St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill, Bolton
St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill is a primary school for pupils aged 3 to 11 in Bolton. It has a Church of England religious character. It was rated Good at its last graded Ofsted inspection, in January 2019. Ofsted's ungraded inspection in May 2024 did not change this grade. Its 2025 Key Stage 2 results were the 65th-highest of the 89 schools in Bolton with published results, and 9,801st of 14,452 across England. It was 94% full in 2025.
- SATs results
- In line with England
- Ofsted
- Good (2019)
- Demand
- Every first choice offered
- Attendance
- In line with England
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
St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill in detail
Results
In 2025, 76% of Year 6 pupils at St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill reached the expected standard in reading and 67% in maths. At the average state primary the figures were 77% and 78% in Bolton and 77% and 75% across England.
Results fell from 83% in reading and 71% in maths in 2024.
Getting a place at St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill
For September 2026 entry, 40 families put St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill as their first choice and 76 named it as one of their preferences, for 50 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 St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill are Eatock Primary School (0.5 miles, Outstanding, 79% reading, 88% maths); Woodland Primary Academy (0.6 miles); St George's CofE Primary School (0.8 miles, Good, 68% reading, 80% maths); and Atherton St George's CofE Primary School (1 mile, Good, 78% reading, 76% maths).
Each of them had higher 2025 results than St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill.
Eatock Primary SchoolWoodland Primary AcademySt George's CofE Primary SchoolAtherton St George's CofE Primary School
Who goes there
10.3% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well below the average state school (25%), and 4.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
In 2026, 81 pupils (18.2%) received SEN support and 13 (2.9%) 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 Daisy Hill Rail Station, about 630 metres away (roughly a 8-minute walk).
8 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is St James Street (cnr), 50 metres away.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill issued 24 suspensions, 5.7 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and no permanent exclusions.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill are Westhoughton High School (1 mile), Atherton High School (1.4 miles) and Outwood Academy Hindley (1.8 miles).
Westhoughton High SchoolAtherton High SchoolOutwood Academy Hindley
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 · 2 years agoThis judgement is from January 2019, 7 years ago, longer than Ofsted's usual 4-year cycle: the school may have changed since.
Overall
Latest (ungraded) inspection: The school remains Good.
Ofsted Insights
From Ofsted's May 2024 inspection report.
What This School Does Well
St James makes every child feel welcome and cared for by kind, knowledgeable adults. The school offers an ambitious curriculum with high expectations, and pupils achieve well including those with additional needs. Teachers bring learning to life through clear explanations and skilled questioning, while the school promotes a love of reading from the very start.
Key Strengths
- Well-designed curriculum that ensures high standards from early years onwards, with logical progression of knowledge
- Strong culture of reading for pleasure, with effective phonics teaching from Nursery
- Excellent behaviour and positive relationships - pupils are considerate, caring and behave well
- Skilled teaching with effective use of modelling, clear explanations and questioning
- Timely identification of pupils with SEND and tailored support to help them access the curriculum
Areas for Improvement
- In a few subjects, teachers do not use assessment methods well enough to identify gaps in pupils' knowledge
- Occasionally teachers do not know what content pupils need to revisit and practise before moving on to new learning
- This sometimes hinders some aspects of pupils' achievement in certain subjects
Safeguarding
Safeguarding arrangements are effective with an open and positive culture that puts pupils' interests first.
Extracurricular Activities
Choir, football, gymnastics, workshops with Leigh Leopards for mental wellbeing, trips to Eureka, Chester and the Imperial War Museum, visits from police and fire and rescue services
St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill continues to be a good school where pupils feel happy, safe and well cared for. The school has high expectations for achievement with an ambitious curriculum and strong teaching across the board.
At a Glance
10.3%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
Yes
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Primary Performance (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 83% to 76% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 71% to 67% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 83% to 76% (2024 to 2025).
Class Sizes
29.7
Avg class size
28.8
Infant (KS1)
29.1
KS2
15
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 St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill
Before and after school care
Clubs on Ofsted's childcare register at or near St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill.
- Premier Education WAC - Eatock Primary School620m away · Not yet graded
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill 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
- 4
- Children hurt
- 5
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, 4 serious and 2 slight.
5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on a bicycle and 2 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 James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill
Will you get a place at St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Bolton, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill 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
94%
Near capacity
395 pupils
420 places
25 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(8)
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
81
SEN Support
13
EHC Plans
21.1%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
445
Total Pupils
225
Boys
220
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
20
Teachers
22.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£48,879
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£5,041
Per pupil
£2160k
Total funding
£61k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.1%
Overall absence
11.2%
Persistent absence
348
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 James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill
Questions parents ask about St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill
What are SATs results like at St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill?
Of the pupils at St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill who took the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments, 76% reached the expected standard in reading and 67% did so in maths.
What is St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill's Ofsted rating?
St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill's most recent Ofsted inspection, in May 2024, was ungraded, so it gave no overall grade. At its last graded inspection, in January 2019, it was rated Good.
What is the catchment area for St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill?
No fixed boundary. When St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill 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 James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill?
St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill was not full in 2025: it ran at 94% of its 420 places.
How big are the classes at St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill?
Classes at St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill average 29.7 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 St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill?
St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill has around 445 pupils on roll. 10% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill?
5.1% of sessions were missed at St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill in 2024/25. 11.2% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill?
Apply through Bolton's coordinated admissions process, naming St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill 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 James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill have a breakfast club or after-school club?
Ofsted's childcare register lists an out-of-school club within a kilometre of St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill: Premier Education WAC - Eatock Primary School (620m 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 James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill?
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, 4 serious and 2 slight. 5 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt: 3 on a bicycle and 2 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 James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill?
St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill is at Hindley Road, Daisy Hill, Bolton, Lancashire, BL5 2JU.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)