Find the best primary schools in Bolton. Compare Ofsted ratings, catchment areas and parent reviews.
Bolton has 98 primary schools, all in Bolton council's area. Most state schools here offer places by distance from home once children in care and siblings of current pupils have been admitted, so how close you live decides your chances at any school with more applicants than places. Some councils draw a fixed catchment boundary instead, and the distance at which the last place went changes every year. Of the 98, 48 are faith schools that can put children of their faith first, so distance counts for less there.
Use the distance checker to measure your home's straight-line distance to any Bolton primary school, and each school's page for its Ofsted report, results and admissions details. Check your distance to a school or try the admissions calculator.
| School | Type | Our rating |
|---|---|---|
| The Valley Community Primary School | Mixed | 4.9 / 5 |
| The Olive School, Bolton | Muslim | 4.9 / 5 |
| Masefield Primary School | Mixed | 4.8 / 5 |
| Oxford Grove Primary School | Mixed | 4.8 / 5 |
| Eagley Infant School | Mixed | 4.7 / 5 |
| Beaumont Primary School | Mixed | 4.7 / 5 |
| Bowness Primary School | Mixed | 4.6 / 5 |
| Blackrod Primary School | Mixed | 4.6 / 5 |
There are 98 primary schools in Bolton. Of those, 1 is an all-through school, teaching both primary and secondary years.
Apply by 15 January for a Reception place starting that September. Children start Reception in the September after their fourth birthday. You apply to the council where you live, even if the school is in another council's area, and can usually list between 3 and 6 schools in order of preference. Offers are sent on 16 April, or the next working day.
Of the 98 primary schools in Bolton, 48 have a religious character: 29 Church of England, 16 Roman Catholic, 2 Muslim and 1 Church of England/Methodist. When a faith school has more applicants than places, it can give priority to children of its faith. Many ask for a supplementary form, sometimes signed by a religious leader, so read the school's admissions policy before you apply.
On our star rating, the highest rated are The Valley Community Primary School (4.9), The Olive School, Bolton (4.9), Masefield Primary School (4.8), Oxford Grove Primary School (4.8) and Eagley Infant School (4.7). The rating is our own, out of 5. It combines Parent View survey results, the latest Ofsted inspection and SATs results, with the parent survey carrying the most weight. Of the 98 schools here, 90 have enough published data for a rating.
Only when you qualify for more than one school. Each school ranks applicants against its own admission criteria without knowing where you placed it. If you qualify for several, the council offers the one you ranked highest, so putting a popular school first does not lower your chances at your second choice.
| Mixed |
| 4.6 / 5 |
| The Gates Primary School | Mixed | 4.5 / 5 |
| Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School | Roman Catholic | 4.5 / 5 |
| Sunning Hill Primary School | Mixed | 4.5 / 5 |
| St William of York Roman Catholic Primary School | Roman Catholic | 4.4 / 5 |
| Prestolee Primary School | Mixed | 4.4 / 5 |
| Eatock Primary School | Mixed | 4.4 / 5 |
| Spindle Point Primary School | Mixed | 4.3 / 5 |
| Eagley Junior School | Mixed | 4.3 / 5 |
| The Oaks Primary School | Mixed | 4.3 / 5 |
| Heathfield Primary School | Mixed | 4.3 / 5 |
| Gaskell Community Primary School | Mixed | 4.2 / 5 |
| Kearsley West Primary School | Mixed | 4.2 / 5 |
| Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School | Roman Catholic | 4.1 / 5 |
| St Gregory's RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy | Roman Catholic | 4.0 / 5 |
| Ladybridge Community Primary School | Mixed | 4.0 / 5 |
| St Paul's CofE Primary School, Astley Bridge | Church of England | 4.0 / 5 |
| St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School | Church of England | 4.0 / 5 |
| St Mary's CofE Primary School, Deane | Church of England | 4.0 / 5 |
| The Ferns Primary Academy | Mixed | 4.0 / 5 |
| St Stephen and All Martyrs' CofE School, Lever Bridge | Church of England | 4.0 / 5 |
| The Olive Tree Primary School Bolton | Muslim | 4.0 / 5 |
| Moorgate Primary School | Mixed | 3.9 / 5 |
| Devonshire Road Primary School | Mixed | 3.9 / 5 |
| Sharples Primary School | Mixed | 3.9 / 5 |
| St Maxentius CofE Primary School | Church of England | 3.9 / 5 |
| St Joseph's RC Primary School, Halliwell, Bolton | Roman Catholic | 3.9 / 5 |
| Brandwood Primary School | Mixed | 3.8 / 5 |
| St Columba's RC Primary School | Roman Catholic | 3.8 / 5 |
| Walmsley CofE Primary School | Church of England | 3.8 / 5 |
| Haslam Park Primary School | Mixed | 3.8 / 5 |
| St Saviour CofE Primary School, Ringley | Church of England | 3.8 / 5 |
| St Michael's CofE Primary School, Great Lever | Church of England | 3.8 / 5 |
