St James' Roman Catholic Primary School Review 2026: Elite KS2 outcomes and a deeply embedded Catholic ethos

High performance and a clear sense of purpose define this Catholic primary in Petts Wood. The latest published Key Stage 2 outcomes place it among the highest-performing primary schools in England, with almost all pupils meeting expected standards in reading, writing and maths, and very high proportions achieving at the higher standard. Ranked 132nd in England and 2nd in Orpington for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), it sits among the highest-performing schools in England (top 2%).

The school’s Catholic life is a genuine organising principle rather than a light-touch label. Admissions criteria prioritise baptised Catholic children, with additional priority where families can provide a Certificate of Practice, and places are limited to a published admission number of 30 in Reception for September 2026.

The tone is outwardly warm, but with unmistakably high expectations. The most recent inspection described pupils arriving happy, treating one another with respect, and feeling safe to raise concerns with any trusted adult. It also indicated that bullying is not tolerated, which matters in a small primary where relationships and routines drive day-to-day experience.

Catholic identity is woven through daily language and priorities. The head’s welcome sets out a strong commitment to Catholic education alongside values framed as widely shared, including love and respect for one another, peace, justice, and equality. For families seeking a faith-led setting with clarity about beliefs and behaviour expectations, that coherence is a strength. For families wanting a more secular approach, it will feel less optional.

There is also a practical, outdoors strand to the culture. The school’s website emphasises large grounds and a dedicated Forest School area. Activities described include problem-solving tasks using natural materials, and hands-on work such as whittling and building. A separate gardening programme began as a School Council initiative, designed so pupils can grow, tend and harvest produce that supports cooking and science learning. Those details give a sense of a primary that values both structure and purposeful, tactile learning.

Leadership is stable. Mrs Lisa Weeks is listed as headteacher on official records and on the school website. A diocesan letter addressed to her as headteacher in June 2018 referred to her as a new headteacher at that time, indicating she has been in post since at least 2018. The school is also a member of St Oscar Romero Catholic Academy Trust.

The headline is consistency at the top end of the scale. In the latest published Key Stage 2 results, 98% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, well above the England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 58% achieved greater depth across reading, writing and maths, compared with an England average of 8%. Reading, maths, and grammar, punctuation and spelling scaled scores are also strong, at 112, 110, and 112 respectively.

Ranked 132nd in England and 2nd in Orpington for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), results place the school among the highest-performing in England (top 2%). Parents comparing nearby options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub page to view these outcomes side-by-side using the Comparison Tool, particularly useful in an area with several popular primaries.

The implication for families is straightforward. Pupils are likely to be working at or above age-related expectations across the curriculum by the time they leave Year 6, and the proportion pushing into higher-standard attainment suggests that the most able pupils are stretched, not merely kept comfortable.

Teaching is anchored in high expectations and careful sequencing. The latest inspection described an ambitious curriculum that is deliberately ordered, with clear links made across subjects, for example connecting history work on Ancient Egypt to geography knowledge of Africa. That kind of cross-curricular coherence matters because it reduces the risk of “topic learning” that is engaging but shallow.

Early reading is treated as a core discipline. The inspection narrative described phonics routines that keep pupils on track, with additional support where needed, and books that match pupils’ stage of reading. This aligns with the school’s strong reading outcomes and helps explain why results are high across the cohort rather than being concentrated only among the strongest starters.

Support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities is positioned as inclusive, with access to the full curriculum and timely identification of need, alongside external-agency involvement where appropriate. For families weighing whether high attainment comes at the expense of inclusion, that balance is an important marker.

As a Bromley primary, secondary transfer is coordinated through the local authority’s admissions process rather than via a feeder guarantee. The school’s transition policy describes preparation across stages, including liaison with secondary staff and structured support for pupils with additional needs as they approach Year 6 and beyond.

The wider implication is that pupils leave with both academic readiness and familiarity with structured routines, which generally supports a smooth move into a range of local secondary schools, including faith and non-faith options. Families should still do the practical work early, shortlist secondaries, attend open events, and understand distance and faith criteria where relevant, as Bromley is a competitive borough for popular schools.

