What did Ofsted judge St James Academy's overall effectiveness to be?

Ofsted judged St James Academy's overall effectiveness as Good at its inspection in June 2024, on Ofsted's own scale.

How many pupils attend St James Academy?

St James Academy has 867 pupils on roll.

What ages does St James Academy take?

St James Academy admits pupils aged 11 to 16.

Where is St James Academy located?

St James Academy is located in Dudley, DY1 3JE, Dudley.

How do I apply to St James Academy?

St James Academy is a state school. In England you apply through the council where you live, using its common application form, even if the school is in another council area. The national closing date for secondary places is 31 October.

How are Year 7 places decided at St James Academy?

When St James Academy has more applications than places for 2027-28, they are offered in a published order of priority: 1. Looked after and previously looked after children — Highest priority will be given to looked after children and all previously looked after children but immediately after being Looked After became subject to an adoption, child arrangement, or special guardianship order; 2. Serious and ongoing medical condition — Priority will next be given to learners with a “serious and ongoing medical condition” where St James Academy is the most appropriate setting to meet the condition. Parents/carers must provide supportive information from the child’s Hospital Consultant at the time of application. Applicants should also indicate why St James Academy the most appropriate setting to meet their medical need. The academy will not seek to obtain medical evidence on behalf of parents/carers; 3. Siblings at the academy — Priority will next be given to children with siblings at the academy at the time of the child’s admission. A sibling is defined as a brother or sister, or a half-brother or half-sister, adopted or fostered brother or sister or step brother or sister living permanently at the same address. Thus a new sibling will be given priority for admission only if the current sibling is still on roll at the academy when the new sibling starts. This will apply both at the initial allocation of places and also when prioritising the waiting list. Priority will not be given to children with siblings who are former learners of the academy, and 1 further criteria. The school offers 180 places at this entry point.

What is the largest ethnic background at St James Academy?

According to the DfE School Census 2025-26, 32.9% of pupils at St James Academy are recorded as White British. The full ethnic breakdown across all groups is available on the Pupils tab.

St James Academy: Ofsted, Results & Catchment 2026

How places are decided at St James Academy

When there are more applications than places for 2027-28 (Year 7), places are offered in this order of priority. Meeting a higher criterion beats meeting a lower one.

1Looked after and previously looked after children — Highest priority will be given to looked after children and all previously looked after children but immediately after being Looked After became subject to an adoption, child arrangement, or special guardianship order.
2Serious and ongoing medical condition — Priority will next be given to learners with a “serious and ongoing medical condition” where St James Academy is the most appropriate setting to meet the condition. Parents/carers must provide supportive information from the child’s Hospital Consultant at the time of application. Applicants should also indicate why St James Academy the most appropriate setting to meet their medical need. The academy will not seek to obtain medical evidence on behalf of parents/carers.
3Siblings at the academy — Priority will next be given to children with siblings at the academy at the time of the child’s admission. A sibling is defined as a brother or sister, or a half-brother or half-sister, adopted or fostered brother or sister or step brother or sister living permanently at the same address. Thus a new sibling will be given priority for admission only if the current sibling is still on roll at the academy when the new sibling starts. This will apply both at the initial allocation of places and also when prioritising the waiting list. Priority will not be given to children with siblings who are former learners of the academy.
4Distance from academy — In each category, priority will be given to those living nearest the academy, with those living nearer being accorded the higher priority. The distance measured will be by straight line measurement in metres from the home address to the main entrance to the academy.

All children whose EHC plan names the school will be admitted before any other places are allocated (statutory duty, not an oversubscription criterion). Distance criterion appears to double as the tie-breaker within categories, but document does not explicitly separate a tie-break rule. Transcribed from the school's own determined admission arrangements as published by Dudley MBC admission arrangements directory. Children with an EHCP naming the school are admitted first; that is a statutory duty, not an oversubscription criterion.

Published by the admission authority. Meeting a criterion never guarantees a place — it sets the order places are offered in. Full detail, other entry points and previous years are on the Admissions tab.

