How many pupils attend St James the Great Church of England Primary School?

St James the Great Church of England Primary School has 438 pupils on roll.

What ages does St James the Great Church of England Primary School take?

St James the Great Church of England Primary School admits pupils aged 2 to 11.

How do I apply to St James the Great Church of England Primary School?

St James the Great Church of England Primary School 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 primary places is 15 January.

Does St James the Great Church of England Primary School have a religious character?

Yes — St James the Great Church of England Primary School has a religious character of Church of England. Faith criteria may apply to admissions; check the school's oversubscription policy for details.

How are Reception places decided at St James the Great Church of England Primary School?

When St James the Great Church of England Primary School has more applications than places for 2027-28, they are offered in a published order of priority: 1. Looked After Children / Previously Looked After Children / Internationally Adopted Previously Looked After Children — A 'Looked After Child' (LAC) is a child who is (a) in the care of a local authority, or (b) being provided with accommodation by a local authority in the exercise of their social services functions (see the definition in Section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989) at the time of making an application to a school. A 'Previously Looked After Child' (PLAC) is a child who was looked after but ceased to be so because they were adopted or became subject to a child arrangements order or special guardianship order immediately following having been looked after. An 'Internationally Adopted Previously Looked After Child (IAPLAC) is a child who appears (to the admission authority) to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted; 2. Children whose parents attend the Parish Church of St James the Great — Regular attendance is defined as the child and parent or carer attending public worship, either: at St James the Great Church; St James' Church of England Primary School or at another event led by clergy of St James the Great Church for not less than twelve times in a twelve-month period prior to the date of submission of the application for admission to the school. (Supplementary information form is required); 3. Children whose parents are 'at the heart' of other Anglican churches or other Trinitarian Christian churches — Regular attendance at public worship in any other Christian church for not less than eight times in a twelve-month period prior to the date of submission of the application for admission to the school. For the purposes of these admission arrangements 'other Christian church' means any Anglican church or a church which is Designated under the Ecumenical Relations Measure 2018, nationally by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, or locally by the diocesan bishop; or which is a member of Churches Together in England; or affiliated to the Evangelical Alliance; or a Partner Church of Affinity, and 5 further criteria. The school offers 60 places at this entry point. Tie-break: Straight line distance from the child's home to St. James the Great, those living closest to that point being given the highest priority. In the unlikely event of two applicants with an identical distance competing for a single place, the place will be offered to one applicant on the basis of lots drawn by an officer of the County Council not involved in admissions.

What is the largest ethnic background at St James the Great Church of England Primary School?

According to the DfE School Census 2025-26, 35.6% of pupils at St James the Great Church of England Primary School are recorded as White British. The full ethnic breakdown across all groups is available on the Pupils tab.

St James the Great Church of England Primary School

How places are decided at St James the Great Church of England Primary School

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

1Looked After Children / Previously Looked After Children / Internationally Adopted Previously Looked After Children — A 'Looked After Child' (LAC) is a child who is (a) in the care of a local authority, or (b) being provided with accommodation by a local authority in the exercise of their social services functions (see the definition in Section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989) at the time of making an application to a school. A 'Previously Looked After Child' (PLAC) is a child who was looked after but ceased to be so because they were adopted or became subject to a child arrangements order or special guardianship order immediately following having been looked after. An 'Internationally Adopted Previously Looked After Child (IAPLAC) is a child who appears (to the admission authority) to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted.
2Children whose parents attend the Parish Church of St James the Great — Regular attendance is defined as the child and parent or carer attending public worship, either: at St James the Great Church; St James' Church of England Primary School or at another event led by clergy of St James the Great Church for not less than twelve times in a twelve-month period prior to the date of submission of the application for admission to the school. (Supplementary information form is required).
3Children whose parents are 'at the heart' of other Anglican churches or other Trinitarian Christian churches — Regular attendance at public worship in any other Christian church for not less than eight times in a twelve-month period prior to the date of submission of the application for admission to the school. For the purposes of these admission arrangements 'other Christian church' means any Anglican church or a church which is Designated under the Ecumenical Relations Measure 2018, nationally by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, or locally by the diocesan bishop; or which is a member of Churches Together in England; or affiliated to the Evangelical Alliance; or a Partner Church of Affinity.
4Children living in the priority admissions area with a sibling at the School — A child whose home address is inside the priority admissions area (sometimes also called the catchment area) is eligible for this category where they have a sibling attending the School on the date of application and the sibling will still be attending the School at the time of admission.
5Children living outside the priority admissions area with a sibling at the School — A child living outside the priority admissions area is eligible for this category where (i) they have a sibling attending the School on the date of application and (ii) the sibling will still be attending the School at the time of admission.
6Other children living in the priority admissions area without a sibling at the school — A child living inside the priority admissions area (sometimes also called the catchment area) is eligible for this category.
7Children outside the priority admission area but living in the Parish of St James & St Paul, Colchester — Children outside the priority admission area but living in the Parish of St James & St Paul, Colchester. Parish catchment area, means the geographical area from which children will be afforded priority for admission to the School. A map showing this area is shown as an appendix to this Admission Policy and is available to view on the School website as well as a hard copy in the school office.
8All other children — All other children.

