St Mary's RC Primary School

St Mary’s RC Primary School has demonstrated a good overall performance in its recent inspection. Although the school had maintained an outstanding rating in its previous inspection in 2009, the current evaluation reflects a more accurate depiction of its current effectiveness under the revised inspection framework. The school has fostered a nurturing environment where pupils enjoy learning and exhibit positive behavior, with strong support for students with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The quality of education is solid, particularly in reading, where students have access to a broad range of engaging materials, contributing to high attainment levels at the end of key stage 2.

Strengths

• The school provides a wide range of support for pupils, including those with SEND.
• Pupils achieve well, with attainment in reading, writing, and mathematics higher than the national average.
• Leaders have planned a broad and engaging curriculum that prepares pupils for future education.
• Reading is a key focus with excellent resources and support for developing reading skills.
• Pupils enjoy enrichment activities and learn to appreciate diversity through school trips.
• There is a strong culture of personal development, encouraging thoughtful and independent individuals.

Areas for Improvement

• Some curriculum plans lack precision regarding the knowledge and skills pupils need to acquire.
• Teachers lack detailed knowledge about curriculum progression in year groups other than their own.
• In some subjects, checks on pupils' learning are not fully developed, hindering identification of learning gaps.

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 Mary's RC Primary School attended 95.3% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 6.8% 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, 0.0% of pupils at St Mary's RC 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 Mary's RC Primary School had 24.6 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 0.0% 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, 12.1% of pupils at St Mary's RC Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.9% 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 Mary's RC Primary School received £6,771 and spent £6,756 for each of its 214 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £21,000 (£97 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 Mary's RC Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for St Mary's RC Primary School is Good, from an inspection in May 2025.

When was St Mary's RC Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

St Mary's RC Primary School was last inspected in May 2025.

How many pupils does St Mary's RC Primary School have?

St Mary's RC Primary School has 214 pupils on roll.

What age range does St Mary's RC Primary School cover?

St Mary's RC Primary School for pupils aged 5 to 11.

What are St Mary's RC Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 56% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is St Mary's RC Primary School?

St Mary's RC Primary School is at Victoria Road, Horwich, St Mary's Rc Primary School, Horwich, Bolton, Lancashire, BL6 6EP.