St James Church of England First School Catchment Area
St James Church of England First School is an academy converter primary school in Wimborne, Dorset , serving pupils aged 2-9, with 138 pupils, and a capacity of 125 places. The school is currently at or above capacity, making catchment area proximity important for admissions.
2-9
Age range
138
Pupils
125
Capacity
110%
Fill rate
St James Church of England First School Catchment Area Information
What is the catchment area for St James Church of England First School?
The catchment area for St James Church of England First School is the geographic zone Dorset uses to prioritise admissions when this primary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and, in most years, faith-based criteria. Dorset publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Admission to St James Church of England First School is managed by Dorset and typically includes both faith criteria and catchment area proximity. The weighting given to each criterion depends on the school's published oversubscription policy, which is reviewed annually.
Not getting a place? Learn how to appeal a school place →
Want the cut-off distance before you apply? Get an alert when Dorset publishes the 2027 St James Church of England First School numbers →
The official admissions policy, including the catchment boundary map, is published by Dorset before each admissions cycle. Always verify your address with the council before submitting an application, as boundaries can change year to year.
Find Dorset catchment area documents →St James Church of England First School: heavily oversubscribed at 110% capacity
St James Church of England First School has a published admission number of 125 places. 138 pupils were enrolled in the most recent data, giving a fill rate of 110%. At 110% capacity, the school is heavily oversubscribed. Dorset allocates places using ranked criteria: looked-after children first, then siblings, then catchment distance. Living within the catchment area is a strong but not guaranteed advantage, as the last distance offered shrinks each year as applications rise.
The fill-rate figure above reflects overall demand, but the school's intake also varies by community profile. 6.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, below the national average. The school draws primarily from a lower-deprivation part of Wimborne.
To check whether your home address falls within the historical catchment boundary, use the postcode search tool on this site.
Dorset publishes its full admissions policy, including oversubscription criteria, the previous year's last-distance figures, and the appeals timetable, on the council's official admissions page. Dorset Council school admissions (official) →
St James Church of England First School: School Information
- Full address
- Gaunts Common, Wimborne, BH21 4JN
- Local authority
- Dorset
- School type
- Academy converter
- Phase of education
- Primary
- Age range
- 2-9 years
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Free school meals
- 6.3% of pupils
- DfE URN
- 148300
Other Primary Schools in Wimborne
If St James Church of England First School is oversubscribed, these primary schools in Wimborne are the next closest alternatives.
Sturminster Marshall First School Catchment Area
Community school · BH21 4AY
Rushcombe First School Catchment Area
Community school · BH21 3PX
Colehill First School Catchment Area
Academy converter · BH21 2LZ
Hayeswood First School Catchment Area
Academy converter · BH21 2HN
Merley First School Catchment Area
Academy converter · BH21 1SD
St John's Church of England First School, Wimborne Catchment Area
Academy converter · BH21 1BX
Other Church of England Schools in Dorset
St James Church of England First School shares its religious character with these Church of England schools across Dorset. Faith criteria typically sit alongside catchment distance in each school's admissions policy.
Cerne Abbas CofE VC First School Catchment Area
Voluntary controlled school · Dorchester
Maiden Newton, Greenford Church of England Primary School Catchment Area
Voluntary controlled school · Dorchester
Broadwindsor Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Catchment Area
Voluntary controlled school · Beaminster
Wyke Regis Church of England Junior School Catchment Area
Voluntary controlled school · Weymouth
Nearest primary schools by distance
These are the primary schools closest to St James Church of England First School by straight-line distance, including ones across a town or council boundary. Distance is not the same as being in catchment: always check each school's own admissions policy for its actual boundary.
Witchampton Church of England First School Catchment Area
Academy converter · Wimborne · 2.3 miles away
St Mary's CofE First School & Nursery Catchment Area
Academy converter · Ferndown · 3.7 miles away
Three Legged Cross First and Nursery School Catchment Area
Academy converter · Wimborne · 3.7 miles away
Need help understanding catchment areas?
Frequently Asked Questions: St James Church of England First School
What is the catchment area for St James Church of England First School? ▾
The catchment area for St James Church of England First School is the geographic zone Dorset uses to prioritise admissions when this primary school receives more applications than it has places. Children living inside the boundary are ranked higher under the oversubscription criteria, after looked-after children and, in most years, faith-based criteria. Dorset publishes the exact boundary and the last distance offered before each admissions cycle, and the boundary can change year to year.
Is St James Church of England First School oversubscribed? ▾
Yes, St James Church of England First School currently has 138 pupils enrolled against a capacity of 125 places. Catchment area proximity is an important admissions criterion when applying.
What is the admissions policy for St James Church of England First School? ▾
St James Church of England First School uses both faith criteria and catchment area proximity in its admissions policy. The weighting is reviewed annually and published by Dorset before each admissions cycle.
What age range does St James Church of England First School cover? ▾
St James Church of England First School is a primary school in Wimborne, Dorset, serving pupils aged 2-9. For the latest information, visit the school's website or the DfE Get Information About Schools service.