If two applications tie: Straight line distance from the child's home to St. James the Great, those living closest to that point being given the highest priority. In the unlikely event of two applicants with an identical distance competing for a single place, the place will be offered to one applicant on the basis of lots drawn by an officer of the County Council not involved in admissions.

The document contains a numbering inconsistency: Category 4 (priority area with sibling) is followed by a section labelled 'Category 3' (outside priority area with sibling) — this appears to be a drafting error; it has been interpreted as Category 5 based on the SIF and overall ordering. The PAN is referenced but no specific number is stated in the policy text.

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 the Great Church of England Primary School: key facts

What did Ofsted judge St James the Great Church of England Primary School's ungraded inspection to be?: Ofsted judged St James the Great Church of England Primary School's ungraded inspection as Standards maintained at its inspection in September 2019 (no grade issued), on Ofsted's own scale.
How many pupils attend St James the Great Church of England Primary School?: St James the Great Church of England Primary School has 438 pupils on roll.
What ages does St James the Great Church of England Primary School take?: St James the Great Church of England Primary School admits pupils aged 2 to 11.
Where is St James the Great Church of England Primary School located?: St James the Great Church of England Primary School is located in Colchester, CO1 2RA, Essex.
How do I apply to St James the Great Church of England Primary School?: St James the Great Church of England Primary School 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 primary places is 15 January.
Does St James the Great Church of England Primary School have a religious character?: Yes — St James the Great Church of England Primary School has a religious character of Church of England. Faith criteria may apply to admissions; check the school's oversubscription policy for details.
How are Reception places decided at St James the Great Church of England Primary School?: When St James the Great Church of England Primary School has more applications than places for 2027-28, they are offered in a published order of priority: 1. Looked After Children / Previously Looked After Children / Internationally Adopted Previously Looked After Children — A 'Looked After Child' (LAC) is a child who is (a) in the care of a local authority, or (b) being provided with accommodation by a local authority in the exercise of their social services functions (see the definition in Section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989) at the time of making an application to a school. A 'Previously Looked After Child' (PLAC) is a child who was looked after but ceased to be so because they were adopted or became subject to a child arrangements order or special guardianship order immediately following having been looked after. An 'Internationally Adopted Previously Looked After Child (IAPLAC) is a child who appears (to the admission authority) to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted; 2. Children whose parents attend the Parish Church of St James the Great — Regular attendance is defined as the child and parent or carer attending public worship, either: at St James the Great Church; St James' Church of England Primary School or at another event led by clergy of St James the Great Church for not less than twelve times in a twelve-month period prior to the date of submission of the application for admission to the school. (Supplementary information form is required); 3. Children whose parents are 'at the heart' of other Anglican churches or other Trinitarian Christian churches — Regular attendance at public worship in any other Christian church for not less than eight times in a twelve-month period prior to the date of submission of the application for admission to the school. For the purposes of these admission arrangements 'other Christian church' means any Anglican church or a church which is Designated under the Ecumenical Relations Measure 2018, nationally by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, or locally by the diocesan bishop; or which is a member of Churches Together in England; or affiliated to the Evangelical Alliance; or a Partner Church of Affinity, and 5 further criteria. The school offers 60 places at this entry point. Tie-break: Straight line distance from the child's home to St. James the Great, those living closest to that point being given the highest priority. In the unlikely event of two applicants with an identical distance competing for a single place, the place will be offered to one applicant on the basis of lots drawn by an officer of the County Council not involved in admissions.
What is the largest ethnic background at St James the Great Church of England Primary School?: According to the DfE School Census 2025-26, 35.6% of pupils at St James the Great Church of England Primary School are recorded as White British. The full ethnic breakdown across all groups is available on the Pupils tab.

