Tudor Grange Primary Academy, St James Review 2026: High-attaining Church of England primary with intense local demand

This is a small, high-performing primary in Shirley with a clear sense of direction and a strong record at Key Stage 2. Results place it above the England average, and in FindMySchool’s ranking it sits comfortably within the top quarter of primaries in England. In a typical cohort, most pupils meet the expected standard across reading, writing and maths, and a substantial minority reach the higher standard.

Demand is the other headline. Reception places are limited to a published admission number of 30, and the most recent admissions data available here shows far more applications than offers. Families who want this school should treat distance as a real constraint and plan early.

Leadership has recently changed, with the current principal listed as Mrs Gail Duxbury.

A trust-led primary can sometimes feel corporate, but the defining impression here is clarity. Expectations for behaviour and learning are set high and reinforced consistently, and pupils are expected to take pride in how they show up each day. External evaluation describes pupils as happy and safe, with highly positive relationships between staff and pupils, alongside strong expectations for learning and conduct.

The Church of England character is not a decorative label. The school’s Christian vision is presented as a practical frame for daily life, and pupil voice is treated as a meaningful part of how the community runs, rather than a token council that meets once a term. In May 2024 the SIAMS inspection positioned the school as living up to its foundation as a Church school, with structures such as chaplaincy-linked roles and pupil leadership contributing to school life.

A final contextual note that matters for parents reading this in 2026. The most recent Ofsted inspection (March 2024) was an ungraded inspection of an outstanding school, and while the overall judgement remained Outstanding, the report states that evidence suggested the grade might not be as high if a graded inspection were carried out at that point, with the next inspection due to be graded. That combination, strong day-to-day experience but with specific areas to sharpen, is important to understand when weighing the school’s direction.

Results are a strength, and the detail helps explain why the school is so sought after.

In 2024, 85.7% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 31.3% reached greater depth in reading, writing and maths, well above the England average of 8%. Reading and grammar, punctuation and spelling both show an average scaled score of 108, with maths at 107. Science sits at 70% reaching the expected standard. These figures point to a cohort that is consistently secure across the basics, with a sizeable high-attaining group rather than a small top set.

The FindMySchool ranking provides the broader context. Ranked 2,481st in England and 9th in Solihull for primary outcomes (FindMySchool ranking, based on official data), performance sits above the England average, placing it comfortably within the top 25% of schools in England. Parents comparing local options can use the FindMySchool Local Hub and Comparison Tool to view these results side by side with other Solihull primaries.

A useful way to think about teaching here is breadth plus disciplined basics.

The day structure builds in collective worship and a settled start to learning, with registration followed by worship, then a morning teaching block before lunch. That rhythm tends to support strong habits, particularly for younger pupils who benefit from predictable routines.

Curriculum breadth is visible in the subjects the school publishes, including areas some primaries treat more lightly. Latin is listed among taught subjects alongside the core and wider curriculum. For the right child, that can be a genuine differentiator, it introduces language structure and vocabulary in a way that complements reading and writing rather than competing with them.

The March 2024 Ofsted report describes strong progress and high standards in many curriculum areas, with maths singled out as supporting deep understanding of key concepts. It also flags inconsistency elsewhere, where work does not deepen pupils’ understanding well enough, which is the kind of granular issue that can matter to high-attaining pupils who need stretch beyond competence.

For early years and nursery-aged children, the school describes a good start, with staff knowing children well and supporting early development. Nursery provision is part of the age range and day-to-day offer, but families should check the school’s own early years information for session structure and current pricing. Government-funded hours are available for eligible families.

Because this is a primary, the “destination” question is mainly about transition into Year 7 and how families navigate Solihull and Birmingham options.

The strongest concrete indicator available is the link into Tudor Grange Academy Solihull’s admissions arrangements. The secondary school’s admissions policy includes a priority category for children attending Tudor Grange Primary Academy St James, which signals a clear trust-linked pathway that many families will weigh when planning beyond Year 6.

