St Clement & St James CE Primary School
About St Clement & St James
Your local Community Church School
St Clement & St James was founded (originally as two separate schools) in the 1860s to serve the poor communities around the two school buildings, and we remain committed to serving our local children. We are proud to be part of this vibrant area and an important part of the community. We serve five parishes (St Clement and St James, St Helen’s, All Saints, St Peter’s, St John’s) and have especially strong links with St Clement and St James.
What parents say
School and staff have all been amazing and friendly
Thank you to all at the school for all you do for giving my child a fabulous education
Our parent survey
100% of parents and carers say their child enjoys school and is safe at school
98% say the school is led and managed effectively
Welcome to St Thomas’ CE Primary School
What makes SCSJ so special?
We are one of the only small schools in the Holland Park area (one form entry) which means staff have time to get to know children and families
We have just opened our brand new early years ‘Owlet’s’ centre which has wonderful facilities for reception age pupils (4-5 year olds)
We are a church school with strong Christian values of friendship, thankfulness, forgiveness and compassion
We have a broad curriculum and love the arts. We have set up the Pottery Lane Arts Centre on the school site with professional artists who work with our staff and children
We have a caring and supportive staff team who work closely with children and families to ensure each child is calm and ready for learning. We have carefully tailored support for any child who needs a little extra encouragement and attention eg Special Needs coordinator, learning mentors, art therapy, Place to be (counselling), West London Zone, and speech therapy
We have strong church links. Reverend Gareth, our priest in charge and his dog Libby, is very involved in the life of the school.
We are federated with St Thomas’ CE Primary School (Ofsted Outstanding) which means we can share resources to ensure we have strong teaching in both schools
St Clement & St James History
Our school was originally two schools: St Clements Notting Dale (opened in 1866) and St James Norlands (opened in 1862). The schools were founded to serve the children of the area, described as “notoriously depraved” and “hopelessly degraded,” whose parents took in laundry, kept pigs and worked in the potteries. In the early 1980s the Inner London Education Authority decided to merge the two schools. A fire in 1983, caused by an electrical fault, destroyed the St James school building. The foundation stone for a new, merged school was laid on the old St James site in 1985, and the new building was opened in 1986.
A new playground was created at the same time – before, the St James playground was on the roof of the building. Since then, the building has been updated to provide more office space and extra spaces for one to one learning and emotional support in our new Nest area. In addition, we have moved from our old nursery building into a specially refurbished Early Years unit in the main school building.
The school has classes from Nursery to Year 6 and is thriving.
Inclusion
We welcome and celebrate every child at St Clement & St James CE Primary School, supporting them to develop their character and a lifelong love of learning. We are committed to inclusivity, encouraging positive relationships, mutual understanding, and celebrating the diversity within our school community.
Our school values the diversity of our families, and we believe inclusive practice is not an add-on — it is fundamental to everything we do.
In line with the Equality Act 2010, we seek to ensure that no pupil, member of staff, parent, or any other individual through their contact with the school receives less favourable treatment on any grounds that cannot be justified.
This includes race, ethnic or national origin, language, religion or belief, gender or gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital status, disability, age, responsibility for children or other dependants, political views, and social class.
At St Clement & St James CE Primary School, we aim to create a positive learning environment within a Christian ethos, where every child’s needs and views are respected and no child is disadvantaged by race, class, gender, or disability.
We believe that every child deserves the best possible opportunities to reach their full potential.
Anti-Racist Schools
At St Clement & St James CE Primary School, we welcome children and their families to our school without discrimination. As part of this commitment, we recognise our responsibility to challenge and address racial prejudice and institutional inequality. We understand that schools have an important role in helping to build a society where equity and equality are upheld, and we strive to use our collective voice to promote a more just and inclusive community.
Our Diverse Curriculum Offer
Our diverse curriculum aims to challenge systemic barriers by ensuring a fair and balanced representation of knowledge and perspectives. It encourages pupils to think critically about how knowledge is shaped, shared, and valued.
Our diverse curriculum allows our pupils:
- To see themselves and others positively represented throughout their learning.
- To explore how knowledge within the curriculum has developed and why it is valued.
- To encounter multiple perspectives and narratives across different subjects.
- To develop an understanding of how systemic barriers can affect individuals with protected characteristics and intersecting identities.
