School profile

St James' Catholic High School

Secondary · Voluntary aided school · London, NW9 5PE

Good

Map showing St James' Catholic High School

Schools
Numbers on map: pupil ages
Outstanding
Good
Requires improvement
Inadequate
Not rated

National ranking

GCSE 2025/26

#933 of 3,312

Better than 71% of schools in England

Ranked by Attainment 8 score, state-funded mainstream schools.

A-level 2024/25

#1,427 of 2,536

Similar to most schools in England

Ranked by average points per A-level entry.

St James' Catholic High School Ofsted rating

Ofsted report cardInspected 21 Apr 2026

Area360 rating
Good
Inclusion
Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching
Expected standard
Achievement
Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour
Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing
Expected standard
Leadership and governance
Expected standard
Post-16 provision
Expected standard
Safeguarding
Met

School facts

PhaseSecondary
TypeVoluntary aided school
Ages11 to 18
Pupils1,243
GenderMixed
Religious characterRoman Catholic
Admissions policyNon-selective
Head teacherMr Anthony Ellul
Local authorityBarnet
WebsiteVisit

Source: Get Information about Schools, URN 101364.

GCSE results

2025/26

GCSE and equivalent results at the end of year 11. Attainment 8 averages results across 8 subjects.

MeasureThis schoolBarnetEngland
Attainment 8 scoreResults across 8 subjects, English and maths count twice. 50 is about a grade 5 average.50.4, better than England, worse than Barnet56.946.2
Grade 4 or above in English and mathsGrade 4 is a standard pass.70.4%, better than England, worse than Barnet77.9%64.8%
Grade 5 or above in English and mathsGrade 5 is a strong pass.52.8%, better than England, worse than Barnet64.5%46.3%
Grade 7 or above in English and mathsGrade 7 is roughly an old A grade.19.7%, better than England, worse than Barnet30.6%14.2%
5 or more GCSEs at grade 9-4, including English and maths64.8%, better than England, worse than Barnet74.6%60.2%
Pupils at the end of key stage 4233--

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 performance, Academic year 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

A-level results

2024/25

Results for students at the end of 16 to 18 study.

MeasureThis schoolBarnetEngland
Average points per A-level entryA* is 60, A is 50, B is 40, C is 30, D is 20, E is 10.32.66, worse than England, worse than Barnet39.6135
Average A-level gradeC+--
Average points, best three A-levels33.6, worse than England, worse than Barnet39.7935.78
Average grade, best three A-levelsC+--
AAB or better8%, worse than England, worse than Barnet27.7%17.5%
A-level progress scoreCompared with students with similar GCSE results. 0 is average.-0.05, similar to England--
A-level progressAverage, similar to England--
Students at the end of 16 to 18 study88--
Average applied general gradeVocational qualifications, such as BTECs.Dist---

Source: DfE, 16 to 19 performance, Academic year 2024/25, published 23 Apr 2026.

Pupils

2025/26

Pupils at the January school census.

MeasureThis school
Total pupils1,243
Girls561
Boys682
Eligible for free school mealsPupils from low-income families who can get free school meals.30.2%
First language not English64.2%
School places2024/25Capacity, not including nursery.1,360
Unfilled placesShare of school places not taken.8.6%
Sixth form places2024/25300
SEN supportPupils with special educational needs who get extra help at school.130
EHC planEducation, health and care plan: a legal plan for pupils with more complex needs.38
Average class size22

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics and School capacity, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Pupils ethnicity

2025/26

Share of pupils in each ethnic group, as recorded at the January school census.

Pupils ethnicity

Other White
35%
African
16.7%
White British
13.7%
Other Asian
6.6%
Other ethnic group
6.2%
Indian
3.3%
Caribbean
3.3%
Chinese
3.3%
Other mixed
3%
White and Black African
2.7%

Source: DfE, Schools, pupils and their characteristics, Academic year 2025/26, published 04 Jun 2026.

Teachers and staff

2025/26

Staff numbers are full-time equivalent (FTE). Teacher turnover shows where the school's teachers were by the following year's census.

MeasureThis school
Pupils per teacher15.5
Pupils per adultAdults include teaching assistants.12.6
Teachers (FTE)80
Teaching assistants (FTE)9
Support staff (FTE)38.85
Teachers in census year (FTE)2024/2578
Teachers who stayed (FTE)2024/2558
Teachers who moved to another state school (FTE)2024/257
Teachers who left state schools (FTE)2024/2513

Source: DfE, School workforce in England, Reporting year 2025, published 04 Jun 2026.

Admissions

2026/27

Applications and offers for the main entry points. Offers from oversubscribed schools depend on each school's admissions criteria; check the local authority admissions page.

MeasureThis school
Offers made (Year 7)Places offered on national offer day.210
Applications (Year 7)Includes every preference parents listed.456
First preference applications (Year 7)Families who put this school as their first choice.135
First preference offers (Year 7)First-choice applicants who were offered a place.135
Applications from another local authority (Year 7)115

Source: DfE, Primary and secondary school applications and offers, Academic year 2026/27, published 18 Jun 2026.

