St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth, Bolton
St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth is a primary school for pupils aged 5 to 11 in Bolton, part of Archbishop Temple Church of England Multi Academy Trust. It has a Church of England religious character. It was 79% full in 2025.
- 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 John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth in detail
St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth in its own words
In its own words: "'For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you, plans to give you hope and a future' Jeremiah 29:11 At St John CE Primary School Farnworth we are a National Nurturing School."
Vision and values (school website)
Source: The school's own website
Results
St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth has no published results of its own yet. Before it took its current form in 2024, as St John CofE Primary School, Kearsley (URN 105241), 63% of its Year 6 pupils reached the expected standard in reading and 71% in maths in the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments.
Getting a place at St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth
For September 2026 entry, 12 families put St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth as their first choice and 26 named it as one of their preferences, for 14 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 John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth
Compared with nearby schools
The nearest other state primary schools to St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth are St Gregory's RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy (under 0.1 miles, Good, 86% reading, 86% maths); Kearsley West Primary School (0.4 miles, Good, 90% reading, 87% maths); St Peter's CofE Primary School (0.4 miles, Outstanding, 72% reading, 67% maths); and All Saints CofE Primary School (0.6 miles, Good, 76% reading, 76% maths).
St Gregory's RC Primary School, A Voluntary AcademyKearsley West Primary SchoolSt Peter's CofE Primary SchoolAll Saints CofE Primary School
The trust
St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth is one of 5 schools run by Archbishop Temple Church of England Multi Academy Trust, an academy trust.
Across the trust's primary schools, 63% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths in 2024/25.
All 5 schools in Archbishop Temple Church of England Multi Academy Trust
Who goes there
37% of pupils are eligible for free school meals, well above the average state school (25%), and 43.5% speak English as an additional language, against 18.8% on average, according to the 2026 school census.
The largest ethnic groups are White British (33%), Asian (26%) and Black (23%).
In 2026, 40 pupils (26%) received SEN support and 4 (2.6%) 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 Farnworth Rail Station, about 240 metres away (roughly a 3-minute walk).
13 bus stops are within a five-minute walk; the closest is Church Road (near), 250 metres away.
The area around the school
Measured by the 2025 English Indices of Deprivation, the neighbourhood St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth stands in is among the 20% most deprived neighbourhoods in England. This describes where the school is, not where its pupils live.
Suspensions and exclusions
In 2024/25, St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth issued 22 suspensions, 12.9 for every 100 pupils (the average state school: 6.3), and 1 permanent exclusion.
Secondary schools nearby
The secondary schools closest to St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth are Kearsley Academy (0.7 miles), Little Lever School (1 mile) and Harper Green School (1 mile).
Sources: DfE school performance data; GIAS establishment links; DfE school-level applications and offers; council admissions booklets; DfE appeals statistics; DfE multi-academy trust performance data; DfE school census and special educational needs statistics; NaPTAN (Department for Transport); English Indices of Deprivation 2025 (MHCLG); data.police.uk street-level crime; DfE exclusions statistics
Key Information
DfE GIASOfsted Rating
St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth has not been inspected by Ofsted since it took its current form in November 2024. Before that, as St John CofE Primary School, Kearsley (URN 105241), it was rated Good in June 2013.
At a Glance
37.0%
Free School Meals
No
Boarding
No
Nursery
No
Sixth Form
No
Special Measures
Class Sizes
25.7
Avg class size
26.3
KS2
6
Total classes
1 class with more than 30 pupils
2025/26 academic year
Results at St John CofE Primary School, Kearsley before it took its current form in 2024 (KS2)
Academic year 2024/25Published for St John CofE Primary School, Kearsley (URN 105241), the school St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth replaced. There are no figures for St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth yet, so these are shown separately.
KS2 Results (% meeting expected standard)
Reading has declined from 84% to 63% (2024 to 2025). Maths has declined from 84% to 71% (2024 to 2025). Writing has declined from 68% to 63% (2024 to 2025).
How Does This School Compare?
Ranked against 5 nearby primary schools
Keep up with St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth
Getting There
Train Stations
Bus Stops
Free school transport
Check free transport to St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth from your postcode →
You apply to the council where you live. St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth 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
- 36
- Fatal
- 2
- Serious
- 8
- Children hurt
- 2
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 36 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 2 fatal, 8 serious and 26 slight.
2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt.
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 John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth
Will you get a place at St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth? Get the admissions report
Your home postcode, set against St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth's admissions figures, in one report saved to your account.
What the report includes for St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth:
- The straight-line distance from your home to St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth.
- We hold no last distance offered figures from Bolton, so the report covers demand, alternatives and dates.
- Applications, first choices and offers at St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth for 2025 and 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
79%
Available places
166 pupils
210 places
44 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
SEND & SEN Provision
SEN Overview
40
SEN Support
4
EHC Plans
28.6%
of Total Pupils
2026 academic year
Provision & Specialist Facilities
Pupils by Need Type
Pupil Demographics
Ethnicity
2026 academic year
Key Indicators
154
Total Pupils
71
Boys
83
Girls
2026 academic year
Workforce
8
Teachers
19.3:1
Pupil-teacher ratio
£51,805
Mean salary
2026 data
School Funding
£6,460
Per pupil
£1277k
Total funding
£89k
Pupil premium
2025-26 financial year allocations
Pupil Absence2024/25
5.6%
Overall absence
12.4%
Persistent absence
170
Enrolments
Source: DfE pupil absence statistics. Persistent absence = pupils missing 10%+ sessions.
Secondary Schools Nearby
Secondary schools pupils are likely to move to
St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth
Questions parents ask about St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth
Are there exam results for St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth?
St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth has no published results of its own yet. Before it took its current form in 2024, as St John CofE Primary School, Kearsley (URN 105241), 63% of its Year 6 pupils reached the expected standard in reading and 71% in maths in the 2025 Key Stage 2 assessments.
What is St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth's Ofsted rating?
St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth has not been inspected by Ofsted since it took its current form in November 2024. Before that, as St John CofE Primary School, Kearsley (URN 105241), it was rated Good in June 2013.
What is the catchment area for St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth?
No fixed boundary. When St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth 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 John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth?
St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth was not full in 2025: it ran at 79% of its 210 places.
How big are the classes at St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth?
Classes at St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth average 25.7 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 John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth?
St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth has around 154 pupils on roll. 37% are eligible for free school meals.
What is attendance like at St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth?
5.6% of sessions were missed at St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth in 2024/25. 12.4% of pupils were persistently absent (missing 10% or more of sessions).
How do I apply to St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth?
Apply through Bolton's coordinated admissions process, naming St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth 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 John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth?
Within 500 m of the school's mapped location, police recorded 36 road collisions in which someone was injured in 2021 to 2025: 2 fatal, 8 serious and 26 slight. 2 children aged 0 to 15 were hurt. 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 John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth?
St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth is at Church Road, Kearsley, Bolton, Lancashire, BL4 8AP.
Source: Department for Transport, Road Safety Data (STATS19)