Cherry Tree Primary School

Cherry Tree Primary School demonstrates a solid performance overall, with leaders having a clear understanding of the curriculum and teaching quality. The curriculum is ambitious and well-structured, allowing for effective knowledge building amongst pupils. There is a strong emphasis on reading, with support systems in place for those who struggle. Students generally show good progress, especially in early years and subjects like mathematics. However, concerns exist regarding the inconsistent addressing of older pupils' handwriting errors and attendance issues, particularly for disadvantaged students. The school is part of The Orchards Federation, and recent leadership changes may contextualize some of the ongoing improvements and challenges.

Strengths

• Leaders have a clear and accurate understanding of the curriculum quality.
• The school has a broad and ambitious curriculum designed to support knowledge building.
• Reading is prioritized, with effective support for struggling readers.
• Teachers are provided with training to improve their teaching practices.
• Pupils show enthusiasm and engagement in learning.
• Strong support is provided for special educational needs and disadvantaged pupils.

Areas for Improvement

• Older pupils have not consistently rectified handwriting errors.
• Attendance levels are below expected, particularly for disadvantaged and SEND pupils.

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 Cherry Tree Primary School attended 92.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 27.0% 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, 3.0% of pupils at Cherry Tree 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 Cherry Tree Primary School had 19.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 19.4% 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, 14.2% of pupils at Cherry Tree Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.1% 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 Cherry Tree Primary School received £7,879 and spent £8,137 for each of its 408 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £16,000 (-£40 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

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

What is Cherry Tree Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Cherry Tree Primary School is Needs attention, from an inspection in May 2026.

When was Cherry Tree Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Cherry Tree Primary School was last inspected in May 2026.

How many pupils does Cherry Tree Primary School have?

Cherry Tree Primary School has 408 pupils on roll.

What age range does Cherry Tree Primary School cover?

Cherry Tree Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

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

In 2025, 44% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Cherry Tree Primary School?

Cherry Tree Primary School is at Highfield Road, Farnworth, Bolton, Lancashire, BL4 0NS.