Highfield Primary School, Bolton

Ofsted's report card from its 6 May 2026 inspection grades Highfield Primary School on 7 areas: 1 strong standard and 6 expected standard. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Personal development and wellbeing - Strong standard. "The personal development programme that leaders have established is a golden thread that runs through all aspects of school life."

Achievement - Expected standard. "Typically, pupils achieve well."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Attendance is improving over time."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have established an ambitious curriculum for pupils to learn."

Early years - Expected standard. "Leaders prioritise the early years and staff benefit from considerable professional development."

Inclusion - Expected standard. "Leaders and staff know pupils and their families very well."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Governors have a clear and well-informed understanding of the school."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should refine their approach to the teaching of writing so that all staff develop expertise in supporting pupils' transcription skills"; "Leaders should improve the precision of targets that support learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities so that they are fully supported to succeed across the curriculum"; "Leaders should make sure that the activities that staff choose consistently help pupils to deepen their learning".

In 2025, 80% of Year 6 pupils at Highfield Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 88% 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 (83% in reading, 86% in maths).

For September 2026 entry, 55 families put Highfield Primary School as their first choice and 106 named it as one of their preferences, for 60 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to Highfield Primary School are Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School (under 0.1 miles, Good, 86% reading, 86% maths); Cherry Tree Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 53% reading, 47% maths); The Ferns Primary Academy (0.4 miles, Good, 85% reading, 85% maths); and St James CofE Primary School, Farnworth (0.6 miles, Good, 79% reading, 77% maths).

Highfield Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 4 schools.

In 2026, 38 pupils (9.2%) received SEN support and 14 (3.4%) 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.

The nearest railway station is Moses Gate Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.

15 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Highfield Hall (opposite), 60 metres away.

Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Highfield Primary School stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.

In 2024/25, Highfield Primary School issued 18 suspensions, 4.3 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.

The secondary schools closest to Highfield Primary School are St James's Church of England High School (0.2 miles), Harper Green School (0.4 miles), Mount St Joseph RC High School a Voluntary Academy (0.5 miles) and King's Leadership Academy Bolton (0.9 miles).