St Thomas CofE Primary School

St Thomas CofE Primary School is a 236-pupil Church of England primary in Westhoughton, Bolton. Inspected in May 2026, it is performing solidly overall: safeguarding is met, most areas meet expected standards, and personal development and wellbeing is a particular strength. Pupils are proud of their school, feel safe and cared for, and parents describe it as 'like a family'. Attendance is above national averages, behaviour is typically calm, and pupils say bullying is rare. Outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics are above national averages, including for disadvantaged pupils, and pupils with SEND are identified early and supported to access the full curriculum. Leaders have acted decisively since the last inspection, introducing new curriculum and early years provision so that most subjects are now securely embedded. Teaching is generally effective, early reading, writing and mathematics are prioritised, and the curriculum builds knowledge logically from Nursery to Year 6. Governance is knowledgeable, staff morale is positive, and leaders work well with external partners, including the local authority and the Diocese of Manchester. Early years children settle quickly, build secure relationships and make positive progress from their starting points. There are still areas to improve. A small number of subjects need stronger teaching so that pupils develop more secure subject-specific knowledge. The school's approach to handwriting needs further embedding so pupils write with more fluency and accuracy. A small number of pupils who struggle to regulate their behaviour need more effective support to meet the school's high expectations consistently. Leaders understand these priorities and have suitable plans in place.

Strengths

• Pupils feel safe, valued and included, and parents describe the school as 'like a family'.
• Personal development and wellbeing provision is particularly strong, with a well-designed PSHE and relationships curriculum.
• Pupils benefit from a wide range of clubs, music lessons, sporting activities and competitions.
• Participation in wider opportunities is high, including for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND.
• Pastoral support is effective, helping pupils feel happy and well cared for.
• Pupils achieve well, with reading, writing and mathematics outcomes above national averages.
• Disadvantaged pupils achieve well compared with disadvantaged pupils nationally.
• Attendance is above the national average, and persistent absence is low.
• Behaviour is typically calm and orderly, and pupils say they do not experience bullying.
• Leaders have strengthened the curriculum since the last inspection, and most subjects are securely embedded.
• The curriculum is ambitious and well organised from Nursery to Year 6, with effective teaching and a strong vocabulary focus.
• Early reading, writing and mathematics receive high priority, and pupils with SEND access the full curriculum.
• Early years provision is caring and well designed, helping children settle and make positive progress.
• SEND pupils are identified early and supported appropriately, and pupil premium funding is used thoughtfully.
• Leadership and governance are effective, with accurate self-evaluation, positive staff morale and strong external partnerships.

Areas for Improvement

• In a small number of subjects, pupils' subject-specific knowledge is less secure and teaching requires further strengthening.
• The approach to handwriting needs further embedding so pupils write with more fluency and accuracy.
• A small number of pupils who struggle to regulate their behaviour need more effective support to meet expectations consistently.

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 Thomas CofE Primary School attended 96.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 6.5% 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, 0.8% of pupils at St Thomas CofE 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 St Thomas CofE Primary School had 22.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 31.2% 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, 8.8% of pupils at St Thomas CofE Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.9% 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 Thomas CofE Primary School received £6,578 and spent £6,375 for each of its 236 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £74,000 (£312 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 St Thomas CofE Primary School's Ofsted rating?

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

When was St Thomas CofE Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

St Thomas CofE Primary School was last inspected in June 2026.

How many pupils does St Thomas CofE Primary School have?

St Thomas CofE Primary School has 239 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Thomas CofE Primary School cover?

St Thomas CofE Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are St Thomas CofE Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 78% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Thomas CofE Primary School?

St Thomas CofE Primary School is at Molyneux Road, Westhoughton, Bolton, Lancashire, BL5 3HP.