St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Little Lever

St Matthew’s CofE Primary School in Little Lever has been rated as a good school, continuing to uphold its positive standards. Pupils are happy and well cared for, and they demonstrate respect toward each other and staff. The school fosters a supportive environment where pupils feel safe and valued, contributing to their overall well-being and achievement across various subjects. Most leaders and staff uphold high expectations and are committed to meeting the diverse needs of all students, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Strengths

• Caring and nurturing environment for pupils
• High aspirations for all pupils, including those with SEND
• Effective promotion of reading and phonics from early years
• Strong subject knowledge among teachers
• Well-structured pastoral support for pupils
• Wide range of extracurricular activities and responsibilities

Areas for Improvement

• In some subjects, knowledge goals are not clearly defined

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 Matthew's CofE Primary School, Little Lever attended 95.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 8.8% 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, 0.5% of pupils at St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Little Lever 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 Matthew's CofE Primary School, Little Lever had 23.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 37.0% 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, 11.2% of pupils at St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Little Lever were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 2.6% 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 Matthew's CofE Primary School, Little Lever received £6,650 and spent £7,020 for each of its 196 pupils. It ended the year with a deficit of £67,000 (-£342 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

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What is St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Little Lever's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Little Lever is Good, from an inspection in May 2023.

When was St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Little Lever last inspected by Ofsted?

St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Little Lever was last inspected in May 2023.

How many pupils does St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Little Lever have?

St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Little Lever has 196 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Little Lever cover?

St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Little Lever for pupils aged 5 to 11.

What are St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Little Lever's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 42% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Little Lever?

St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Little Lever is at Norris Street, Little Lever, Bolton, Lancashire, BL3 1BQ.