St Catherine's CofE Primary School, Bolton

Ofsted's report card from its 7 July 2026 inspection grades St Catherine's CofE Primary School on 7 areas: 6 expected standard and 1 needs attention. Report cards replaced single-word judgements in November 2025, on a five-point scale from exceptional to urgent improvement.

Achievement - Expected standard. "Pupils are ready for the next stage of their education."

Attendance and behaviour - Expected standard. "Pupils attend school regularly and on time."

Curriculum and teaching - Expected standard. "Leaders have an accurate understanding of the quality of curriculum and teaching across the school."

Early years - Expected standard. "Leaders have a clear vision for the early years curriculum and what they want children to learn by the end of the Reception Year."

Leadership and governance - Expected standard. "Typically, leaders have a generally accurate understanding of the school's strengths and areas for development."

Personal development and wellbeing - Expected standard. "Leaders have a clear vision for pupils' personal development."

Inclusion - Needs attention. "Leaders know pupils well and understand the barriers to learning that some may face."

Safeguarding standards were met.

Ofsted's next steps for the school: "Leaders should make sure that assessment, target-setting and review processes for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are precise and reliable so that they can identify pupils' needs accurately and evaluate the impact of support"; "Leaders should ensure that learning is consistently matched to pupils' needs and prior attainment, including through providing appropriate challenge for higher-attaining pupils, to enable more pupils to deepen their understanding and achieve highly across the curriculum".

In 2025, 69% of Year 6 pupils at St Catherine's CofE 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 fell from 74% in reading and 71% in maths in 2024.

With small year groups, a few pupils can move these figures by several points.

For September 2026 entry, 23 families put St Catherine's CofE Primary School as their first choice and 61 named it as one of their preferences, for 28 places offered. It had fewer first-choice applications than places. Every family who put it first was offered a place there for 2026 entry.

The nearest other state primary schools to St Catherine's CofE Primary School are Beacon Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 68% reading, 52% maths); Horwich Parish CofE Primary School (0.7 miles, Good, 80% reading, 88% maths); Chorley New Road Primary Academy (0.9 miles, 78% reading, 73% maths); and St Mary's RC Primary School (0.9 miles, Good, 75% reading, 69% maths).

St Catherine's CofE Primary School's 2025 results were higher than 1 of these 4 schools.

St Catherine's CofE Primary School is one of 8 schools run by The Bishop Fraser Trust, an academy trust.

103 parents answered Ofsted's Parent View survey about St Catherine's CofE Primary School (as of September 2026): 79% would recommend the school, 83% say their child is happy there and 43% of those with a view say bullying is dealt with well.

The strongest agreement was that their child feels safe (85%); the weakest, that the school deals with bullying well (among parents with a view) (43%).

8.4% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.

In 2026, 31 pupils (13.1%) received SEN support and 6 (2.5%) 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.

The nearest railway station is Blackrod Rail Station, about 1020 metres away (roughly a 13-minute walk).

3 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Vale Coppice (opposite), 140 metres away.

In 2024/25, St Catherine's CofE Primary School issued 4 suspensions, 1.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.

The secondary schools closest to St Catherine's CofE Primary School are Rivington and Blackrod High School (1.1 miles) and St Joseph's RC High School (1.2 miles).