Community school · Bolton

Highfield Primary School

4–11Ages
412Pupils
PrimaryPhase
105182URN

Marsh Lane, Farnworth, Bolton, BL4 0AP · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected May 2026

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.8per place

0.2 below Bolton median (2.0)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Bolton

106 applications for 60 places · 65th of 91 in Bolton

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

66%met the expected standard

Bolton 66% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Report card · inspected 6 May 2026Published 23 June 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
Area	Exceptional	Strong standard	Expected standard
Inclusion			Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching			Expected standard
Achievement			Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour			Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing		Strong standard
Early years			Expected standard
Post-16 provision	Does not apply to this school
Leadership and governance			Expected standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

Inspection history

6 May 2026
Report card · 1 Strong standard, 6 Expected standard
16 March 2022
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good

Full reports on the Ofsted website · How to read Ofsted grades

About these grades

Ofsted's report cards (from November 2025) grade each area on five steps and give no overall grade. Earlier grades come from a different framework; Ofsted says the two cannot be compared, so they are never converted here. Ofsted: "We normally inspect schools every 4 years or at any time if we have concerns." Methodology.

How hard is it to get a place?

DfE · Sept 2026 entry

1.8applications per place, Reception

0.2 below Bolton median (2.0) 0.4 below England median (2.2)

106 applications · 60 places offered · 55 named it first

2026 1.8; Bolton median median 2.0
2025 2.1; Bolton median median 2.0
2024 2.2; Bolton median median 2.1
2023 1.9; Bolton median median 1.9
2022 2.2; Bolton median median 2.1
2021 2.0; Bolton median median 2.1
2020 2.4; Bolton median median 2.2
2019 2.4; Bolton median median 2.1
2018 2.4; Bolton median median 2.1
2017 2.7; Bolton median median 2.0
2016 2.6; Bolton median median 2.1
2015 2.6; Bolton median median 2.2
2014 2.2; Bolton median median 2.1

This school
Bolton median

Reception applications for September 2027 close 15 January 2027, through your council

How this is measured

Applications per place: every application naming the school at any preference, divided by places offered on National Offer Day. It is not your chance of a place. Methodology.

Entry	Places	Applications	Per place	First preferences	First-pref. ratio
Sep 2026	60	106	1.8	55	0.92
Sep 2025	61	126	2.1	60	0.98
Sep 2024	58	130	2.2	52	0.90
Sep 2023	56	105	1.9	50	0.89
Sep 2022	60	133	2.2	77	1.28
Sep 2021	59	117	2.0	51	0.86
Sep 2020	60	145	2.4	57	0.95
Sep 2019	60	142	2.4	60	1.00
Sep 2018	54	132	2.4	46	0.85
Sep 2017	60	160	2.7	85	1.42
Sep 2016	56	144	2.6	71	1.27
Sep 2015	60	154	2.6	72	1.20
Sep 2014	61	132	2.2	76	1.25

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 80% · Writing 73% · Maths 88% → all three 66% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard66%40th of 87 in Bolton

Bolton 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard80%

Bolton 79% England 78%

Higher standard39%

Bolton 31% England 33%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard73%

Bolton 77% England 75%

Greater depth10%

Bolton 15% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard88%

Bolton 78% England 77%

Higher standard36%

Bolton 26% England 24%

Average scaled score 107 (100 = expected standard)

This school
Bolton median
England median

Every year as a table

Year	Expected standard	Higher standard	Reading score	Maths score
2024/25	66%	10%	106	107
2023/24	76%	5%	107	106
2022/23	63%	7%	104	106

Subject results are published for the latest year only. Scaled scores run from 80 to 120.

Schools nearby

The 8 nearest primary schools in a straight line, in any local authority

Highfield Primary SchoolThis school
This school

2026

1.8applications per place 66%met the SATs standard
Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School
0.1 km · Bolton

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.0applications per place 79%met the SATs standard
Cherry Tree Primary School
0.7 km · Bolton

2026

1.6applications per place 44%met the SATs standard
The Ferns Primary Academy
0.7 km · Bolton

2026

2.0applications per place 76%met the SATs standard
St James CofE Primary School, Farnworth
0.9 km · Bolton

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.2applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
Queensbridge Primary School
1.0 km · Bolton

Good2023

2.1applications per place 58%met the SATs standard
Dukesgate Academy
1.3 km · Salford

Remains Good2024

1.9applications per place 76%met the SATs standard
Ss Simon & Jude CofE Primary School, Bolton
1.6 km · Bolton

Good2024

1.6applications per place 62%met the SATs standard
Wharton Primary School
1.6 km · Salford

Not yet inspected

1.4applications per place 62%met the SATs standard

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement
Does not apply

Eight dots, one per area: inclusion, curriculum, achievement, attendance, personal development, early years, post-16, leadership. Colours follow Ofsted's report card scale; Schoolfile is independent of Ofsted.

School details

Type: Community school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 105182 · 350/2056
Capacity: 420 pupils · 412 on roll
Free school meals: 25.0% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Marsh Lane, Farnworth, Bolton, BL4 0AP
Local authority: Bolton

Data last changed 3 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources