St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton, Bolton
St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton is a primary school for pupils aged 4 to 11 in Bolton. It has a Roman Catholic religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2020. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in December 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 62nd-highest of the 89 schools in Bolton with published results, and 9,396th of 14,452 across England. It was 97% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2020)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- 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 Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton in detail
Results
In 2025, 74% of Year 6 pupils at St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton reached the expected standard in reading and 71% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 78% in Bolton and 77% and 75% across England.
Results rose from 63% in reading and 60% in maths in 2024.
With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.
Getting a place at St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton
For September 2026 entry, 21 families put St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton as their first choice and 53 named it as one of their preferences, for 21 places offered. That is one first choice for every place. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.
Admissions history and your chances at St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton are Hardy Mill Primary School (0.3 miles, Good, 87% reading, 80% maths); Harwood Meadows Primary School (0.5 miles, Good, 76% reading, 79% maths); St Maxentius CofE Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 82% reading, 70% maths); and St Columba's RC Primary School (1 mile, Good, 79% reading, 93% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton.
Hardy Mill Primary SchoolHarwood Meadows Primary SchoolSt Maxentius CofE Primary SchoolSt Columba's RC Primary School
What parents say
61 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton (as of September 2025): 67% would recommend the school, 84% say their child is happy there and 58% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.
The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (93%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (58%).
Who goes there
14.1% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 0.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 21 pupils (10.6%) received SEN support and 6 (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 autism.
Getting there
The nearest railway station is Hall i' th' Wood Rail Station, about 1.2 miles away in a straight line.
7 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Milford Road (near), 140 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton recorded no suspensions or permanent exclusions in 2024/25.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton are Bolton St Catherine's Academy (0.8 miles), Canon Slade School (0.9 miles) and Turton School (1.3 miles).
Bolton St Catherine's AcademyCanon Slade SchoolTurton 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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from January 2020, 6 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
Latest (ungraded) inspection: Standards have been maintained.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's December 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
This is a warm, welcoming school where children thrive and feel genuinely cared for. Reading is taught expertly with a strong phonics programme, and the school prioritises pupil wellbeing through mindfulness, yoga and emotional support. Children develop strong values including tolerance and respect for people of different faiths and backgrounds.
Key Strengths
- Excellent reading programme with well-trained staff delivering expert phonics instruction - pupils make strong progress including those who struggle with reading
- Rich and varied curriculum with high expectations for behaviour and learning - most pupils achieve well across a range of subjects
- Strong focus on pupil wellbeing with therapy dog Maple, mindfulness sessions, yoga and emotional health support
- Pupils take on meaningful leadership roles and contribute to school life through fundraising and charitable work
- Very well-considered programme of extra-curricular activities helping pupils discover and nurture their talents
Areas for Improvement
- In a few subjects, key concepts that pupils need to revisit have not been identified or emphasised well enough - this limits some pupils from building strong knowledge over time
- Assessment checks in some subjects do not always ensure pupils are successfully building on earlier learning
- Support for pupils with SEND is not always as effective or timely as it could be, sometimes limiting their progress
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Extracurricular Activities
Yoga, mindfulness sessions, fundraising initiatives, planet protectors programme, digital leaders programme
St Brendan's RC Primary School is a happy and welcoming school where pupils are very proud to attend and thrive due to strong relationships with staff. The school has successfully maintained the standards identified at its previous inspection.
At a Glance
14.1%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
What Parents Think
61 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 improved from 63% to 74% (2024 to 2025). Maths has improved from 60% to 71% (2024 to 2025). Writing has improved from 63% to 77% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
28.4
Avg class size
26.7
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 Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton
Getting There
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton 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
- 6
- Fatal
- 0
- Serious
- 2
- Children hurt
- 4
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 4 slight.
4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise.
2 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 Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton
Will you get a place at St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton? Get the admissions report
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What the report includes for St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Bolton, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton 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(6)
Ungraded inspection: Standards have been maintained.
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
21
SEN Support
6
EHC Plans
13.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
199
Total Pupils
118
Boys
81
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
10
Teachers
19.9:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£52,533
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,223
Per pupil
£1161k
Total funding
£36k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
2.8%
Overall absence
2.3%
Persistent absence
177
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 Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton
Questions parents ask about St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton
What are SATs results like at St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton?
Of the pupils at St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 74% reached the expected standard in reading and 71% did so in maths.
What is St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton's Ofsted rating?
St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton's most recent Ofsted inspection, in December 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2020, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton?
No fixed boundary. When St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton 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 Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton?
St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton was close to full in 2025, at 97% of its capacity.
How big are the classes at St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton?
Classes at St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton average 28.4 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 Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton?
St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton has around 199 pupils on roll. 14% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton?
2.8% of sessions were missed at St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton in 2024/25. 2.3% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton?
Apply through Bolton's coordinated admissions process, naming St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton 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 St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 6 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: none fatal, 2 serious and 4 slight. 4 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 1 on foot and 3 in a vehicle or otherwise. 2 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 Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton?
St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton is at Brookfold Lane, Harwood, Bolton, Lancashire, BL2 4DZ.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)