Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School, Bolton
Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 5 to 11 in Bolton. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in April 2016. That was 10 years ago, so the rating may not reflect the school today. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 81st-highest of the 89 schools in Bolton with published results, and 12,028th of 14,452 across England. It was 97% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Good (2016)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
Reception applications for September 2027 close in 81 days
Deadline Friday 15 January 2027. Apply to Bolton (the council where you live). Offers on 16 April.
Data last updated 26 Oct 2026
Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 68% of Year 6 pupils at Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 61% 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 (66% in reading, 66% in maths).
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 20 families put Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School as their first choice and 38 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 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 Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School are St Paul's CofE Primary School, Astley Bridge (0.3 miles, Outstanding, 82% reading, 85% maths); High Lawn Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 73% reading, 77% maths); The Oaks Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 85% reading, 88% maths); and Sharples Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 69% reading, 75% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School.
St Paul's CofE Primary School, Astley BridgeHigh Lawn Primary SchoolThe Oaks Primary SchoolSharples Primary School
What parents say
17 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School (as of April 2026): 77% would recommend the school, 82% say their child is happy there and 20% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (82%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (20%).
Who goes there
38.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), according to the 2026 school census.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Hall i' th' Wood Rail Station, about 1 mile away in a straight line.
24 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Logan Street (opposite), 140 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School issued 25 suspensions, 12.4 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School are Thornleigh Salesian College (0.3 miles); Sharples School (0.6 miles); Eden Boys' School, Bolton (0.7 miles); and Smithills School (0.8 miles).
Thornleigh Salesian CollegeSharples SchoolEden Boys' School, BoltonSmithills 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
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 9 months agoReport card - no single overall grade (Ofsted's framework since November 2025)
Safeguarding standards: met
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's January 2026 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Holy Infant and St Anthony creates a warm, welcoming environment where children settle quickly and feel valued. The school has recently improved its curriculum to be ambitious and broad, and staff provide excellent pastoral support with caring relationships at the heart of school life. Early years provision is a particular strength, with a strong focus on communication skills and helping children develop independence.
Key Strengths
- Strong safeguarding culture with open communication and effective systems to keep pupils safe
- Excellent pastoral support and positive relationships between staff and pupils
- Well-designed, ambitious curriculum that is broad and logically ordered
- Effective early years provision with strong focus on communication, language and reading
- Strong inclusion and support systems for pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils
Areas for Improvement
- Pupils' overall attainment by end of key stage 2 is below national averages
- Writing skills not developed securely - persistent errors in handwriting, spelling, punctuation and grammar not checked consistently
- Some curriculum activities do not enable pupils to learn as effectively as intended, leaving knowledge gaps
- Recent actions to improve achievement and close learning gaps not consistently embedded across school
Safeguarding
Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have established an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and pupils are made safer and feel safe.
Extracurricular Activities
Gymnastics, dodgeball, sports clubs, music concerts, museum visits, careers project, pupil parliamentarian roles, happiness heroes roles, faith in action team, charity fundraising
Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School provides a positive, caring environment where pupils feel safe and supported. However, overall attainment by the end of key stage 2 is below national averages, particularly for disadvantaged pupils in mathematics and in writing skills across the school.
At a Glance
38.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
17 responsesSource: Ofsted Parent View, responses as at April 2026 - % who strongly agree or agree
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has remained stable at around 68% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 66% to 61% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 68% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
26.9
Avg class size
24.7
Infant (KS1)
28.5
KS2
7
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Holy Infant and St Anthony RC 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
- 41
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 8
- Children hurt
- 11
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 41 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 8 serious and 32 slight.
11 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 7 on foot and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise.
9 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 Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School
Will you get a place at Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Holy Infant and St Anthony RC 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 Holy Infant and St Anthony RC 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
97%
Near capacity
204 pupils
210 places
6 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(9)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
30
SEN Support
6
EHC Plans
19.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
188
Total Pupils
100
Boys
88
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
9
Teachers
20.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,919
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,866
Per pupil
£1380k
Total funding
£109k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.1%
Overall absence
13.5%
Persistent absence
192
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
Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School
Questions parents ask about Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School
What are SATs results like at Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School?
Of the pupils at Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 68% reached the expected standard in reading and 61% did so in maths.
What is Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2026, produced a report card, which grades each area but gives no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in April 2016, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Holy Infant and St Anthony RC 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 Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School?
Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 97% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School?
Classes at Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School average 26.9 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School?
Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School has around 188 pupils on roll. 38% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School?
5.1% of sessions were missed at Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School in 2024/25. 13.5% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School?
Apply through Bolton's coordinated admissions process, naming Holy Infant and St Anthony RC 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 Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 41 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 8 serious and 32 slight. 11 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 7 on foot and 4 in a vehicle or otherwise. 9 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 Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School?
Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School is at Mitre Street, Astley Bridge, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 6QJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)