Horwich Parish CofE Primary School

Horwich Parish CofE Primary is a Church of England primary school with 317 pupils and mixed-age classes. Inspectors found a calm, caring school where safeguarding is met, pupils feel safe and behave very well, and leaders have created a warm, inclusive culture. The curriculum is suitably ambitious and well sequenced, especially in English and mathematics, and early years provision is a particular strength. Pupils attain in line with national averages overall, with disadvantaged pupils doing well in writing and mathematics in 2025. Leadership is secure, staff feel supported, and personal development is rich, including music, trips, clubs and values-based learning. There are some clear areas for development. Some pupils with SEND do not receive the same quality of support in subjects outside English and mathematics, and pupils' understanding in some foundation subjects is less well developed. Attendance is broadly in line with national averages, but some disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND do not attend as often as they should, missing learning and wider opportunities. Leaders' recent actions have had a positive impact, but the combined reading, writing and mathematics disadvantaged gap remains wider than national, and leaders do not always use progress information sharply enough to evaluate provision for every pupil. Leaders should continue work to improve attendance, ensure staff have guidance to adapt the curriculum effectively for SEND pupils beyond English and mathematics, and use detailed performance analysis to target disadvantaged pupils. Overall, this is a school with clear strengths and a credible plan for further improvement.

Strengths

• Safeguarding standards are met and pupils feel safe.
• Pupils behave very well and show kindness and respect.
• A caring, nurturing environment where pupils feel happy and included.
• Leaders prioritise reading, writing and mathematics with positive impact on achievement.
• Pupils attain in line with national averages, and disadvantaged pupils achieve well in writing and mathematics.
• Early years provision is strong, with high-quality spoken language, phonics and purposeful indoor and outdoor learning.
• The curriculum is ambitious and well sequenced, particularly in mixed-age classes.
• Teachers have strong subject knowledge and help pupils build on prior learning.
• Inclusion is effective; leaders identify needs quickly and use additional funding well.
• Personal development is rich, including values, music, trips, clubs and leadership roles.
• Leadership, governance and staff development are effective; staff feel valued and supported.
• Overall attendance is in line with national averages and improving.

Areas for Improvement

• Some disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND do not attend as often as they should.
• Pupils' understanding is less well developed in some subjects beyond English and mathematics.
• Support for pupils with SEND is not consistently as effective beyond English and mathematics.
• Leaders do not always use progress information sharply enough to evaluate provision for some pupils.
• Some pupils do not catch up on missed PSHE as quickly as they should.
• The disadvantaged gap in combined reading, writing and mathematics remains wider than national.
• Leaders need to ensure staff have guidance to make effective SEND adaptations in all subjects.
• Leaders should use detailed performance analysis to ensure disadvantaged pupils benefit from all the school offers.

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 Horwich Parish CofE Primary School attended 96.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 7.6% 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, 1.6% of pupils at Horwich Parish CofE 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 Horwich Parish CofE Primary School had 21.7 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 7.8% 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, 12.0% of pupils at Horwich Parish CofE Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.7% 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 Horwich Parish CofE Primary School received £6,516 and spent £6,544 for each of its 300 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £370,000 (£1,233 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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What is Horwich Parish CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?

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

When was Horwich Parish CofE Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Horwich Parish CofE Primary School was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does Horwich Parish CofE Primary School have?

Horwich Parish CofE Primary School has 300 pupils on roll.

What age range does Horwich Parish CofE Primary School cover?

Horwich Parish CofE Primary School for pupils aged 4 to 11.

What are Horwich Parish CofE Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 73% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Horwich Parish CofE Primary School?

Horwich Parish CofE Primary School is at Church Street, Horwich, Bolton, Lancashire, BL6 6AA.