Attendance

2025/26

Share of possible sessions missed.

MeasureThis schoolBarnetEngland
Overall absence6.7%, better than England, worse than Barnet6.1%8%
Persistent absencePupils missing 10% or more of sessions.18.7%, better than England, worse than Barnet15.5%21.6%
Severe absencePupils missing 50% or more of sessions.2.2%, better than England, similar to Barnet1.8%3.6%

Source: DfE, Pupil absence in schools in England, Autumn and spring term 2025/26, published 15 Oct 2026.

Suspensions and exclusions

2024/25

Suspension rate is the number of suspensions per 100 pupils, so one pupil can be counted more than once. A permanently excluded pupil is removed from the school roll.

MeasureThis school
Suspension rate8.6%
Pupils with one or more suspensions5.5%
Permanent exclusion rate0.1%
Permanent exclusions1

Source: DfE, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Academic year 2024/25, published 09 Jul 2026.

Destinations after GCSEs

2023/24

Where pupils went after year 11, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.96%
Staying in educationSixth form, college or further education.93.8%
School sixth form63.4%
Further education22%
Sixth form college8.4%
Apprenticeship2.2%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.1.8%
Employment0%

Source: DfE, Key stage 4 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Destinations after A-levels

2023/24

Where students went after 16 to 18 study, sustained for at least two terms.

MeasureThis school
Sustained destinationIn education, an apprenticeship or work for at least two terms.88%
Higher education66.3%
Employment13.3%
Apprenticeship7.2%
Not sustainedDid not stay in education, an apprenticeship or work for two terms.3.6%
Further education1.2%

Source: DfE, 16 to 18 destination measures, Academic year 2024/25, published 15 Oct 2026.

Nearby schools

Ratings include official Ofsted judgements and Area360 summaries of inspection grades. Open a school’s profile for its inspection grades and results.

Schools near St James' Catholic High School
DistancePhaseNameTypeRatingLinks
0.0 miPrimaryBlessed Dominic Catholic Primary SchoolVoluntary aided school
Outstanding
0.3 miSecondarySaracens High SchoolFree schools
Good
0.4 miSecondaryHasmonean High School for GirlsAcademy converter
Good
0.6 miPrimaryThe Orion Primary SchoolCommunity school
Outstanding
0.7 miSecondaryCopthall SchoolAcademy converter
Good
0.7 miNot applicableNorth London Grammar SchoolOther independent school
Unrated
0.7 miPrimaryGoldbeaters Primary SchoolCommunity school
Outstanding
0.7 miPrimaryWoodcroft Primary SchoolCommunity school
Good
0.8 miPrimarySunnyfields Primary SchoolCommunity school
Outstanding
0.8 miPrimaryThe Annunciation Catholic Infant SchoolVoluntary aided school
Good

Frequently asked questions about St James' Catholic High School

What is St James' Catholic High School's Ofsted rating?

St James' Catholic High School is rated Good, last inspected on 21 Apr 2026. Recent Ofsted inspections have no single overall grade, so Area360 summarises the inspection grades.

How does St James' Catholic High School rank in England?

St James' Catholic High School ranks 933 of 3,312 schools in England for GCSE 2025/26 (better than 71% of schools) and 1,427 of 2,536 schools in England for A-level 2024/25 (similar to most schools).

What are St James' Catholic High School's GCSE results?

In 2025/26, 52.8% of pupils at St James' Catholic High School got grade 5 or above in English and maths (England 46.3%). The Attainment 8 score was 50.4 (England 46.2).

What are St James' Catholic High School's A-level results?

In 2024/25, the average A-level grade at St James' Catholic High School was C+, and 8% of students got AAB or better (England 17.5%).

How hard is it to get into St James' Catholic High School?

For Year 7 entry in 2026/27, St James' Catholic High School made 210 offers from 456 applications (2.2 per offer), and 135 of 135 first-preference applicants got a place. Applications include every preference parents listed.

How many pupils attend St James' Catholic High School?

St James' Catholic High School has 1,243 pupils aged 11 to 18.

What is the capacity of St James' Catholic High School?

St James' Catholic High School had 1,360 school places in 2024/25.

Does St James' Catholic High School have a sixth form?

Yes, St James' Catholic High School has a sixth form with 300 places in 2024/25.

How big are classes at St James' Catholic High School?

At St James' Catholic High School, the average class had 22 pupils in 2025/26, and there were 15.5 pupils per teacher.

What is attendance like at St James' Catholic High School?

In 2025/26, pupils at St James' Catholic High School missed 6.7% of sessions (England 8%), and 18.7% were persistently absent, missing 10% or more of sessions (England 21.6%).

Figures are the latest published by the Department for Education for each measure. Small numbers are suppressed by the publisher to protect pupils' privacy. Read how Area360 school ratings and rankings work.