St James Academy: key facts

What did Ofsted judge St James Academy's overall effectiveness to be?: Ofsted judged St James Academy's overall effectiveness as Good at its inspection in June 2024, on Ofsted's own scale.
How many pupils attend St James Academy?: St James Academy has 867 pupils on roll.
What ages does St James Academy take?: St James Academy admits pupils aged 11 to 16.
Where is St James Academy located?: St James Academy is located in Dudley, DY1 3JE, Dudley.
How do I apply to St James Academy?: St James Academy is a state school. In England you apply through the council where you live, using its common application form, even if the school is in another council area. The national closing date for secondary places is 31 October.
How are Year 7 places decided at St James Academy?: When St James Academy has more applications than places for 2027-28, they are offered in a published order of priority: 1. Looked after and previously looked after children — Highest priority will be given to looked after children and all previously looked after children but immediately after being Looked After became subject to an adoption, child arrangement, or special guardianship order; 2. Serious and ongoing medical condition — Priority will next be given to learners with a “serious and ongoing medical condition” where St James Academy is the most appropriate setting to meet the condition. Parents/carers must provide supportive information from the child’s Hospital Consultant at the time of application. Applicants should also indicate why St James Academy the most appropriate setting to meet their medical need. The academy will not seek to obtain medical evidence on behalf of parents/carers; 3. Siblings at the academy — Priority will next be given to children with siblings at the academy at the time of the child’s admission. A sibling is defined as a brother or sister, or a half-brother or half-sister, adopted or fostered brother or sister or step brother or sister living permanently at the same address. Thus a new sibling will be given priority for admission only if the current sibling is still on roll at the academy when the new sibling starts. This will apply both at the initial allocation of places and also when prioritising the waiting list. Priority will not be given to children with siblings who are former learners of the academy, and 1 further criteria. The school offers 180 places at this entry point.
What is the largest ethnic background at St James Academy?: According to the DfE School Census 2025-26, 32.9% of pupils at St James Academy are recorded as White British. The full ethnic breakdown across all groups is available on the Pupils tab.

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How places are decided at St James Academy

When there are more applications than places for 2027-28 (Year 7), places are offered in this order of priority. Meeting a higher criterion beats meeting a lower one.

1Looked after and previously looked after children — Highest priority will be given to looked after children and all previously looked after children but immediately after being Looked After became subject to an adoption, child arrangement, or special guardianship order.
2Serious and ongoing medical condition — Priority will next be given to learners with a “serious and ongoing medical condition” where St James Academy is the most appropriate setting to meet the condition. Parents/carers must provide supportive information from the child’s Hospital Consultant at the time of application. Applicants should also indicate why St James Academy the most appropriate setting to meet their medical need. The academy will not seek to obtain medical evidence on behalf of parents/carers.
3Siblings at the academy — Priority will next be given to children with siblings at the academy at the time of the child’s admission. A sibling is defined as a brother or sister, or a half-brother or half-sister, adopted or fostered brother or sister or step brother or sister living permanently at the same address. Thus a new sibling will be given priority for admission only if the current sibling is still on roll at the academy when the new sibling starts. This will apply both at the initial allocation of places and also when prioritising the waiting list. Priority will not be given to children with siblings who are former learners of the academy.
4Distance from academy — In each category, priority will be given to those living nearest the academy, with those living nearer being accorded the higher priority. The distance measured will be by straight line measurement in metres from the home address to the main entrance to the academy.

St James Academy: key facts

What did Ofsted judge St James Academy's overall effectiveness to be?: Ofsted judged St James Academy's overall effectiveness as Good at its inspection in June 2024, on Ofsted's own scale.
How many pupils attend St James Academy?: St James Academy has 867 pupils on roll.
What ages does St James Academy take?: St James Academy admits pupils aged 11 to 16.
Where is St James Academy located?: St James Academy is located in Dudley, DY1 3JE, Dudley.
How do I apply to St James Academy?: St James Academy is a state school. In England you apply through the council where you live, using its common application form, even if the school is in another council area. The national closing date for secondary places is 31 October.
How are Year 7 places decided at St James Academy?: When St James Academy has more applications than places for 2027-28, they are offered in a published order of priority: 1. Looked after and previously looked after children — Highest priority will be given to looked after children and all previously looked after children but immediately after being Looked After became subject to an adoption, child arrangement, or special guardianship order; 2. Serious and ongoing medical condition — Priority will next be given to learners with a “serious and ongoing medical condition” where St James Academy is the most appropriate setting to meet the condition. Parents/carers must provide supportive information from the child’s Hospital Consultant at the time of application. Applicants should also indicate why St James Academy the most appropriate setting to meet their medical need. The academy will not seek to obtain medical evidence on behalf of parents/carers; 3. Siblings at the academy — Priority will next be given to children with siblings at the academy at the time of the child’s admission. A sibling is defined as a brother or sister, or a half-brother or half-sister, adopted or fostered brother or sister or step brother or sister living permanently at the same address. Thus a new sibling will be given priority for admission only if the current sibling is still on roll at the academy when the new sibling starts. This will apply both at the initial allocation of places and also when prioritising the waiting list. Priority will not be given to children with siblings who are former learners of the academy, and 1 further criteria. The school offers 180 places at this entry point.
What is the largest ethnic background at St James Academy?: According to the DfE School Census 2025-26, 32.9% of pupils at St James Academy are recorded as White British. The full ethnic breakdown across all groups is available on the Pupils tab.

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How places are decided at St James Academy

St James Academy: key facts

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