Forwards Centre, Bolton
Forwards Centre is a primary school for pupils aged 5 to 11 in Bolton, part of The Bolton Impact Trust. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2020. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in June 2025 did not change this grade.
- Ofsted
- Good (2020)
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Forwards Centre in detail
Getting a place at Forwards Centre
Across Bolton, 89% of families were offered their first-choice primary school for 2026 entry, and 97% were offered one of the schools they named.
In 2026, families in Bolton lodged 169 appeals against primary school offers; 113 reached a hearing and 11 succeeded (9.7% of those heard).
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Forwards Centre are Leverhulme Community Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 55% reading, 57% maths); Red Lane Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 80% reading, 75% maths); SS Osmund and Andrew's R.C. Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 65% reading, 77% maths); and Moorgate Primary School (0.7 miles, Outstanding, 76% reading, 76% maths).
Leverhulme Community Primary SchoolRed Lane Primary SchoolSS Osmund and Andrew's R.C. Primary SchoolMoorgate Primary School
The trust
Forwards Centre is one of 6 schools run by The Bolton Impact Trust, an academy trust.
What parents say
11 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Forwards Centre (as of September 2025): 100% would recommend the school, 100% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that their child is happy at the school (100%).
Who goes there
79.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 2.1% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (83%) and Mixed (13%).
In 2026, 15 pupils (31.3%) received SEN support and 33 (68.8%) 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 social, emotional and mental health needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Hall i' th' Wood Rail Station, about 1.3 miles away in a straight line.
12 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is High Avenue (cnr), 130 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Forwards Centre stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Sources: DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoThis judgement is from February 2020, 6 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's June 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Forwards Centre excels at helping children who have struggled with education rediscover their confidence and love of learning. The school combines high academic expectations with exceptional personal development, including sports and music challenges that connect to British values like democracy and the rule of law. Staff are highly responsive to individual pupil needs, quickly identifying and addressing any barriers to learning.
Key Strengths
- Ambitious, well-planned curriculum tailored to individual pupils' SEND needs that successfully reignites their love of learning
- Strong focus on reading, with staff providing prompt help to pupils with phonics and reading weaknesses
- Exceptional personal development programme that fosters talents, interests and prepares pupils for life beyond school
- Clear behaviour expectations and routines that lead to dramatic improvements in pupils' behaviour and attendance
- Staff demonstrate care and concern for pupils' wellbeing, with leaders attentive to staff workload
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with school leaders demonstrating commitment to keeping pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Sports competitions, music challenges
Forwards Centre is an alternative provision school for pupils aged 5 to 11 who have faced educational difficulties or disengagement. The school has been rated Outstanding across all key areas, helping pupils rediscover their love of learning and achieve excellent results.
At a Glance
79.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
11 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Forwards Centre
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Forwards Centre from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Forwards Centre is in Bolton; for families living there:
Apply to Bolton for free school transport. Its policy is on the council's website.
Safety and surroundings
Road collisions within 500 m (2021 to 2025)
- Collisions
- 19
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 5
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 19 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 14 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
5 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 Bolton is 14 (the median across 148 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
Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
75%
Available places
48 pupils
64 places
16 spare places
as recorded on GIAS
Area Demand Pressure - Bolton
Based on MHCLG Live Table 122 (2024-25, last 5 years) for Bolton
Across Bolton council
Places available
4,015
Applications
3,455
Got 1st preference
89.5%
Got preferred school
96.8%
All primary applications across Bolton council (2026/27), not just this school.
Inspection History(4)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
15
SEN Support
33
EHC Plans
100.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
48
Total Pupils
43
Boys
5
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
9
Teachers
5.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£55,357
Mean salary
2026 data
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Forwards Centre
Questions parents ask about Forwards Centre
What is Forwards Centre's Ofsted rating?
Forwards Centre's most recent Ofsted inspection, in June 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2020, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Forwards Centre?
No fixed boundary. When Forwards Centre is oversubscribed, Bolton allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
How many pupils go to Forwards Centre?
Forwards Centre has around 48 pupils on roll. 79% are eligible for free school meals.
How do I apply to Forwards Centre?
Apply through Bolton's coordinated admissions process, naming Forwards Centre on your application. The national closing date in England is 31 October for secondary places and 15 January for primary places, in the year before your child starts.
How many road collisions happen near Forwards Centre?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 19 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 5 serious and 14 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 5 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 Bolton is 14 (the median across 148 schools, same distance and years).
Where is Forwards Centre?
Forwards Centre is at Stephens Street, Bolton, Lancashire, BL2 5DX.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)