Hardy Mill Primary School, Bolton
Hardy Mill Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Bolton. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in February 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in November 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 29th-highest of the 89 schools in Bolton with published results, and 4,096th of 14,452 across England. It was 93% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 80 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Bolton (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 27 Oct 2026
Hardy Mill Primary School in detail
Hardy Mill Primary School in its own words
In its own words: "Children are at the heart of everything we do. We inspire all our children to be motivated, resilient and confident learners, who are ambitious and strive to achieve their best."
From the headteacher's welcome: "We are committed to providing the best possible care and education for our children and are continually looking for ways to improve and develop what we do, in order to make our school the best it can be."
Clubs and activities named on the school's website include football, netball, cricket and athletics.
The school runs after-school care.
Vision and values (school website)Headteacher's welcome (school website)Clubs (school website)Wraparound care (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
In 2025, 87% of Year 6 pupils at Hardy Mill Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 80% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 78% in Bolton and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 73% in reading and 65% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Hardy Mill Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 41 families put Hardy Mill Primary School as their first choice and 85 named it as one of their preferences, for 42 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at Hardy Mill Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Hardy Mill Primary School are St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton (0.3 miles, Good, 74% reading, 71% maths); Harwood Meadows Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 76% reading, 79% maths); St Maxentius CofE Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 82% reading, 70% maths); and Red Lane Primary School (1 mile, Good, 80% reading, 75% maths).
Hardy Mill Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 4 of them.
St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, BoltonHarwood Meadows Primary SchoolSt Maxentius CofE Primary SchoolRed Lane Primary School
What parents say
75 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Hardy Mill Primary School (as of September 2025): 85% would recommend the school, 85% say their child is happy there and 44% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that they are kept well informed about progress (96%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (44%).
Who goes there
7.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 2.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 31 pupils (9.8%) received SEN support and 6 (1.9%) 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 autism.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Hall i' th' Wood Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.
11 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Patterdale Road (near), 100 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Hardy Mill Primary School issued 1 suspension, 0.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Hardy Mill Primary School are Bolton St Catherine's Academy (0.6 miles), Canon Slade School (1.1 miles) and Turton School (1.5 miles).
Bolton St Catherine's AcademyCanon Slade SchoolTurton School
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); 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); DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Every family who put it first was offered a place for 2026 entry, so distance did not limit places that year.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from February 2015, 11 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's November 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Hardy Mill is a welcoming school where children are happy, enjoy learning and quickly develop a strong sense of belonging. The school excels at teaching reading and phonics, with excellent staff training ensuring all pupils - including those who struggle - become fluent readers. Pupils are well-behaved, courteous and learn important values about respecting others, resilience and being active citizens in their community.
Key Strengths
- Strong phonics teaching with excellent outcomes - children are immersed in rhymes and songs from Nursery onwards
- Excellent support for pupils with SEND, identified early and given tailored help so they learn well alongside classmates
- Fostering a love of reading through carefully selected books, weekly book clubs, author visits and older pupils as reading buddies
- High expectations for all pupils' achievement with a positive reward system (silver/gold awards, house points, Friday Honours)
- Strong pastoral care and well-being focus with pupils developing resilience, respect and pride in learning
Areas for Improvement
- Teachers sometimes do not explain new learning clearly enough, meaning some pupils don't develop secure understanding of new vocabulary and concepts
- Checks on pupils' learning are not consistent, resulting in some pupils developing misconceptions and mistakes in their work, particularly in writing
- Need to strengthen staff's ability to assess and monitor how well pupils are securing important knowledge
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with the school maintaining an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Dance, running, boxercise, art, choir, book club, Mindful Monday sessions, Well-being Wednesday sessions, school council, litter picks, community charity work
Hardy Mill Primary School is a friendly and nurturing school where pupils settle in quickly and develop a strong sense of belonging. The school has maintained good standards and continues to strengthen its broad, balanced and ambitious curriculum.
At a Glance
7.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
75 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at September 2025 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has improved from 73% to 87% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 65% to 80% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 68% to 76% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
26.3
Avg class size
22.3
Infant (KS1)
29.5
KS2
12
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Social & online
Keep up with Hardy Mill Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Hardy Mill Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Hardy Mill Primary School 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
- 2
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 1
- Children hurt
- 1
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.
1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot.
1 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
Your chances of a place at Hardy Mill Primary School
Will you get a place at Hardy Mill Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Hardy Mill Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Hardy Mill Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Hardy Mill Primary School.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Bolton, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at Hardy Mill Primary School for 2014 to 2026 entry.
- How many families in Bolton 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.
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Capacity & Demand
School Occupancy
93%
Near capacity
294 pupils
315 places
21 spare places in 2025
2025, DfE school capacity data
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.
This school: Every first choice offered
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
31
SEN Support
6
EHC Plans
11.7%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
316
Total Pupils
139
Boys
177
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
17
Teachers
18.6:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,367
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,088
Per pupil
£1618k
Total funding
£41k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.1%
Overall absence
6.6%
Persistent absence
256
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
Hardy Mill Primary School
Questions parents ask about Hardy Mill Primary School
What are SATs results like at Hardy Mill Primary School?
Of the pupils at Hardy Mill Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 87% reached the expected standard in reading and 80% did so in maths.
What is Hardy Mill Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Hardy Mill Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in November 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in February 2015, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Hardy Mill Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Hardy Mill Primary School is oversubscribed, Bolton allocates places by its published criteria, usually ending with home-to-school distance.
Is it hard to get a place at Hardy Mill Primary School?
Hardy Mill Primary School was not full in 2025: it ran at 93% of its 315 places.
How big are the classes at Hardy Mill Primary School?
Classes at Hardy Mill Primary School average 26.3 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Hardy Mill Primary School?
Hardy Mill Primary School has around 316 pupils on roll. 7% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Hardy Mill Primary School?
4.1% of sessions were missed at Hardy Mill Primary School in 2024/25. 6.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Hardy Mill Primary School?
Apply through Bolton's coordinated admissions process, naming Hardy Mill 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 Hardy Mill 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. 1 child aged 0 to 15 was hurt: 1 on foot. 1 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 Hardy Mill Primary School?
Hardy Mill Primary School is at Hardy Mill Road, Harwood, Bolton, Lancashire, BL2 4EF.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)