St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School, Bolton
St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School is a primary school for pupils aged 5 to 11 in Bolton. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in May 2011. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in May 2025 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 41st-highest of the 89 schools in Bolton with published results, and 6,110th of 14,452 across England. For 2026 entry it had 1.3 first-choice applications for every place. It was full in 2025, at 102% of capacity.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2011)
- 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
St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School in detail
Results
In 2025, 78% of Year 6 pupils at St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School reached the expected standard in reading and 81% 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 (77% in reading, 81% in maths).
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School
For September 2026 entry, 39 families put St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School as their first choice and 103 named it as one of their preferences, for 30 places offered. That is 1.3 first choices for every place. 10 families who put it first were not offered a place there.
Admissions history and your chances at St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School are Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School (0.4 miles, Outstanding, 89% reading, 84% maths); Woodland Primary Academy (0.5 miles); St George's CofE Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 68% reading, 80% maths); and Eatock Primary School (0.6 miles, Outstanding, 79% reading, 88% maths).
St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 3 schools.
Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary SchoolWoodland Primary AcademySt George's CofE Primary SchoolEatock Primary School
What parents say
77 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School (as of September 2025): 92% would recommend the school, 97% say their child is happy there and 77% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (99%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (77%).
Who goes there
16.2% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 6.7% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (84%) and Mixed (6%).
In 2026, 14 pupils (6.7%) received SEN support and 7 (3.3%) 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 790 metres away (roughly a 10-minute walk).
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is The Fairways, 90 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School issued 3 suspensions, 1.4 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; Ofsted Parent View; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
Ofsted · 1 year agoThis judgement is from May 2011, 15 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 May 2025 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St Bartholomew's is a warm, inclusive community where children thrive emotionally and academically. The school excels at teaching reading and providing exceptional support for all learners, especially those with additional needs. Pupils enjoy a rich range of experiences including trips, sports and the celebrated end-of-year production that brings learning to life.
Key Strengths
- Excellent reading instruction with most pupils becoming fluent and confident readers by the end of Year 2
- Effective identification and personalised support for pupils with SEND, particularly those with complex needs
- Wealth of enriching opportunities including trips, visits, sporting tournaments and end-of-year productions
- Strong, caring relationships between staff and pupils creating a safe, happy and inclusive environment
- High staff morale and well-managed workload, resulting in a positive school atmosphere
Areas for Improvement
- Some lesson activities do not support pupils' learning as effectively as they could in a small number of subjects where the curriculum is newer
- Occasional errors in pupils' work go unaddressed, causing some pupils to carry gaps in foundational knowledge
- Staff need further development in expertise and knowledge for delivering certain curriculum subjects to full depth
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with clear procedures and an open, positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Sporting tournaments, end-of-year production, residential trips in Key Stage 2, trips to zoo and local museums, ferry rides
St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School is a welcoming and inclusive primary school where pupils' success and well-being are central to the school's work. The school has maintained its Good rating across all areas, with strong community values and ambitious curriculum provision.
At a Glance
16.2%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
77 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 78% (2024 to 2025). Maths has remained stable at around 81% (2024 to 2025). Writing has remained stable at around 72% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
30.0
Avg class size
30.3
Infant (KS1)
29.8
KS2
7
Total classes
2 classes with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School.
- Washacre Out of School Club820m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Bartholomew's CofE 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
- 15
- Fatal
- 1
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 3
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 2 serious and 12 slight.
3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise.
4 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 St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School
Will you get a place at St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Bartholomew's CofE 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 St Bartholomew's CofE 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
102%
Over capacity
214 pupils
210 places
4 pupils over capacity 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(12)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
14
SEN Support
7
EHC Plans
10.0%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
210
Total Pupils
92
Boys
118
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
21.0:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£50,154
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,141
Per pupil
£1189k
Total funding
£38k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
3.9%
Overall absence
5.9%
Persistent absence
186
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
St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School
Questions parents ask about St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School
What are SATs results like at St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School?
Of the pupils at St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 78% reached the expected standard in reading and 81% did so in maths.
What is St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?
St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2025, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in May 2011, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School?
No fixed boundary. When St Bartholomew's CofE 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 St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School?
St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School was full in 2025, at 102% of its capacity, so places are allocated on the oversubscription criteria.
How big are the classes at St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School?
Classes at St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School average 30 pupils (2025/26). 2 classes have more than 30 pupils - infant classes are capped at 30 by law, with limited exceptions.
How many pupils go to St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School?
St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School has around 210 pupils on roll. 16% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School?
3.9% of sessions were missed at St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School in 2024/25. 5.9% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School?
Apply through Bolton's coordinated admissions process, naming St Bartholomew's CofE 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 St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School: Washacre Out of School Club (820m 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 St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 15 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 1 fatal, 2 serious and 12 slight. 3 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 2 on foot and 1 in a vehicle or otherwise. 4 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 St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School?
St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School is at The Fairways, Westhoughton, Bolton, Lancashire, BL5 3NZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)