Welcome to St. James School 

Hello, and welcome to St. James School. I have been a part of the school since 2013 when I started as a teacher when we had a room in the New Era Community Centre. Over the last 12 years, I have seen the whole school group develop into what it currently is. I was head teacher at our Barnoldswick campus for 4 years before I came over to our St James School campus in 2022. It has been a privilege to watch our pupils grow and achieve great things when education has previously not been a positive experience for them.  My pupils are amazing, and I see them as people who will change the world for the better. They show me on a daily basis how resilience and focused they are despite of the challenges they face.  

At St. James School, we believe in providing more than just a high quality education. We focus on supporting each child as an individual, whether they are in primary or secondary school. Our dedicated team of teachers works closely with our pupils to help them reach their full potential, both academically and personally. 

The campus is designed to accommodate pupils from KS1–KS4 supporting both primary and secondary aged pupils. The site is registered for a maximum of 65pupils. It supports pupils who require short term intervention, respite or support until a positive transition back into mainstream or onto special school can be reached. The aim who be to always transition pupils back into education in their local area. The school is able to be named on EHCPs and can do the assessment work required for pupils who need an EHCP. St James School has a strong focus on outdoor learning, adventurous activities and public services. Our primary pupils attend our outdoor learning provision at The Woodlands for one day a week and go on an educational trip twice every half term. 

We’re proud of the strong sense of community here, where pupils, staff, and families all work together to create a welcoming and inclusive environment. We want to work closely with our pupils and their support networks to achieve best outcomes for them by working with the child as an individual and never giving up on a child.  

Kirsty Swierkowski