Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, Clitheroe
Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Clitheroe. It has a Church of England religious character. Its most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2026, ended in a report card: 7 expected standard. Before that it was rated Requires improvement at its last graded inspection, in November 2023. Its 2024 Key Stage 2 results were the 9th-highest of the 13 schools in Clitheroe with published results, and 7,483rd of 13,912 across England. It was 52% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted report card
- 0 of 7 areas strong or better
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Lancashire (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School in detail
What Ofsted's report card says
Ofsted's report card from its 9 June 2026 inspection grades Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School on 7 areas: 7 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.
Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils' attainment in national tests and assessments differs from year to year due to very small cohorts."
Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Most pupils attend school regularly."
Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders are knowledgeable and passionate about their subjects."
Early years - Expected standard. "Leaders set high expectations for children's development and achievements from their first days in school."
Inclusion - Expected standard. "Recognising the continually changing cohorts in the school, leaders have carefully prioritised support for those pupils who face barriers to learning."
Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Since the previous inspection, leaders and governors have established an accurate oversight of the school's strengths and areas to develop."
Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders provide a coherent and well‑designed programme of personal development and wellbeing that is carefully shaped around the school's context."
Safeguarding standards were met.
Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should ensure that staff's checks on learning are further developed to identify and address pupils' misconceptions in a timely manner and ensure that they are not repeated"; "Leaders should support teachers to make highly-effective choices when teaching writing and spelling so that pupils apply their skills more consistently".
Read the full report card on Ofsted's site (school website)
Source: Ofsted report card (Open Government Licence), quoted
Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School in its own words
From the headteacher's welcome: "I am Mrs Joanne Abram, the Headteacher of Bolton-by-Bowland C E Primary School and may I take this opportunity to welcome you to the school."
The school runs a breakfast club from 8:00am, from £3.00 per day.
Headteacher's welcome (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2024, 67% of Year 6 pupils at Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 83% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 76% and 73% in Lancashire and 76% and 74% across England.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 5 families put Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School as their first choice and 11 named it as one of their preferences, for 5 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School are Gisburn Primary School (2.5 miles, Outstanding, 100% reading, 94% maths); Grindleton Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School (2.9 miles, Good, 29% reading, 14% maths); Chatburn Church of England Primary School (3.5 miles, Outstanding, 71% reading, 76% maths); and Waddington and West Bradford Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School (4.7 miles, Good, 66% reading, 86% maths).
Gisburn Primary SchoolGrindleton Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary SchoolChatburn Church of England Primary SchoolWaddington and West Bradford Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Who goes there
8% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 0% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 4 pupils (16%) received SEN support and 0 (0%) had an education, health and care plan, against 16.2% and 4.6% at the average state school. The most common need among them is speech, language and communication needs.
Staffing
Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School had 3 teachers in 2026, one for every 9 pupils: more teachers per pupil than a typical primary school, at about one for every 20.
Getting there
There is no railway, tram or Underground station within about three miles of Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School.
4 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Bolton By Bowland CEPS (by), 40 metres away.
The area around the school
In August 2026, police recorded 0 crimes within a mile of the school. That is well below the typical figure around schools in Lancashire (109).
Suspensions and exclusions
Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; DfE school workforce census; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 4 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards met
- AchievementExpected standard
- Attendance and behaviourExpected standard
- Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
- Early yearsExpected standard
- InclusionExpected standard
- Leadership and governanceExpected standard
- Personal development and wellbeingExpected standard
Safeguarding standards: met
Ofsted's report card, in its own words
What it's like to be a pupil at Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Nestled in the countryside, Bolton by Bowland school offers a picturesque setting where pupils thrive. Pupils are warmly welcomed through the gate each morning by staff who know them extremely well. Staff ensure that pupils feel valued, safe and well cared for. Parents and carers value this small school's warm, family atmosphere and the positive communication they enjoy with staff. Pupils develop a deep sense of belonging and attend school well. They make the most of their school grounds, embracing being in the fresh air in the newly designed outdoor learning areas. Pupils mix happily across age groups, with older children supporting younger ones. They show kindness and a sense of responsibility. Pupils embody the school's motto to 'Belong, Believe and Blossom'. They value the friendships they form. Pupils know that if they have a concern they can't resolve, staff will help. As a result, incidents of poor behaviour or bullying are extremely rare and dealt with swiftly. Staff have high expectations of pupils' achievement. Leaders' work on redesigning the curriculum ensures that the wide age range within each class is well considered. Pupils, including those who face barriers to their learning, consistently achieve well. Whatever their starting point, they make suitable progress as they move through the curriculum. Overall, pupils complete each stage of learning ready to move on confidently to their next. The community's strong farming roots shine through in pupils' play, conversations and discussions about future farming careers. Pupils confidently discuss national and global issues such as equality and discrimination, using their recent work on Harvey Milk and the pride flag to demonstrate their understanding. Pupils can explain fundamental British values and give real-life examples, such as voting for which sport to play. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain.
