Community school · Bolton

Gilnow Primary School

3–11Ages
221Pupils
PrimaryPhase
105198URN

Gilnow Gardens, Bolton, BL1 4LG · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Jun 2026

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.7per place

0.3 below Bolton median (2.0)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Bolton

39 applications for 23 places · 67th of 91 in Bolton

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

53%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 16 June 2026Published 7 September 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
Area	Exceptional	Expected standard
Inclusion		Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching		Expected standard
Achievement		Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour		Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing		Expected 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

16 June 2026
Report card · 7 Expected standard
8 June 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

1.7applications per place, Reception

0.3 below Bolton median (2.0) 0.5 below England median (2.2)

39 applications · 23 places offered · 18 named it first

2026 1.7; Bolton median median 2.0
2025 1.6; Bolton median median 2.0
2024 1.3; Bolton median median 2.1
2023 1.9; Bolton median median 1.9
2022 1.7; Bolton median median 2.1
2021 1.7; Bolton median median 2.1
2020 2.1; Bolton median median 2.2
2019 1.6; Bolton median median 2.1
2018 2.0; Bolton median median 2.1
2017 2.1; Bolton median median 2.0
2016 1.3; Bolton median median 2.1
2015 1.9; Bolton median median 2.2
2014 2.1; Bolton median median 2.1

More applications per place than the Bolton median in 1 of 13 years.

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	23	39	1.7	18	0.78
Sep 2025	27	43	1.6	22	0.81
Sep 2024	30	38	1.3	17	0.57
Sep 2023	13	25	1.9	9	0.69
Sep 2022	16	27	1.7	15	0.94
Sep 2021	17	29	1.7	17	1.00
Sep 2020	21	45	2.1	16	0.76
Sep 2019	25	41	1.6	23	0.92
Sep 2018	20	39	2.0	12	0.60
Sep 2017	21	44	2.1	20	0.95
Sep 2016	28	36	1.3	13	0.46
Sep 2015	17	33	1.9	13	0.76
Sep 2014	27	56	2.1	26	0.96

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 72% · Writing 56% · Maths 69% → all three 53% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard53%74th of 87 in Bolton

Bolton 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard72%

Bolton 79% England 78%

Higher standard25%

Bolton 31% England 33%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard56%

Bolton 77% England 75%

Greater depth9%

Bolton 15% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard69%

Bolton 78% England 77%

Higher standard16%

Bolton 26% England 24%

Average scaled score 102 (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	53%	3%	104	102
2023/24	36%	0%	101	101
2022/23	29%	0%	99	98

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

Gilnow Primary SchoolThis school
This school

2026

1.7applications per place 53%met the SATs standard
Pikes Lane Primary School
0.3 km · Bolton

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.4applications per place 54%met the SATs standard
Haslam Park Primary School
0.8 km · Bolton

Good2023

3.1applications per place 74%met the SATs standard
St Ethelbert's Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy
0.9 km · Bolton

Not yet inspected

1.6applications per place 62%met the SATs standard
Devonshire Road Primary School
1.0 km · Bolton

Good2022

1.8applications per place 68%met the SATs standard
Sunning Hill Primary School
1.1 km · Bolton

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.6applications per place 74%met the SATs standard
Brandwood Primary School
1.1 km · Bolton

Good2023

1.6applications per place 56%met the SATs standard
St Peter and St Paul RC Primary School a Voluntary Academy
1.1 km · Bolton

Remains Good2020

1.2applications per place
Gaskell Community Primary School
1.2 km · Bolton

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.6applications per place 79%met the SATs standard

School details

Type: Community school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 105198 · 350/2078
Capacity: 236 pupils · 221 on roll
Free school meals: 27.7% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: Gilnow Gardens, Bolton, BL1 4LG
Local authority: Bolton

Data last changed 19 October 2026 · Report an error · Corrections · Sources