High Lawn Primary School, Bolton
High Lawn Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Bolton. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in March 2015. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in October 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 59th-highest of the 89 schools in Bolton with published results, and 8,234th of 14,452 across England. It was full in 2025, at 101% of capacity.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2015)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- Attendance
- In line with England
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
High Lawn Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 73% of Year 6 pupils at High Lawn Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 77% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 78% in Bolton and 77% and 75% across England.
Results were similar in 2024 (77% in reading, 72% in maths).
Getting a place at High Lawn Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 41 families put High Lawn Primary School as their first choice and 75 named it as one of their preferences, for 45 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 1 family who put it first was not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at High Lawn Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to High Lawn Primary School are The Oaks Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 85% reading, 88% maths); Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 68% reading, 61% maths); Sharples Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 69% reading, 75% maths); and St Paul's CofE Primary School, Astley Bridge (0.7 miles, Outstanding, 82% reading, 85% maths).
High Lawn Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.
The Oaks Primary SchoolHoly Infant and St Anthony RC Primary SchoolSharples Primary SchoolSt Paul's CofE Primary School, Astley Bridge
What parents say
50 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about High Lawn Primary School (as of September 2025): 88% would recommend the school, 94% say their child is happy there and 43% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (98%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (43%).
Who goes there
In 2026, 51 pupils (10.4%) received SEN support and 18 (3.7%) 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 a moderate learning difficulty.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bromley Cross Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.
9 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Andrew Lane, 190 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood High Lawn Primary School stands in is among the 20% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, High Lawn Primary School issued 10 suspensions, 2 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to High Lawn Primary School are Sharples School (0.4 miles), Thornleigh Salesian College (0.7 miles), Turton School (1 mile) and Smithills School (1.1 miles).
Sharples SchoolThornleigh Salesian CollegeTurton SchoolSmithills 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); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Location
Our estimate from how close the nearest similar schools are and how oversubscribed the council's schools are. It is not a published boundary.
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 2 years agoThis judgement is from March 2015, 11 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
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's October 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
High Lawn Primary excels at developing confident, fluent readers from age two onwards through consistent phonics teaching and a love of books. The school nurtures the whole child, with strong relationships between staff and pupils, alongside excellent opportunities for leadership and sporting activities. Pupils with additional needs are well supported through swift identification and specialist staff training.
Key Strengths
- Strong focus on reading from age two, with consistently delivered phonics and confident, fluent readers
- Broad and balanced curriculum with clear sequencing in most subjects, leading to strong pupil achievement
- Highly positive relationships between pupils and staff creating a warm, welcoming learning environment
- Effective support for pupils with SEND through swift identification and regular staff training
- Excellent wider development with pupils taking on leadership roles and participating in diverse sporting opportunities
Areas for Improvement
- A few subjects, including some aspects of early years curriculum, lack clear breakdown of what pupils need to learn in logical steps
- Early years staff sometimes miss opportunities to use purposeful dialogue with children to develop their knowledge and vocabulary
- Governors' oversight of some wider curriculum areas is not robust enough, limiting their ability to challenge and support the school effectively
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff trained to support pupils and a warm, welcoming atmosphere where pupils trust adults to help them with any worries.
Extracurricular Activities
Eco-committee, head boy and head girl roles, sporting opportunities including competitive games, lifelong learning week, before and after school clubs, visits and visitors
High Lawn Primary School is a Good primary school where pupils are proud to attend and eager to learn. The school has high expectations across the curriculum and creates a warm, welcoming atmosphere in which pupils thrive.
At a Glance
21.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
50 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 declined from 77% to 73% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 72% to 77% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 80% to 84% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.8
Avg class size
29.2
Infant (KS1)
30.3
KS2
14
Total classes
4 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with High Lawn Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to High Lawn Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. High Lawn 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
- 12
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 4
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 8 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise.
8 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 High Lawn Primary School
Will you get a place at High Lawn Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against High Lawn Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for High Lawn Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to High Lawn 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 High Lawn 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
101%
Over capacity
421 pupils
420 places
1 pupil over capacity 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: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
51
SEN Support
18
EHC Plans
14.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
492
Total Pupils
261
Boys
231
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
21
Teachers
23.4:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,235
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,181
Per pupil
£2451k
Total funding
£170k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.3%
Overall absence
14.2%
Persistent absence
367
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
Questions parents ask about High Lawn Primary School
What are SATs results like at High Lawn Primary School?
Of the pupils at High Lawn Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 73% reached the expected standard in reading and 77% did so in maths.
What is High Lawn Primary School's Ofsted rating?
High Lawn Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in October 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in March 2015, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for High Lawn Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When High Lawn 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 High Lawn Primary School?
High Lawn Primary School was full in 2025, at 100% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at High Lawn Primary School?
Classes at High Lawn Primary School average 29.8 pupils (2025/26). 4 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to High Lawn Primary School?
High Lawn Primary School has around 492 pupils on roll. 21% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at High Lawn Primary School?
5.3% of sessions were missed at High Lawn Primary School in 2024/25. 14.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to High Lawn Primary School?
Apply through Bolton's coordinated admissions process, naming High Lawn 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 High Lawn Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 12 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 4 serious and 8 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on a bicycle and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise. 8 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 High Lawn Primary School?
High Lawn Primary School is at Holden Avenue, Sharples, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 7EX.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)