Highfield Primary School

Highfield Primary School is a larger-than-average primary school in an area of above-average deprivation. In its May 2026 full inspection, safeguarding standards were met, and the school was found to be performing at least to expected standards across all evaluated areas, with personal development and wellbeing standing out as a particular strength. Pupils are well cared for, behave well, and benefit from a broad, ambitious curriculum and a rich personal development offer that includes mental health support, leadership roles, trips, clubs and wider experiences. Mathematics outcomes are notably strong, including above-national attainment and particularly positive outcomes for disadvantaged pupils, while early years and phonics are also strengths. Attendance, although still below national averages, is improving because of effective leadership action, and pupils with SEND generally achieve well from their starting points. Leaders, governors and staff are well aligned, know pupils and families well, and provide strong support for wellbeing and inclusion, including family support and careful use of additional funding. Staff value the professional development they receive and appreciate leaders’ care for their workload and wellbeing. The main areas for improvement are refining writing instruction so that transcription skills are taught more consistently, making SEND learning targets more precise, and ensuring chosen activities consistently deepen pupils’ understanding and give them enough opportunity to apply new learning. Overall, this is a strong and improving school with a clear sense of purpose and a few specific refinements needed to secure even better outcomes.

Strengths

• Safeguarding standards are met and there is an open culture of safeguarding.
• Personal development and wellbeing provision is a golden thread across school life.
• Pupils are knowledgeable about mental health, relationships, diversity and British values.
• Pupils take on leadership roles and help shape school clubs and activities.
• Pupils benefit from a rich range of trips, clubs and wider experiences.
• Pupils behave well, treat others with kindness and respect, and bullying is very rare.
• Staff support pupils with emotional regulation skilfully from early years onwards.
• Attendance is improving because leaders take effective action to reduce barriers.
• Pupils typically achieve well, with mathematics attainment above national averages.
• Disadvantaged pupils attain above their disadvantaged peers nationally, especially in mathematics.
• Pupils with SEND achieve well from their starting points.
• Phonics teaching is strong and pupils quickly become fluent readers.
• Mathematics teaching is expert and pupils become skilled mathematicians.
• Early years curriculum is well structured, consistently taught and well supported by professional development.
• Children in early years settle quickly, concentrate well, and become confident readers, writers and mathematicians.
• Leaders know pupils and families well and identify needs accurately.
• Leaders use additional funding wisely to support pupils with SEND and other challenges.
• Governors are well informed, effective, and provide appropriate support and challenge.
• Leaders provide high-quality professional learning and staff are proud to work at the school.
• Leaders work closely with parents, carers, professionals and the wider community.

Areas for Improvement

• Attendance remains below national averages, including persistent absence, although it is improving.
• Teaching of writing sometimes does not help pupils turn ideas into accurate writing effectively.
• Some SEND targets are not precise enough, making it harder for staff to support pupils optimally.
• Some activities chosen by staff do not consistently deepen pupils’ understanding.
• Pupils sometimes lack opportunities to apply new learning more fully.
• Writing attainment is broadly in line with national averages rather than a relative strength.

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 Highfield Primary School attended 93.6% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 21.0% 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, 1.9% of pupils at Highfield Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). One pupil was 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 Highfield Primary School had 22.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 8.5% 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, 9.2% of pupils at Highfield Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.4% 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 Highfield Primary School received £7,033 and spent £6,976 for each of its 412 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £77,000 (£187 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).

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All schools in Bolton · Bolton local authority: places and applications

What is Highfield Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Highfield Primary School is Expected standard, from an inspection in June 2026.

When was Highfield Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Highfield Primary School was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does Highfield Primary School have?

Highfield Primary School has 412 pupils on roll.

What age range does Highfield Primary School cover?

Highfield Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

In 2025, 66% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Highfield Primary School?

Highfield Primary School is at Marsh Lane, Farnworth, Bolton, Lancashire, BL4 0AP.