Demand is high. In the most recent published admissions figures for Reception entry, there were 106 applications for 30 offers, which equates to around 3.53 applications per place. The school is recorded as oversubscribed. This is the main reality check for families considering a late decision to apply.

For September 2026 entry, the published admission number is 30 pupils in Reception. Bromley’s coordinated admissions timetable for Reception applications is clear: applications open on 01 September 2025, the national closing date is 15 January 2026, and offers are issued on 16 April 2026. Bromley also notes that Supplementary Information Forms can be returned directly to schools by the closing date to support ranking against oversubscription criteria, which matters for faith schools that request additional documents.

Faith criteria are central. The published admissions policy for September 2026 sets Catholic children as the priority group, with additional priority given where families can provide a Certificate of Practice, followed by baptised Catholic children without it, then other categories. Practically, this means Catholic families who can demonstrate regular practice are typically best placed when the school is oversubscribed, while non-Catholic families should read the criteria closely and be realistic about how far places usually reach down the list.

Parents assessing chances should use FindMySchool Map Search to check their home-to-school distance and compare it with local patterns, and then sanity-check it against Bromley’s admissions rules for the year of entry. Even without a published last distance offered here, the combination of small PAN and oversubscription means fine margins can matter.

Pastoral culture appears purposeful and consistent. The most recent inspection reported a school environment in which pupils feel safe, are happy to talk to adults about worries, and where safeguarding practice is embedded in routine work and training. The latest Ofsted inspection confirmed that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Wellbeing is also supported by structure. The school’s emphasis on respect and shared values, alongside clear expectations for effort, typically reduces low-level disruption and allows staff attention to focus on learning and relationships rather than constant behaviour management. For pupils who benefit from predictability, that can be especially helpful.

Sport is a major pillar. The school’s extracurricular offer includes boys’ and girls’ football, basketball, judo, gymnastics, cross-country, rugby, hockey, athletics and multi-sport games, with clubs varying across the year. The school also describes a FunFit early-morning activity programme designed to support classroom focus through physical exercise. The practical implication is that pupils who thrive with movement and structured competition have regular outlets, and representation opportunities appear to be a priority.

Outdoor learning is another pillar. Forest School is not an occasional enrichment day; it is described as a rotating programme where classes take turns across the year. Activities referenced include tool-making and map-making using natural materials. Alongside this, the gardening programme gives pupils responsibility for growing produce that can link to cooking and science, including the idea of using surplus produce in the school kitchen. This is a concrete example of practical learning that reinforces curriculum content.

Music is present in day-to-day routines. The most recent inspection described pupils practising singing daily in assembly and having the option to join the school choir. For families who want regular performance and confidence-building opportunities without a specialist-music-school intensity, that is a sensible middle ground.

The school day timings published by the school are 8:45am to 3:15pm for Key Stage 1 and 8:45am to 3:20pm for Key Stage 2. Wraparound is available. Breakfast club starts at 7:30am and after-school club runs until 5:55pm, with the site locked at 6:00pm. Session costs are published as £6.50 for breakfast club and £13.50 for after-school club.

Transport-wise, Petts Wood has strong local rail links, and many families will approach on foot or by car depending on routines and parking constraints typical of residential streets near popular schools. For day-to-day logistics, families should time a trial run at school-run hours, as peak traffic patterns can be very different from off-peak.

• Very limited Reception places. The published admission number is 30 for September 2026. For many families, competition for places is the limiting factor rather than whether the school is a good fit.

• Catholic admissions criteria are significant. Priority is given to baptised Catholic children, with additional priority where a Certificate of Practice is provided. Families seeking a lightly faith-flavoured environment may find admissions and day-to-day life more explicitly Catholic than expected.

• No nursery provision. Entry is from age 5. Families wanting on-site nursery provision will need alternative early years arrangements.

• High attainment can bring pressure for some pupils. The academic profile suggests a culture of strong expectations. For many children this is motivating; for others it may feel intense unless balanced carefully with play, sport and outdoor learning.

This is a high-performing Catholic primary with clear standards, strong routines, and a distinctive blend of academic stretch and practical, outdoors-rich learning through Forest School and the school garden. Best suited to families who actively want a Catholic ethos, value ambitious academic outcomes, and are prepared to engage early with admissions in a competitive borough.