What Ofsted says the school should do next
- Leaders should ensure that staff's checks on learning are further developed to identify and address pupils' misconceptions in a timely manner and ensure that they are not repeated.
- Leaders should support teachers to make highly-effective choices when teaching writing and spelling so that pupils apply their skills more consistently.
From Ofsted's report card (inspection 9 June 2026). Read the full report Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This small rural school excels at creating a warm, inclusive community where every child feels valued and belongs. Teachers know pupils extremely well and provide exceptional pastoral care alongside high expectations for learning. The school successfully supports children with different needs through a thoughtfully adapted curriculum and rich experiences that bring learning to life.
Key Strengths
- Strong behaviour and attendance rooted in kindness and respectful relationships
- Effective support for disadvantaged pupils and those with additional needs, enabling them to make positive progress
- Ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum with high-quality teaching and clear end points
- Warm, family ethos creating a deep sense of belonging for pupils and families
- High-quality early years provision with emphasis on communication, language and reading
Areas for Improvement
- Teaching of handwriting and spelling needs to improve - pupils sometimes make mistakes in written work that are not corrected quickly enough
- Building on work underway to ensure pupils develop secure spelling habits and consistent handwriting styles
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed.
Extracurricular Activities
Extra-curricular clubs, flourishing days (arts, music and creative pursuits), mini mentors, reading buddies, school council, summer fair, fundraising events, trips to woods, zoo, museum, mosque, synagogue, and residential trip to Coniston Water
Bolton by Bowland is a rural primary school where pupils thrive in a warm, family atmosphere with high expectations for achievement. Leaders have established an accurate oversight of the school's strengths and are driving improvement across targeted areas.
At a Glance
8.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2023/24KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
2023/24 academic year
Class Sizes
12.5
Avg class size
2
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Term dates
Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is a voluntary aided school, so it sets its own term dates: check the school's website. As a guide, see Lancashire's term dates for its community schools.
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
You apply to the council where you live. Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is in Lancashire; for families living there:
- Lancashire's school travel policy: school transport policies
- How to apply: Apply for free home to school transport assistance
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 2
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 0
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 1 slight.
No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt.
0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included.
The typical figure for schools in Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 schools, same distance and years).
Serious and slight counts use the Department for Transport's severity adjustment, which allows for changes in how police forces record injuries; they are estimates, rounded to whole numbers. Distances are in a straight line. Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19), Open Government Licence v3.0.
Commute and house prices
Your chances of a place at Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
Will you get a place at Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Lancashire, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Lancashire got their first choice, and how often appeals there succeed.
- The nearest state schools to your home, with Ofsted rating, demand and last distance offered where published.
- Key dates for September 2027 entry and how to apply.
£9.99 once
One school, inc. VAT. Or £19.99 for up to three schools.
Pro £9 a month, every report included, cancel any time
A report for any school, plus everything else in Pro.
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
52%
Available places
27 pupils
52 places
25 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
Area Demand Pressure - Clitheroe
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Clitheroe
Across Lancashire council
Places available
15,442
Applications
12,122
Got 1st preference
91.3%
Got preferred school
98.3%
All primary applications across Lancashire council (2026/27), not just this school.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(9)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Good, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
4
SEN Support
0
EHC Plans
16.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
25
Total Pupils
13
Boys
12
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
3
Teachers
8.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£49,542
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£11,589
Per pupil
£342k
Total funding
£3k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.8%
Overall absence
7.1%
Persistent absence
28
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School
What are SATs results like at Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Of the pupils at Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School who took the 2024 Key Stage 2 assessments, 67% reached the expected standard in reading and 83% did so in maths.
What is Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2026, produced a report card, which grades each area but gives no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in November 2023, it was rated Requires Improvement.
What is the catchment area for Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is oversubscribed, Lancashire allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 52% of its 52 places.
How big are the classes at Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Classes at Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School average 12.5 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School has around 25 pupils on roll. 8% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
4.8% of sessions were missed at Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School in 2024/25. 7.1% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Apply through Lancashire's coordinated admissions process, naming Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School on your application. Applications for Reception places starting in September 2027 close on Friday 15 January 2027, and offers are made on Friday 16 April 2027.
How many road collisions happen near Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 2 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 1 serious and 1 slight. No children aged 0 to 15 were among the people hurt. 0 of the collisions happened on a weekday between 08:00 and 09:30 or 14:45 and 16:30, holidays included. The typical figure for schools in Lancashire is 12 (the median across 707 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School?
Bolton by Bowland Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School is at Gisburn Road, Bolton-by-Bowland, Clitheroe, Lancashire, BB7 4NP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)