The FMS Inspection Score is FindMySchool's proprietary analysis based on official Ofsted and ISI inspection reports. It converts ratings into a standardised 1–10 scale for fair comparison across all schools in England.
Disclaimer: The FMS Inspection Score is an independent analysis by FindMySchool. It is not endorsed by or affiliated with Ofsted or ISI. Always refer to the official Ofsted or ISI report for the full picture of a school’s inspection outcome.
This is a voluntary aided Church of England primary in Latchford, Warrington, serving ages 3 to 11, with a nursery and wraparound care through to 6pm. The school describes its original buildings as dating back to 1868, with later modernisation and a Key Stage 2 classroom block completed in 2001, so the site combines heritage with practical expansion.
Academically, the most recent published Key Stage 2 picture (2024) is mixed. 69% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, above the England average of 62%, while the higher standard rate (12.67%) sits above the England average of 8%. Scaled scores are also slightly above typical baselines, at 102 for reading, 105 for maths, and 104 for grammar, punctuation and spelling.
Inspection-wise, the latest Ofsted judgement is Good (inspection date 18 October 2022).
The school’s identity is explicitly Christian and locally rooted. It was built “to provide a Christian education for the children of the Parish of St James’”, and that parish connection also matters for admissions priority, which is typical for a voluntary aided faith school.
The current headteacher is Mr Andrew Hayes, and the school presents him as the lead voice when talking to parents about enrichment beyond the classroom.
A distinctive cultural marker is the school’s engagement with children’s rights education, through the UNICEF Rights Respecting Schools Award framework (the school describes itself as a Rights Respecting school). For families who value pupil voice and explicit teaching around respect and responsibility, that is a meaningful signal of day-to-day language and routines.
Because the school takes pupils from nursery through Year 6, the lived experience for families is often about continuity. That can be a real advantage for children who benefit from stable relationships and familiar expectations, especially across the Reception to Year 1 transition.
For a state primary, the most useful parent-facing benchmark is the combined reading, writing and maths expected standard at the end of Key Stage 2.
Expected standard (RWM combined, 2024): 69%, compared with an England average of 62%.
Higher standard (RWM, 2024): 12.67%, compared with an England average of 8%.
Average scaled scores (2024): Reading 102, Maths 105, GPS 104.
Those figures suggest a school that can get a solid majority to expected standards and is also capable of stretching a meaningful minority to the higher standard. For parents, the practical implication is that outcomes are not simply “one speed”; there is evidence of both consolidation and extension.
Rankings add context, but they should be read carefully. On the FindMySchool ranking used (based on official outcomes data), the school is ranked 10,189th in England for primary outcomes and 60th locally in Warrington, which corresponds to being below the England average when expressed as a broad national placement band.
A sensible way to reconcile the two signals is: results in 2024 are above England averages on key measures, but the wider multi-year ranking context suggests performance has not consistently sat in the top tiers.
England ranks and key metrics (where available)
Reading, Writing & Maths
69%
% of pupils achieving expected standard
The website points to a structured approach to literacy, including named reading schemes (Bug Club, Big Cat, Rigby Star) and school-wide reading initiatives. Examples include “reading buddies”, a “Starbooks café”, and “extreme reading” challenges.
The practical value of these initiatives is that reading becomes visible and communal rather than purely individual. For younger readers, that often improves consistency and motivation; for confident readers, it can create opportunities to lead and model habits to younger pupils.
In physical education and wider activity, school documentation references a multi-sport offer and specific clubs, including a cooking after-school club (linked to food education) and a multi-sport club, with football and rugby mentioned as examples in sport premium reporting.
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
FMS Inspection Score calculated by FindMySchool based on official inspection data.
The school describes itself as a feeder school for Sir Thomas Boteler Church of England High School, with Year 5 and Year 6 visiting regularly as part of transition.
That clarity is helpful: for many local families, the “default pathway” is understood early, and transition activity starting in Year 5 is a practical indicator that the school takes move-up seriously rather than leaving it to the last term of Year 6.
This is a Warrington local authority area school for Reception entry, with Reception applications handled through Warrington Borough Council rather than directly via the school.