League tables in Essex Compare Essex schools Best primary schools in Essex Faith schools in Essex Essex hub All Essex schools Schools on map Admissions checker Faith school admissions guide Catchment areas guide What to ask on a visit

Same phase, ranked by distance and how closely they match.

Explore nearby

See every school within walking distance, ranked by distance and inspection grade.

Connected nurseries & schools

Feeder schools & nurseries

Children attending these settings are given priority in this school's admissions.

St James Church of England Primary School

Primary

Good

Links are derived from Ofsted registration addresses and published admission arrangements. Always confirm current arrangements with the school.

Interested in this school?Register interest and we'll pass your details on if it joins School Atlas.Register interest

This school hasn't claimed its profile yet, so it can't receive enquiries here. Leave your details and we'll pass them on if the school joins School Atlas.

Nearby schools within 5 km

How places are decided at St James the Great Church of England Primary School

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

1Looked After Children / Previously Looked After Children / Internationally Adopted Previously Looked After Children — A 'Looked After Child' (LAC) is a child who is (a) in the care of a local authority, or (b) being provided with accommodation by a local authority in the exercise of their social services functions (see the definition in Section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989) at the time of making an application to a school. A 'Previously Looked After Child' (PLAC) is a child who was looked after but ceased to be so because they were adopted or became subject to a child arrangements order or special guardianship order immediately following having been looked after. An 'Internationally Adopted Previously Looked After Child (IAPLAC) is a child who appears (to the admission authority) to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted.
2Children whose parents attend the Parish Church of St James the Great — Regular attendance is defined as the child and parent or carer attending public worship, either: at St James the Great Church; St James' Church of England Primary School or at another event led by clergy of St James the Great Church for not less than twelve times in a twelve-month period prior to the date of submission of the application for admission to the school. (Supplementary information form is required).
3Children whose parents are 'at the heart' of other Anglican churches or other Trinitarian Christian churches — Regular attendance at public worship in any other Christian church for not less than eight times in a twelve-month period prior to the date of submission of the application for admission to the school. For the purposes of these admission arrangements 'other Christian church' means any Anglican church or a church which is Designated under the Ecumenical Relations Measure 2018, nationally by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, or locally by the diocesan bishop; or which is a member of Churches Together in England; or affiliated to the Evangelical Alliance; or a Partner Church of Affinity.
4Children living in the priority admissions area with a sibling at the School — A child whose home address is inside the priority admissions area (sometimes also called the catchment area) is eligible for this category where they have a sibling attending the School on the date of application and the sibling will still be attending the School at the time of admission.
5Children living outside the priority admissions area with a sibling at the School — A child living outside the priority admissions area is eligible for this category where (i) they have a sibling attending the School on the date of application and (ii) the sibling will still be attending the School at the time of admission.
6Other children living in the priority admissions area without a sibling at the school — A child living inside the priority admissions area (sometimes also called the catchment area) is eligible for this category.
7Children outside the priority admission area but living in the Parish of St James & St Paul, Colchester — Children outside the priority admission area but living in the Parish of St James & St Paul, Colchester. Parish catchment area, means the geographical area from which children will be afforded priority for admission to the School. A map showing this area is shown as an appendix to this Admission Policy and is available to view on the School website as well as a hard copy in the school office.
8All other children — All other children.

