Markland Hill Primary School, Bolton
Markland Hill Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Bolton. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in October 2014. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in December 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 16th-highest of the 89 schools in Bolton with published results, and 2,822nd of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.3 first-choice applications for every place. It was full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2014)
- Demand
- Oversubscribed
- 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
Markland Hill Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 89% of Year 6 pupils at Markland Hill Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 84% 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 (89% in reading, 82% in maths).
Getting a place at Markland Hill Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 53 families put Markland Hill Primary School as their first choice and 166 named it as one of their preferences, for 42 places offered. That is 1.3 first choices for every place. 11 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Markland Hill Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Markland Hill Primary School are St Thomas of Canterbury RC School (0.6 miles, Good, 67% reading, 87% maths); Johnson Fold Community Primary School (0.7 miles); Church Road Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 84% reading, 76% maths); and Devonshire Road Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 71% reading, 80% maths).
Markland Hill Primary School's 2025 results were higher than all 3 of them.
St Thomas of Canterbury RC SchoolJohnson Fold Community Primary SchoolChurch Road Primary SchoolDevonshire Road Primary School
What parents say
154 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Markland Hill Primary School (as of September 2025): 94% would recommend the school, 98% say their child is happy there and 69% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that pupils behave well (99%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (69%).
Who goes there
6.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 6.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (51%) and Asian (38%).
In 2026, 24 pupils (7.6%) received SEN support and 9 (2.9%) 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 speech, language and communication needs.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Lostock Rail Station, about 1.1 miles away in a straight line.
6 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Markland Hill (near), 110 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Markland Hill Primary School stands in is among the 10% least deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
Markland Hill Primary School recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
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 October 2014, 12 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 December 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Markland Hill excels at creating an inclusive environment where every child is valued and supported to reach their potential. The school combines strong academic teaching with excellent enrichment opportunities, ensuring pupils develop confidence and leadership skills alongside their learning. Staff are highly skilled, well-trained and passionate about delivering a curriculum that engages pupils deeply in their studies.
Key Strengths
- Ambitious, well-designed curriculum with carefully planned small steps of knowledge and skills that pupils retain and apply across subjects
- Highly effective phonics programme and reading culture that develops confident, fluent readers who are enthusiastic about literature
- Expert support for pupils with SEND through well-embedded processes and close work with external agencies, resulting in exceptional achievement
- Rich enrichment programme including the '50 things to do before you leave' initiative and extensive extra-curricular clubs
- Exemplary pupil behaviour and mature attitudes to learning, with strong opportunities for leadership roles
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with leaders creating an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Golf, chess, fencing, enterprise activities, campfire cooking, movie making, school ambassador roles, house captain and prefect positions, musical instrument lessons, community concert performances, artwork exhibitions, first aid training
Markland Hill Primary School provides pupils with a high-quality education in an environment where 'Everybody is Somebody'. Pupils thrive academically, socially and emotionally, achieving exceptionally well with exemplary behaviour.
At a Glance
6.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
154 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 remained stable at around 89% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 84% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 89% to 82% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
28.6
Avg class size
26.0
Infant (KS1)
30.3
KS2
11
Total classes
3 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Markland Hill Primary School
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Markland Hill Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Markland Hill 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
- 3
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 0
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 3 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt.
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 Markland Hill Primary School
Will you get a place at Markland Hill Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Markland Hill Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Markland Hill Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Markland Hill 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 Markland Hill 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
100%
Full
315 pupils
315 places
No 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: Oversubscribed
Inspection History(7)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
24
SEN Support
9
EHC Plans
10.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
315
Total Pupils
166
Boys
149
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
15
Teachers
21.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,379
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,039
Per pupil
£1702k
Total funding
£23k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.2%
Overall absence
5.8%
Persistent absence
275
Enrolments
Absence trend
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Questions parents ask about Markland Hill Primary School
What are SATs results like at Markland Hill Primary School?
Of the pupils at Markland Hill Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 89% reached the expected standard in reading and 84% did so in maths.
What is Markland Hill Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Markland Hill Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in December 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in October 2014, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Markland Hill Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Markland Hill 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 Markland Hill Primary School?
Markland Hill 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 Markland Hill Primary School?
Classes at Markland Hill Primary School average 28.6 pupils (2025/26). 3 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Markland Hill Primary School?
Markland Hill Primary School has around 315 pupils on roll. 6% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Markland Hill Primary School?
4.2% of sessions were missed at Markland Hill Primary School in 2024/25. 5.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Markland Hill Primary School?
Apply through Bolton's coordinated admissions process, naming Markland Hill 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 Markland Hill Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 3 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 0 serious and 3 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt. 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 Markland Hill Primary School?
Markland Hill Primary School is at Markland Hill, Heaton, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 5EJ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)