St James Hatcham CofE Primary

Headteacher's Welcome

St James Hatcham reflects a vibrant and dynamic community where every individual is celebrated, championed and empowered to succeed.

We pride ourselves on our excellent results, being one of the top performing schools in Lewisham, and our outstanding reputation for preparing children exceptionally well for the next stage of their education.

As St James, academic excellence is only part of what we offer. We believe in opening our pupils’ eyes to the world around them, helping every child to discover their talents and passions through inspirational teaching, specialist provision, educational visits, extensive clubs and enrichment opportunities, and our established connections with local, national and international organisations. From our new nursery provision through to Year 6, we want every child to receive an education that is ambitious, exciting and full of possibility. 

Everything we do is underpinned by exceptional pastoral care and our Christian ethos and values – love, hope, peace and joy. These promote high expectations and standards and encourage our pupils to appreciate and respect themselves, their world and the beliefs and cultures of others. Our most recent SIAMS inspection recognised our deeply embedded Christian vision, highly inclusive practice and positive relationships, describing St James as a school where pupils and adults are enabled to flourish.

We know our children well, expect the very best and nuture them to become confident, articulate and compassionate young people.  Our strong focus on oracy ensures the children learn to find their voice, express their ideas with confidence and develop the knowledge, skills and self-belief they need to succeed.  

As part of the Southwark Diocesan Board of Education Multi-Acadeny Trust, we also benefit for the expertise, opportunities and support of a wider family of schools, while retaining the distinctive character and close-knit community that make St James so special.

As Head of School, I feel enormously privileged to lead St James into its next chapter and incredibly proud to be part of this community. My commitment is to build upon the strong foundations and traditions of our school, maintaining our high standards of academic excellence while ensuring every child is given the opportunity to fulfil their potential. 

I warmly invite you to visit St James, meet our wonderful children and staff, and discover what makes our school community so special. We would be delighted to welcome you and share with you all that St James can offer your child.

Ms R H Matthews

Head of School

Mrs Sophia Bryan-Whyte is the Executive Headteacher of St James - September 2026

Our Vision

"In love, peace, hope and joy, we nurture curious minds and godly character, inspiring every child to shine, rooted in God's grace".

Mission Statement

We are committed to creating a happy, caring and enriching learning environment, underpinned by Christian values, most notably – joy, peace, hope and love. We celebrate children’s achievement and spiritual development; encouraging acts of kindness and consideration, mutual respect and forgiveness.

Values

We have four Christian values which we strive to live out in our everyday lives: Love, Peace, Hope and Joy. 

We believe that the most important thing is to show Love for one another.

Love is what we do.

Hope is working with God.

Joy is how we live.

Peace is what we bring.

These values are displayed around the school and incorporated into our school assembly themes and during the school day.