Voluntary aided school · Bolton

St Columba's RC Primary School

3–11Ages
235Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Roman CatholicReligious character
105220URN

Ripley Street, Tonge Moor, Bolton, BL2 3AR · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Apr 2024 Previous framework

Good

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.3per place

0.7 below Bolton median (2.0)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Bolton

40 applications for 30 places · 85th of 91 in Bolton

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

69%met the expected standard

Bolton 66% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Good · 10 April 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
Early years provision		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

1.3applications per place, Reception

0.7 below Bolton median (2.0) 0.9 below England median (2.2)

40 applications · 30 places offered · 28 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 1.3; Bolton median median 2.0
2025 1.6; Bolton median median 2.0
2024 2.0; Bolton median median 2.1
2023 1.4; Bolton median median 1.9
2022 1.7; Bolton median median 2.1
2021 2.4; Bolton median median 2.1
2020 2.0; Bolton median median 2.2
2019 2.2; Bolton median median 2.1
2018 2.0; Bolton median median 2.1
2017 2.0; Bolton median median 2.0
2016 1.5; Bolton median median 2.1
2015 1.7; Bolton median median 2.2
2014 2.0; 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	30	40	1.3	28	0.93
Sep 2025	27	42	1.6	24	0.89
Sep 2024	30	59	2.0	31	1.03
Sep 2023	30	43	1.4	26	0.87
Sep 2022	25	43	1.7	21	0.84
Sep 2021	30	73	2.4	37	1.23
Sep 2020	30	60	2.0	32	1.07
Sep 2019	29	63	2.2	33	1.14
Sep 2018	30	60	2.0	32	1.07
Sep 2017	29	58	2.0	40	1.38
Sep 2016	30	44	1.5	31	1.03
Sep 2015	29	50	1.7	34	1.17
Sep 2014	29	59	2.0	28	0.97

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 79% · Writing 69% · Maths 93% → all three 69% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard69%31st of 87 in Bolton

Bolton 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard79%

Bolton 79% England 78%

Higher standard31%

Bolton 31% England 33%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard69%

Bolton 77% England 75%

Greater depth10%

Bolton 15% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard93%

Bolton 78% England 77%

Higher standard31%

Bolton 26% England 24%

Average scaled score 108 (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	69%	7%	106	108
2023/24	68%	4%	105	107
2022/23	72%	3%	106	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

St Columba's RC Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Good2024

1.3applications per place 69%met the SATs standard
Castle Hill Primary School
0.7 km · Bolton

Good2023

2.1applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
Sharples Primary School
1.0 km · Bolton

Standards maintained2025

2.7applications per place 66%met the SATs standard
St Maxentius CofE Primary School
1.1 km · Bolton

Good2023

2.6applications per place 61%met the SATs standard
St Paul's CofE Primary School, Astley Bridge
1.4 km · Bolton

Graded · no overall grade2024

3.0applications per place 79%met the SATs standard
Tonge Moor Primary Academy
1.4 km · Bolton

Good2023

1.8applications per place 44%met the SATs standard
The Oaks Primary School
1.4 km · Bolton

Good2023

2.8applications per place 79%met the SATs standard
The Valley Community Primary School
1.6 km · Bolton

Outstanding2023

2.0applications per place 83%met the SATs standard
St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton
1.6 km · Bolton

Standards maintained2024

2.5applications per place 55%met the SATs standard

School details

Type: Voluntary aided school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 105220 · 350/3316
Religious character: Roman Catholic
Capacity: 210 pupils · 235 on roll
Free school meals: 33.0% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: Ripley Street, Tonge Moor, Bolton, BL2 3AR
Local authority: Bolton

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