St James the Great Church of England Primary School: key facts

What did Ofsted judge St James the Great Church of England Primary School's ungraded inspection to be?: Ofsted judged St James the Great Church of England Primary School's ungraded inspection as Standards maintained at its inspection in September 2019 (no grade issued), on Ofsted's own scale.
How many pupils attend St James the Great Church of England Primary School?: St James the Great Church of England Primary School has 438 pupils on roll.
What ages does St James the Great Church of England Primary School take?: St James the Great Church of England Primary School admits pupils aged 2 to 11.
Where is St James the Great Church of England Primary School located?: St James the Great Church of England Primary School is located in Colchester, CO1 2RA, Essex.
How do I apply to St James the Great Church of England Primary School?: St James the Great Church of England Primary School 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 primary places is 15 January.
Does St James the Great Church of England Primary School have a religious character?: Yes — St James the Great Church of England Primary School has a religious character of Church of England. Faith criteria may apply to admissions; check the school's oversubscription policy for details.
How are Reception places decided at St James the Great Church of England Primary School?: When St James the Great Church of England Primary School has more applications than places for 2027-28, they are offered in a published order of priority: 1. Looked After Children / Previously Looked After Children / Internationally Adopted Previously Looked After Children — A 'Looked After Child' (LAC) is a child who is (a) in the care of a local authority, or (b) being provided with accommodation by a local authority in the exercise of their social services functions (see the definition in Section 22(1) of the Children Act 1989) at the time of making an application to a school. A 'Previously Looked After Child' (PLAC) is a child who was looked after but ceased to be so because they were adopted or became subject to a child arrangements order or special guardianship order immediately following having been looked after. An 'Internationally Adopted Previously Looked After Child (IAPLAC) is a child who appears (to the admission authority) to have been in state care outside of England and ceased to be in state care as a result of being adopted; 2. Children whose parents attend the Parish Church of St James the Great — Regular attendance is defined as the child and parent or carer attending public worship, either: at St James the Great Church; St James' Church of England Primary School or at another event led by clergy of St James the Great Church for not less than twelve times in a twelve-month period prior to the date of submission of the application for admission to the school. (Supplementary information form is required); 3. Children whose parents are 'at the heart' of other Anglican churches or other Trinitarian Christian churches — Regular attendance at public worship in any other Christian church for not less than eight times in a twelve-month period prior to the date of submission of the application for admission to the school. For the purposes of these admission arrangements 'other Christian church' means any Anglican church or a church which is Designated under the Ecumenical Relations Measure 2018, nationally by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, or locally by the diocesan bishop; or which is a member of Churches Together in England; or affiliated to the Evangelical Alliance; or a Partner Church of Affinity, and 5 further criteria. The school offers 60 places at this entry point. Tie-break: Straight line distance from the child's home to St. James the Great, those living closest to that point being given the highest priority. In the unlikely event of two applicants with an identical distance competing for a single place, the place will be offered to one applicant on the basis of lots drawn by an officer of the County Council not involved in admissions.
What is the largest ethnic background at St James the Great Church of England Primary School?: According to the DfE School Census 2025-26, 35.6% of pupils at St James the Great Church of England Primary School are recorded as White British. The full ethnic breakdown across all groups is available on the Pupils tab.

Same phase, ranked by distance and how closely they match.

Explore nearby

See every school within walking distance, ranked by distance and inspection grade.

Connected nurseries & schools

Feeder schools & nurseries

Children attending these settings are given priority in this school's admissions.

St James Church of England Primary School

Primary

Good

Links are derived from Ofsted registration addresses and published admission arrangements. Always confirm current arrangements with the school.

Interested in this school?Register interest and we'll pass your details on if it joins School Atlas.Register interest

This school hasn't claimed its profile yet, so it can't receive enquiries here. Leave your details and we'll pass them on if the school joins School Atlas.

St James the Great Church of England Primary School

How places are decided at St James the Great Church of England Primary School

St James the Great Church of England Primary School: key facts

Similar schools nearby

Explore nearby

St James the Great Church of England Primary School

Connected nurseries & schools

Feeder schools & nurseries

Nearby schools within 5 km

How places are decided at St James the Great Church of England Primary School

St James the Great Church of England Primary School: key facts

Similar schools nearby

Explore nearby

Connected nurseries & schools

Feeder schools & nurseries

Nearby schools within 5 km