St James' CofE Academy

A good academy converter school in Bedford. Explore Ofsted ratings, admissions information, and performance data for St James' CofE Academy.

Bedford, MK404BD Ofsted: Good Age 5-11 Mixed intake
Back to School Search

Performance Score

Overall school rating

52

/ 100

Primary weighted harmonic mean of 3 indicators

Indicators used for Primary schools

KS2 pupils meeting expected standard
44.2
/ 100 normalized
Weight: 40.0%
Raw: 52.0%
KS2 pupils exceeding expected standard
47.1
/ 100 normalized
Weight: 30.0%
Raw: 6.0%
Ofsted inspection outcome
75.0
/ 100 normalized
Weight: 30.0%
Raw: Good

How we weight each phase

Tap to toggle

Primary schools

  • KS2 pupils meeting expected standard 40.0%
  • KS2 pupils exceeding expected standard 30.0%
  • Ofsted inspection outcome 30.0%

Secondary schools

  • Progress 8 score 40.0%
  • English & Maths grade 4+ % 30.0%
  • Ofsted inspection outcome 30.0%

All-through schools

  • Progress 8 score 25.0%
  • English & Maths grade 4+ % 20.0%
  • KS2 pupils meeting expected standard 20.0%
  • KS2 pupils exceeding expected standard 15.0%
  • Ofsted inspection outcome 20.0%

Secondary with Sixth Form schools

  • Progress 8 score 20.0%
  • English & Maths grade 4+ % 20.0%
  • Continue in education or training 20.0%
  • Sustained employment 20.0%
  • Ofsted inspection outcome 20.0%

Sixth Form Only schools

  • Continue in education or training 40.0%
  • Sustained employment 30.0%
  • Ofsted inspection outcome 30.0%

Special schools

  • Ofsted inspection outcome 100.0%

Alternative Provision schools

  • Ofsted inspection outcome 100.0%

Independent schools

  • Ofsted inspection outcome 100.0%

Ofsted Inspection

Official inspection outcomes

Good
Overall effectiveness
Good
Last inspected
21 March 2012
Previous grade
Good
Quality of education
9
Behaviour & attitudes
9
Personal development
9
Leadership & management
Good
Safeguarding
9

Source: Ofsted inspection outcomes. Grades: Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, Inadequate.

Contact Information

How to reach this school

Source: GIAS
Address
Main Road
Biddenham
Bedford, MK404BD

Location

Find the school on the map

Source: Geocoding

School Information

Basic details and characteristics

Source: GIAS
URN
148982
Type
Academy converter
Phase
Primary
Address
Main Road, Biddenham, bedford, MK40 4BD
Age range
5-11
Gender
Mixed
Religious character
Church of England
School status
Open
Trust/MAT
DIOCESE OF ST ALBANS MULTI-ACADEMY TRUST
Capacity
210 pupils
Setting
Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
Diocese
Diocese of St Albans
Sixth Form
No
Nursery
No

School Performance Data

Official government statistics

Source: DfE

School Demographics

Total Pupils
201
Free School Meals
16.9% (34 pupils)
Special Educational Needs
1.5% (3 pupils)

Daily Attendance

Attendance Rate
95.4%
Excellent
Persistent Absence
11.7%
Missing 10%+ of school days

Detailed Performance Metrics

Meeting Expected Standard:
52.0%
Exceeding Expected Standard:
6.0%
Reading Score:
104.0
Maths Score:
102.0
Grammar Score:
102.0

Key Performance Indicators

Low Persistent Absence:
11.7 (5.8 below average)

Historical Performance

Year Mat Average Read Average
2024 102.0 104.0
2023 108.0 109.0

Historical data shows year-over-year performance trends

Calculated Fields

Derived insights and analysis

Source: Calculated

Class Size Information

Average Class Size
14 pupils
Excellent
Pupils per Year Group
29
Average across all year groups
Total School Size
201 pupils
5-11

Performance Trend

Declining trend (-5.5 per year)

Down -5.5% over 3 years

📉

From the School Website

Information extracted from the school's own website

Source: School Website

Ethos & Values

Autumn Respect Love Spring Empathy Hope Summer Resilience Curiosity

Church of England primary school; part of the Diocese of St Albans Multi-Academy Trust (DSAMAT).

Head Teacher's Message

A warm welcome to St James’ Primary School from Headteacher Alison Barden; the school is part of the Diocese of St Albans Multi-Academy Trust and aims for high academic standards within a caring, inclusive ethos; describes the school as a Church School and emphasizes equality and safeguarding.

SEND Provision

SEND policy and SEND Information Report are provided; SENDCo is Miss Jess Creed; follows Assess, Plan, Do, Review with IEPs reviewed termly; Local Offer linked via the local authority.

Admissions Criteria

30 places per year group; Bedford Borough Council coordinates admissions; tours with the Headteacher; in-year admissions available; oversubscription criteria in the Admissions Policy; St James' Admissions Policy 2026-27; appeals process via Bedford Borough Council.

Other Primary Schools in Bedford

Compare with nearby schools