Pikes Lane Primary School, Bolton
Pikes Lane Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 2 to 11 in Bolton. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in June 2016. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in January 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 77th-highest of the 89 schools in Bolton with published results, and 11,486th of 14,452 across England. It was 98% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Below England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2016)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- Better than England average
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
Pikes Lane Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 64% of Year 6 pupils at Pikes Lane Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 69% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 78% in Bolton and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 62% in reading and 63% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at Pikes Lane Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 49 families put Pikes Lane Primary School as their first choice and 73 named it as one of their preferences, for 54 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 Pikes Lane Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Pikes Lane Primary School are Gilnow Primary School (0.2 miles, Good, 72% reading, 69% maths); St Peter and St Paul RC Primary School a Voluntary Academy (0.5 miles); Sunning Hill Primary School (0.5 miles, Outstanding, 84% reading, 87% maths); and Haslam Park Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 80% reading, 78% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than Pikes Lane Primary School.
Gilnow Primary SchoolSt Peter and St Paul RC Primary School a Voluntary AcademySunning Hill Primary SchoolHaslam Park Primary School
What parents say
27 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about Pikes Lane Primary School (as of September 2025): 96% would recommend the school, 96% say their child is happy there and 100% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (100%); the weakest, that the school has high expectations for their child (89%).
Who goes there
88.3% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are Asian (59%), Black (25%) and other ethnic groups (11%).
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Bolton Rail Station, about 0.8 miles away in a straight line.
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Cannon Street (opposite), 160 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood Pikes Lane Primary School stands in is among the 10% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Pikes Lane Primary School issued 10 suspensions, 1.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to Pikes Lane Primary School are University Collegiate School (0.2 miles) and Bolton Muslim Girls School (0.6 miles).
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
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 June 2016, 10 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 January 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
Pikes Lane is a calm, orderly school where children are polite, kind and feel genuinely safe. The phonics and early reading programme is working well, getting most children reading fluently by Year 2. The school is committed to developing pupils' talents through clubs and activities, and effectively supports children with additional needs.
Key Strengths
- Pupils behave well and feel safe, with positive relationships between adults and children
- Early reading/phonics programme is effective, with most pupils fluent readers by Year 2
- Pupils with SEND are quickly identified and well-supported to learn alongside their peers
- Personal development is strong, with good provision for staying safe online, mental well-being, and community activities
- Staff deliver some subjects successfully where curriculum knowledge is clearly mapped out
Areas for Improvement
- Many subjects lack clearly defined curriculum plans showing what knowledge pupils need and when to teach it
- Teachers are not identifying learning gaps and misconceptions quickly enough before moving pupils forward
- Children in early years and Year 2 are not developing secure letter formation and writing skills
- Governors have not challenged the school effectively or evaluated curriculum quality
- Published end of Year 6 results show many pupils are not well prepared for secondary school
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective, with leaders creating an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Cookery club, sports, choir, litter picking, charity fundraising, breakfast club
Pikes Lane Primary School is a calm, orderly place where pupils are polite and well-mannered, but the quality of education requires improvement as pupils are not building knowledge well enough across the whole curriculum.
At a Glance
30.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
27 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 64% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 63% to 69% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 57% to 70% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.3
Avg class size
29.0
Infant (KS1)
29.4
KS2
16
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Pikes Lane Primary School
Before and after school care
Pikes Lane Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Source: Free breakfast clubs: schools on the programme, Department for Education Free breakfast clubs in Bolton
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Pikes Lane Primary School.
- Learning Cubs - Bolton950m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Pikes Lane Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Pikes Lane 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
- 51
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 12
- Children hurt
- 16
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 51 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 12 serious and 39 slight.
16 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot and 11 in a vehicle or otherwise.
14 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 Pikes Lane Primary School
Will you get a place at Pikes Lane Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Pikes Lane Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Pikes Lane Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Pikes Lane 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 Pikes Lane 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
98%
Near capacity
443 pupils
450 places
7 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)
Ungraded inspection: The school remains Outstanding, but Ofsted raised concerns; its next inspection will be a full graded one.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
80
SEN Support
25
EHC Plans
20.5%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
512
Total Pupils
261
Boys
251
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
23
Teachers
22.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,320
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,146
Per pupil
£3143k
Total funding
£267k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.2%
Overall absence
8.6%
Persistent absence
396
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
Pikes Lane Primary School
Questions parents ask about Pikes Lane Primary School
What are SATs results like at Pikes Lane Primary School?
Of the pupils at Pikes Lane Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 64% reached the expected standard in reading and 69% did so in maths.
What is Pikes Lane Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Pikes Lane Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in June 2016, it was rated Outstanding.
What is the catchment area for Pikes Lane Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Pikes Lane 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 Pikes Lane Primary School?
Pikes Lane Primary School was close to full in 2025, at 98% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at Pikes Lane Primary School?
Classes at Pikes Lane Primary School average 29.3 pupils (2025/26). 1 class has more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to Pikes Lane Primary School?
Pikes Lane Primary School has around 512 pupils on roll. 30% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Pikes Lane Primary School?
4.2% of sessions were missed at Pikes Lane Primary School in 2024/25. 8.6% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Pikes Lane Primary School?
Apply through Bolton's coordinated admissions process, naming Pikes Lane 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.
Does Pikes Lane Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Pikes Lane Primary School is on the Department for Education's free breakfast clubs programme (list updated July 2026), which pays for a free breakfast club for pupils before school. Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Pikes Lane Primary School: Learning Cubs - Bolton (950m away, registered, not yet graded).
How many road collisions happen near Pikes Lane Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 51 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 12 serious and 39 slight. 16 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 5 on foot and 11 in a vehicle or otherwise. 14 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 Pikes Lane Primary School?
Pikes Lane Primary School is at Gibraltar Street, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 5HU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)