LifeFull Schools Policies
St Clement & St James CE Primary School operates under a comprehensive set of policies designed to support effective governance, safeguarding, and high standards across the school community.
LifeFull Schools Learning
As part of the LifeFull Schools Federation, we provide a rich and ambitious curriculum designed to spark curiosity and inspire a lifelong love of learning.
Recruitment
Join our dedicated team at St Clement & St James CE Primary School and play a vital role in nurturing our pupils to grow with confidence, joy, and aspiration within our supportive Christian school community.
Worship In Our Schools
Collective Worship promotes and supports achievement and growth in five aspects of pupils’ religious learning at St Clement & St James CE Primary School. These are:
- A knowledge of Christianity; its stories, traditions, festivals, worship and teachings
- An understanding of Christian life and worship which may, if the pupil chooses, form the basis of an adult faith
- An awareness of life’s spiritual dimension
- A sense of Christian morality through our Christian values
- A knowledge and respect for the other major world faiths
Through the above, we aim to help children to:
- develop an awareness of spiritual and moral issues within their own life experiences and those of others
- develop knowledge, understanding and respect for the range of religious and cultural practices found within: their own community; the local area; Britain and internationally
- develop an understanding of what it means to be committed to a religious tradition
- develop inquisitive minds that are willing to investigate, research, question and empathise to enable them to make reasoned judgements about religious issues.
St Clement & St James Staff
Executive Head Teacher Sarah Bouette | Head of School Ellie Dowthwaite |
Deputy Head Teacher Louise Wilson | SENCo Colette Keane |
Early Years Reception Teacher Emma Doi-President | |
Year 1 Class Teacher Louise Smith | Year 2 Class Teacher Jessica Richardson |
Year 3 Class Teacher Matthew McNamara | Year 4 Class Teacher Lucy Woodier |
Year 5 Class Teacher Agnieszka Dunkley | Year 6 Class Teacher Adam Finch |
Music Teacher John Tang |
| Charlie Collins | Nuura Jama |
| Dee Skinner | Emily Cole |
| Otgonchimeg Brincat | Katarzyna Laguna-Rayner |
| Kim Bull | Tina Matthews |
| Fowzziya Khanom |
| School Business Manager Leila Jansepar | Senior Administration Officer Susan Simpson |
| Administration Officer Leah Haley | Receptionist Lisa Barnham-Hyatt |
| Site Manager | Premises Manager Albert Serrao |
Governors
The Governing Body of St Thomas’ Federation was dissolved on 30th June 2025.
On the 1st July 2025 LifeFull Schools Federation governing body was formed.
Please find the new governing board members here.
St Thomas’ Federation Meeting Attendance 2024/2025
Full Governing Body meetings
MEETING DATE | Ros Sacher | Gunnel Welford | Charlotte O’Brien | Fr Sam Cross | Fr Gareth Wardell | Nalu Binaisa | Natalie Cowley | Sally Nkrumah | Lala Manners | Hugo Moore | Sarah Bouette | Jess Richardson |
| 22/10/24 | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| 10/12/24 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ |
| 04/02/25 | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ |
| 25/03/25 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| 20/05/25 | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Actual | 4/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 | 1/5 | 3/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 1/5 | 1/5 | 3/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| Percentage | 80% | 60% | 80% | 20% | 60% | 80% | 100% | 20% | 20% | 60% | 100% | 100% |
Performance Management and Pay Committee
| MEETING DATE | Ros Sacher | Gunnel Welford |
| 8th October 2024 | ✔ | ✔ |
| Percentage | 100% | 100% |
Admissions Committee
| MEETING DATE | Charlotte O’Brien | Nalu Binaisa | Ros Sacher |
| 13th February 2025 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Percentage | 100% | 100% | 100% |
Resources Committee
| MEETING DATE | Gunnel Welford | Ros Sacher | Charlotte O’Brien | Hugo Moore | Sarah Bouette |
| 08/10/24 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| 19/11/24 | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| 30/01/25 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| 18/03/25 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| 20/05/25 | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Actual | 5/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 |
| Percentage | 100% | 80% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
ST Federation constitution
Contact Us
The school has facilities available for long term hire. Prices are provided upon application. Concessions are available for voluntary groups. All lettings are agreed subject to contract and terms and conditions.
If you would like further information then please contact Susan Simpson on 0207 603 9225 or email us at scsjadmin@lifefull.org