The Oaks Primary School

The Oaks Primary School has demonstrated a good level of overall effectiveness in its recent inspection, reflecting a positive educational environment where pupils feel cared for and safe. The school has high ambitions for learning, achieving commendable results in reading, writing, and mathematics while still providing adequate support for those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). However, it faces challenges in a small minority of subjects where curriculum delivery and expectations have not been as well defined, leading to gaps in pupils’ knowledge in those areas. Despite these minor shortcomings, pupils are engaged and motivated, showing enthusiasm for their lessons and extra-curricular activities. The leadership team, including a new headteacher appointed this year, is committed to maintaining high standards and has established effective monitoring systems, although there is room for further improvement in how these systems are utilized to address curriculum delivery issues. Overall, the school builds a strong foundation for personal development and academic success, although some attention is needed to fully align all subjects with its ambitious curriculum goals.

Strengths

• Pupils achieve extremely well in reading, writing, and mathematics.
• The school fosters a family-like atmosphere where pupils feel cared for.
• A broad and balanced curriculum is designed to support comprehensive learning.
• Effective assessment strategies help pupils correct their mistakes.
• Excellent support for pupils with SEND ensures they can achieve well.
• Very high attendance rate reflects pupils' value for education.
• A wide range of extra-curricular opportunities enriches pupil experiences.
• Strong leadership and clear communication help staff manage their workload.

Areas for Improvement

• In a few curriculum areas, the school's expectations for delivery are unclear.
• Some subjects lack precise guidance for staff on content delivery.
• Monitoring systems are not always effectively utilized to evaluate curriculum impact.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at The Oaks Primary School attended 96.5% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 4.8% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.0% of pupils at The Oaks Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 The Oaks Primary School had 21.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 7.3% of pupils at The Oaks Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 0.5% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 The Oaks Primary School received £6,361 and spent £6,327 for each of its 218 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £85,000 (£391 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

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What is The Oaks Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Oaks Primary School is Good, from an inspection in February 2024.

When was The Oaks Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

The Oaks Primary School was last inspected in February 2024.

How many pupils does The Oaks Primary School have?

The Oaks Primary School has 218 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Oaks Primary School cover?

The Oaks Primary School for pupils aged 5 to 11.

What are The Oaks Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 79% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is The Oaks Primary School?

The Oaks Primary School is at Sharples Hall Drive, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 7HS.