Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School, Bolton
Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Bolton. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Outstanding at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in April 2024. 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. It was 99% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- Above England average
- Ofsted
- Outstanding (2024)
- 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
Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 89% of Year 6 pupils at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic 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 (88% in reading, 84% in maths).
Getting a place at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 57 families put Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School as their first choice and 103 named it as one of their preferences, for 59 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. 5 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School are The Gates Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 93% reading, 93% maths); St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 78% reading, 81% maths); Woodland Primary Academy (0.6 miles); and St Thomas CofE Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 81% reading, 84% maths).
Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 2 of these 3 schools.
The Gates Primary SchoolSt Bartholomew's CofE Primary SchoolWoodland Primary AcademySt Thomas CofE Primary School
Who goes there
9.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 9.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (74%), Asian (7%) and Mixed (7%).
In 2026, 20 pupils (4.8%) received SEN support and 10 (2.4%) 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.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Westhoughton Rail Station, about 370 metres away (roughly a 5-minute walk).
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Sacred Hearth RC Primary School (outside), 40 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School issued 8 suspensions, 1.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Sources: DfE school performance data (averages: state mainstream schools); DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 3 years agoOverall
Quality of Education
Behaviour & Attitudes
Personal Development
Leadership & Management
Early Years
Ofsted Insights
Ofsted rated this school Outstanding at its April 2024 inspection.
Rated Outstanding for
Quality of education, Behaviour & attitudes, Personal development, Leadership & management, Early years.
At a Glance
9.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
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 remained stable at around 87% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.8
Avg class size
30.0
Infant (KS1)
29.6
KS2
14
Total classes
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School.
- Washacre Out of School Club990m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. Sacred Heart Roman Catholic 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
- 9
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 2 serious and 6 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot.
3 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 Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School
Will you get a place at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to Sacred Heart Roman Catholic 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 Sacred Heart Roman Catholic 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
99%
Near capacity
418 pupils
420 places
2 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(5)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
20
SEN Support
10
EHC Plans
7.2%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
417
Total Pupils
207
Boys
210
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
20
Teachers
20.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£46,072
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£4,955
Per pupil
£2257k
Total funding
£52k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
4.5%
Overall absence
8.8%
Persistent absence
363
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
Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School
Questions parents ask about Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School
What are SATs results like at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School?
Of the pupils at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic 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 Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School's Ofsted rating?
Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School was rated Outstanding at its most recent Ofsted inspection in April 2024.
What is the catchment area for Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When Sacred Heart Roman Catholic 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 Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School?
Sacred Heart Roman Catholic 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 Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School?
Classes at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School average 29.8 pupils (2025/26).
How many pupils go to Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School?
Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School has around 417 pupils on roll. 9% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School?
4.5% of sessions were missed at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School in 2024/25. 8.8% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School?
Apply through Bolton's coordinated admissions process, naming Sacred Heart Roman Catholic 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 Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School: Washacre Out of School Club (990m away, registered, not yet graded). The school may also run its own clubs, which don't have to register with Ofsted.
How many road collisions happen near Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 9 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 2 serious and 6 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on foot. 3 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 Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School?
Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School is at Central Drive, Westhoughton, Bolton, Lancashire, BL5 3DU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)