not Published
Due to the pandemic 2020, 2021 and 2022 Primary school exam
results were not published at school level.
Exam Result Not Published
Due to the pandemic 2020, 2021 and 2022 Primary school exam
results were not published at school level.
Exam Result Not Published
Due to the pandemic 2020, 2021 and 2022 Primary school exam
results were not published at school level.
View the average scaled scores of pupils in the key stage 2 reading and math tests. Scores of 100 or more indicate the expected standard, while 110 or more indicate a higher standard.
| Average scaled score | School | LA | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maths | 106 1 | 99 | 96 |
| Reading | 106 1 | 98 | 95 |
Explore how well our pupils are doing academically. Discover the percentage of pupils who reach the expected level (with a score of 100 or more) and those who excel even further (achieving a score of 110 or more).
| Reading, writing and maths | School | LA | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils meeting the expected standard | 67% 1 | 63.12% | 60.44% |
| Pupils achieving at a higher standard | 11% | 11.01% | 9.72% |
Explore how much progress pupils have made in reading, writing, and math from key stage 1 to key stage 2.
| Subject | Progress score | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | -0.3 | Average |
| Writing | -1.9 | Below Average |
| Maths | 0.4 | Average |
View the average scaled scores of pupils in the key stage 2 reading and math tests. Scores of 100 or more indicate the expected standard, while 110 or more indicate a higher standard.
| Average scaled score | School | LA | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maths | 107 5 | 97 | 94 |
| Reading | 107 6 | 97 | 95 |
Explore how well our pupils are doing academically. Discover the percentage of pupils who reach the expected level (with a score of 100 or more) and those who excel even further (achieving a score of 110 or more).
| Reading, writing and maths | School | LA | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils meeting the expected standard | 66% 26 | 62.53% | 59.51% |
| Pupils achieving at a higher standard | 11% 4 | 9.35% | 9.16% |
Explore how much progress pupils have made in reading, writing, and math from key stage 1 to key stage 2.
| Subject | Progress score | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 3.6 | Above Average |
| Writing | -0.3 | Average |
| Maths | 3.2 | Above Average |
View the average scaled scores of pupils in the key stage 2 reading and math tests. Scores of 100 or more indicate the expected standard, while 110 or more indicate a higher standard.
| Average scaled score | School | LA | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maths | 102 | 99 | 93 |
| Reading | 101 | 98 | 93 |
Explore how well our pupils are doing academically. Discover the percentage of pupils who reach the expected level (with a score of 100 or more) and those who excel even further (achieving a score of 110 or more).
| Reading, writing and maths | School | LA | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils meeting the expected standard | 40% | 59.43% | 56.29% |
| Pupils achieving at a higher standard | 7% | 7.84% | 8.19% |
Explore how much progress pupils have made in reading, writing, and math from key stage 1 to key stage 2.
| Subject | Progress score | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | -0.4 | Average |
| Writing | -2.6 | Below Average |
| Maths | 0.7 | Average |
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St James CofE Primary School, Farnworth Rankings
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Admission
Holidays & terms
Holidays 2024/25
| Holidays | Date |
|---|---|
| Autumn Half Term Holidays | 28th Oct 2024 - 1st Nov 2024 |
| Winter Holidays | 23rd Dec 2024 - 3rd Jan 2025 |
| Spring Half Term Holidays | 17th Feb 2025 - 21st Feb 2025 |
| Spring Holidays | 7th Apr 2025 - 21st Apr 2025 |
| Summer Half Term Holidays | 26th May 2025 - 30th May 2025 |
| Summer Holidays | 21st Jul 2025 - 29th Aug 2025 |
Terms Dates 2024/25
| Terms | Dates |
|---|---|
| Autumn Term | 2nd Sep 2024 - 27th Oct 2024 |
| Autumn Term-2 | 2nd Nov 2024 - 22nd Dec 2024 |
| Spring Term | 4th Jan 2025 - 16th Feb 2025 |
| Spring Term-2 | 22nd Feb 2025 - 6th Apr 2025 |
| Summer Term | 22nd Apr 2025 - 25th May 2025 |
| Summer Term-2 | 31st May 2025 - 20th Jul 2025 |
Students Teachers
21 : 1
Student teacher ratio at St James CofE Primary School, Farnworth
Local authority ratio 20 : 1
