St Bernard's RC Primary School, Bolton

St Bernard's RC Primary School in Bolton continues to demonstrate good overall performance, providing a caring and enjoyable environment for its pupils. The school fosters high expectations for student achievement, engaging them through a well-structured curriculum that is thoughtfully organized. Pupils feel safe and valued, contributing positively to the school community through various roles and responsibilities. However, there are slight weaknesses in a few subjects where essential knowledge hasn't been sufficiently clarified for teachers, which could hinder some pupils' learning progression.

Strengths

• Pupils enjoy a kind and caring school environment.
• High expectations for all pupils' achievement.
• Effective early identification and support for pupils with SEND.
• Well-trained staff deliver an effective phonics programme.
• Pupils demonstrate good behaviour and engagement in lessons.
• Strong range of extracurricular activities enhancing learning.
• Pupils have a strong voice and take on various responsibilities.

Areas for Improvement

• Some subjects lack clarity in essential knowledge for teachers.

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 St Bernard's RC Primary School, Bolton attended 95.7% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 9.3% 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 St Bernard's RC Primary School, Bolton 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 St Bernard's RC Primary School, Bolton had 25.0 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 22.2% 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, 10.1% of pupils at St Bernard's RC Primary School, Bolton were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 4.5% 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 St Bernard's RC Primary School, Bolton received £6,316 and spent £6,663 for each of its 199 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £94,000 (-£476 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 St Bernard's RC Primary School, Bolton's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Bernard's RC Primary School, Bolton is Good, from an inspection in February 2023.

When was St Bernard's RC Primary School, Bolton last inspected by Ofsted?

St Bernard's RC Primary School, Bolton was last inspected in February 2023.

How many pupils does St Bernard's RC Primary School, Bolton have?

St Bernard's RC Primary School, Bolton has 199 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Bernard's RC Primary School, Bolton cover?

St Bernard's RC Primary School, Bolton for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are St Bernard's RC Primary School, Bolton's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 72% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Bernard's RC Primary School, Bolton?

St Bernard's RC Primary School, Bolton is at Wendover Drive, Ladybridge, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 4RX.