Transition itself is typically managed through Year 6 preparation and familiarisation, with pastoral handover and a focus on independence, study habits, and readiness for larger settings. Families considering selective routes will usually pursue preparation outside the primary timetable, and it is sensible to treat that as a family decision rather than something the school must drive.

This is a Reception-first admissions story, and the numbers point to serious competition.

The published admission number for Reception is 30. When the school is oversubscribed, places are prioritised through clearly defined criteria (for example, looked-after and previously looked-after children, exceptional medical or social need, siblings), with ties within a category broken by distance to the main pedestrian gate. Distance is measured in a straight line using local authority software, and where distances are equal, a random lottery is used.

For September 2026 Reception entry in Solihull, the statutory closing date is 15 January 2026 and national offer day is 16 April 2026.

Demand indicators from the dataset underline the point. The school is recorded as oversubscribed, with 184 applications and 29 offers in the relevant admissions snapshot, equivalent to roughly 6.34 applications per offer. That is the kind of ratio where families should not assume a place is likely without a strong priority criterion.

If you are weighing the distance factor, use the FindMySchool Map Search to check your exact home-to-gate distance, then treat it as guidance rather than a promise because the mix of applicants changes each year.

Nursery is not an automatic route into Reception. Even if a child attends the nursery, families must still apply formally for a Reception place via the local authority process.

Pastoral care here is best understood as structured and preventative.

Safeguarding leadership is clearly signposted, with the principal also identified as the designated safeguarding lead and lead for looked-after children. That sort of arrangement can work well in a smaller primary because decisions are direct and accountability is clear.

The school’s wider approach includes worship as a shared routine and pupil leadership opportunities that encourage responsibility. The Ofsted report also highlights pupils enjoying school, feeling safe, and experiencing positive relationships with staff, which are core protective factors in primary settings.

A school can publish “clubs available” and still feel thin in practice. What stands out here is evidence of named structures and themes.

Chess is specifically referenced as an activity pupils enjoy, and the Eco Council is positioned as an active group with a clear mission, including work towards environmental awards and practical steps such as reducing waste. That matters because it signals pupil leadership that does something tangible, not just badge collecting.

The school also frames extracurricular clubs as being offered to pupils from Reception through Year 6, with some clubs run by external providers. For parents, the key question is consistency and fit, it is worth checking term-by-term club lists and whether spaces are limited.

Reading culture also appears as a practical priority rather than a slogan. Ofsted notes pupils love the new library and the range of books available, and that they read widely and often. For a primary, that kind of reading identity can be one of the strongest predictors of later academic ease.

The school day structure is published in parent-facing materials. The gate opens at 8.15am, with pupils entering from 8.25am, and the school day ending at 3.05pm for Reception through Year 6. Nursery has an earlier finish time, and families should check the school’s early years guidance for the most relevant pattern.

Wraparound is part of the offer, with breakfast club running from 7.30am and after-school club operating until 6.00pm. Published pricing is £5.25 per breakfast club session, and after-school club is £7.50 for a part session to 4.15pm or £12.00 to 6.00pm.

Term dates for 2025 to 2026 are also published by the school, which is useful for working families aligning childcare and leave.

• Admissions pressure is real. With a Reception PAN of 30 and high demand in the available admissions snapshot, many families will miss out without a priority criterion.

• Inspection trajectory to watch. The March 2024 Ofsted inspection kept the Outstanding judgement but flagged that a graded inspection at that time might not have matched that level. Parents should read this as a prompt to ask specific questions about curriculum depth and consistency.

• Nursery does not guarantee Reception. Families using nursery as childcare should plan for the separate Reception admissions process and deadlines.

• Faith character is meaningful. The Church of England identity shapes worship and community life. Families comfortable with that usually value the coherence; others may prefer a more secular feel.

A high-attaining, tightly run primary with a clear ethos and a reading-led academic culture, plus the sort of wraparound that makes it workable for many families. Best suited to families who want a Church of England setting with strong Key Stage 2 outcomes and who can realistically compete in an oversubscribed admissions process. Securing admission is the main barrier, not the quality of education once a place is gained.