| Hardy Mill Primary School | Mixed | 3.7 / 5 |
| Church Road Primary School | Mixed | 3.7 / 5 |
| St Mary's RC Primary School | Roman Catholic | 3.7 / 5 |
| Bishop Bridgeman CofE Primary School | Church of England | 3.7 / 5 |
| Clarendon Primary School | Mixed | 3.7 / 5 |
| Horwich Parish CofE Primary School | Church of England | 3.7 / 5 |
| Blackrod Anglican/Methodist Primary School | Church of England/Methodist | 3.7 / 5 |
| High Lawn Primary School | Mixed | 3.7 / 5 |
| St Andrew's CofE Primary School, Over Hulton | Church of England | 3.6 / 5 |
| St Thomas CofE Primary School | Church of England | 3.6 / 5 |
| SS Osmund and Andrew's R.C. Primary School | Roman Catholic | 3.6 / 5 |
| St George's CofE Primary School | Church of England | 3.6 / 5 |
| Blackshaw Primary School | Mixed | 3.6 / 5 |
| Highfield Primary School | Mixed | 3.5 / 5 |
| St Stephen's CofE Primary School | Church of England | 3.5 / 5 |
| Chorley New Road Primary Academy | Mixed | 3.5 / 5 |
| St Ethelbert's Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy | Roman Catholic | 3.5 / 5 |
| Mytham Primary School | Mixed | 3.5 / 5 |
| St Bede Academy | Church of England | 3.5 / 5 |
| St Peter's CofE Primary School | Church of England | 3.5 / 5 |
| Lever Edge Primary Academy | Mixed | 3.5 / 5 |
| Pikes Lane Primary School | Mixed | 3.5 / 5 |
| Castle Hill Primary School | Mixed | 3.5 / 5 |
| St Thomas of Canterbury RC School | Roman Catholic | 3.5 / 5 |
| St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton | Roman Catholic | 3.4 / 5 |
| Red Lane Primary School | Mixed | 3.4 / 5 |
| St Bernard's RC Primary School, Bolton | Roman Catholic | 3.4 / 5 |
| Harwood Meadows Primary School | Mixed | 3.3 / 5 |
| St Catherine's CofE Primary School | Church of England | 3.3 / 5 |
| St John the Evangelist RC Primary School, Bromley Cross, Bolton | Roman Catholic | 3.3 / 5 |
| St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill | Church of England | 3.2 / 5 |
| St James CofE Primary School, Farnworth | Church of England | 3.2 / 5 |
| Beacon Primary School | Mixed | 3.2 / 5 |
| Queensbridge Primary School | Mixed | 3.2 / 5 |
| St Peter's Smithills Dean Church of England Primary School | Church of England | 3.1 / 5 |
| St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Little Lever | Church of England | 3.0 / 5 |
| All Saints CofE Primary School | Church of England | 2.9 / 5 |
| Ss Simon & Jude CofE Primary School, Bolton | Church of England | 2.9 / 5 |
| Claypool Primary School | Mixed | 2.8 / 5 |
| Tonge Moor Primary Academy | Mixed | 2.8 / 5 |
| Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School | Roman Catholic | 2.8 / 5 |
| Gilnow Primary School | Mixed | 2.7 / 5 |
| Essa Primary Academy | Mixed | 2.6 / 5 |
| Leverhulme Community Primary School | Mixed | 2.6 / 5 |
| Bolton St Catherine's Academy | Church of England, all-through | 2.6 / 5 |
| Cherry Tree Primary School | Mixed | 2.6 / 5 |
| Brownlow Fold Primary School | Mixed | 2.5 / 5 |
| St Thomas C of E Primary School, Halliwell | Church of England | 2.5 / 5 |
| St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Bolton | Church of England | 1.9 / 5 |
| Bolton Parish Church, Church of England Primary School | Church of England | Not yet rated |
| Johnson Fold Community Primary School | Mixed | Not yet rated |
| Lostock Primary School | Mixed | Not yet rated |
| St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth | Church of England | Not yet rated |
| St Peter and St Paul RC Primary School a Voluntary Academy | Roman Catholic | Not yet rated |
| St Teresa's RC Primary School a Voluntary Academy | Roman Catholic | Not yet rated |
| Walmsley CofE Primary School | Church of England | Not yet rated |
| Woodland Primary Academy | Mixed | Not yet rated |
Our rating is out of 5 and combines Parent View survey results, the latest Ofsted inspection and published results. Source: Department for Education (GIAS) and Ofsted.
No. Distance only matters when a school has more applicants than places, and then it offers places in the order its admission criteria set out. Children in care or adopted from care come first by law. Most schools put brothers and sisters of current pupils next, then distance or catchment area. Faith schools and grammar schools use different criteria. How far away the last place went changes every year, depending on who applies.
The council offers a place at another school with room, which may be further from home. You can accept it and still join the waiting lists for the schools you preferred. Waiting lists are ranked by the admission criteria, not by how long a child has been on them. You can also appeal to an independent panel for any school that refused you. Appeals for Reception to Year 2 rarely succeed, because infant classes are limited to 30 pupils by law and a panel can only admit above that limit in narrow circumstances.