For September 2026 Reception entry, the local authority states the on-time closing date was 15 January 2026.
Demand indicators suggest the school is oversubscribed on its main entry route: 34 applications for 24 offers (a ratio of 1.42 applications per place) for the referenced admissions cycle.
As a voluntary aided Church of England school, admissions criteria typically include faith and parish-linked priorities. Warrington’s primary admissions brochure includes a priority category for children resident within the Ecclesiastical Parish of St James with St Hilda, and it also references the nursery connection as part of priority ordering.
For early years, the school advertises nursery and Reception open events in mid-November as part of its September 2026 intake messaging.
100%
1st preference success rate
21 of 21 first-choice applicants received an offer
Places
24
Offers
24
Applications
34
The school’s rights-respecting positioning is relevant here, because it tends to correlate with explicit routines around respect, voice, and consistency of expectations.
For safeguarding and wellbeing assurance, the most recent formal external judgement sits within the 2022 inspection cycle, which rated the school Good overall and Good across key areas including early years provision.
Parents will usually care less about “lots of clubs exist” and more about whether there are identifiable, repeatable opportunities children can commit to.
The school documents several specific strands:
Cooking after-school club, linked to practical food education and tasting new foods.
Sport and activity clubs, including references to multi-sport provision, football and rugby in sport premium reporting.
Reading culture initiatives, including reading buddies, Starbooks café, and extreme reading challenges, which are concrete, child-friendly hooks that can make literacy feel social rather than solitary.
The implication for families is straightforward: children who respond well to routines, teams, and “named” programmes should find it easier to stick with something and build confidence over time.
School times are published, with different session times for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. Nursery timings are also stated, including provision aligned to funded hour patterns.
Wraparound care is explicitly offered before and after school for Reception to Year 6, and it runs until 6pm. The school publishes session prices, which is helpful for budgeting and for comparing like-for-like with alternatives.
For families considering nursery, the school notes that eligible parents may access 30 hours free childcare and directs families to check eligibility via the national Childcare Choices route.
Competition for places. The school is oversubscribed on the primary entry route (34 applications for 24 offers). If you are applying from outside the highest-priority criteria, it is worth treating admission as uncertain.
Results context is nuanced. 2024 outcomes are above England averages on key measures, but the broader ranking context places the school in a lower national performance band. Parents should read both together and ask how consistent outcomes have been across recent cohorts.
Faith-based priorities may matter. As a Church of England voluntary aided school, parish and faith-related criteria can be relevant, which may not suit every family or every set of circumstances.
Wraparound is a strength, but it has structure and cut-offs. It runs to 6pm with published session options; families relying on it should check availability patterns and booking expectations.
Latchford St James CofE Primary School offers something many working families prioritise: nursery into primary continuity, clearly published school-day timings, and wraparound care through to 6pm. Its Christian foundation and parish identity are real rather than nominal, and the school’s rights-respecting framing will appeal to families who want explicit values and pupil voice.
Best suited to families who value a Church of England ethos, want early years through Year 6 continuity, and can engage early with the admissions process in a competitive local market. Entry is the hurdle; for those who secure a place, the offer is practical, structured, and community-anchored.
The latest Ofsted judgement rates the school Good (inspection date 18 October 2022). Key Stage 2 outcomes in 2024 show 69% reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, above the England average of 62%, with 12.67% at the higher standard compared with 8% across England.
As a Church of England voluntary aided school, admissions can include faith and parish-linked priorities. Local admissions guidance references priority for children living within the Ecclesiastical Parish of St James with St Hilda. The best next step is to read the current admissions policy and confirm how criteria are applied for the specific year of entry.
Yes. The school publishes wraparound care for Reception to Year 6, including a breakfast option and after-school sessions running up to 6pm. Families should check booking requirements and availability patterns alongside the published session times.
Reception applications are handled through Warrington Borough Council rather than directly through the school. For September 2026 entry, the published on-time closing date was 15 January 2026, so families applying in future years should expect a similar mid-January deadline and confirm exact dates on the local authority timetable.
Get in touch with the school directly
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