Voluntary aided school · Bolton

St Joseph's RC Primary School, Halliwell, Bolton

3–11Ages
220Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Roman CatholicReligious character
105223URN

Shepherd Cross Street, Halliwell, Bolton, BL1 3EJ · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded GoodSep 2019

Standards maintainedUngraded inspection · Nov 2024

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.2per place

0.2 above Bolton median (2.0)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Bolton

40 applications for 18 places · 34th of 91 in Bolton

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

61%met the expected standard

Bolton 66% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded GoodSep 2019

Standards maintainedUngraded inspection · Nov 2024

The graded inspection, 11 September 2019Ofsted'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

Inspection history

20 November 2024
Ungraded inspection: Standards maintained
11 September 2019
Graded inspection: 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

2.2applications per place, Reception

0.2 above Bolton median (2.0) close to England median (2.2)

40 applications · 18 places offered · 17 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.2; Bolton median median 2.0
2025 2.6; Bolton median median 2.0
2024 1.9; Bolton median median 2.1
2023 1.3; Bolton median median 1.9
2022 1.9; Bolton median median 2.1
2021 1.8; Bolton median median 2.1
2020 1.9; Bolton median median 2.2
2019 2.0; Bolton median median 2.1
2018 2.4; Bolton median median 2.1
2017 3.2; Bolton median median 2.0
2016 2.4; Bolton median median 2.1
2015 2.0; 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	18	40	2.2	17	0.94
Sep 2025	23	59	2.6	16	0.70
Sep 2024	28	52	1.9	18	0.64
Sep 2023	30	40	1.3	12	0.40
Sep 2022	22	42	1.9	22	1.00
Sep 2021	27	49	1.8	18	0.67
Sep 2020	27	52	1.9	18	0.67
Sep 2019	27	55	2.0	26	0.96
Sep 2018	23	56	2.4	17	0.74
Sep 2017	15	48	3.2	15	1.00
Sep 2016	28	66	2.4	27	0.96
Sep 2015	28	55	2.0	21	0.75
Sep 2014	29	59	2.0	31	1.07

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 71% · Writing 74% · Maths 74% → all three 61% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard61%56th of 87 in Bolton

Bolton 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard71%

Bolton 79% England 78%

Higher standard26%

Bolton 31% England 33%

Average scaled score 104 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard74%

Bolton 77% England 75%

Greater depth13%

Bolton 15% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard74%

Bolton 78% England 77%

Higher standard23%

Bolton 26% England 24%

Average scaled score 105 (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	61%	13%	104	105
2023/24	71%	10%	105	104
2022/23	69%	0%	104	104

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 Joseph's RC Primary School, Halliwell, BoltonThis school
This school

Standards maintained2024

2.2applications per place 61%met the SATs standard
Oxford Grove Primary School
0.1 km · Bolton

Outstanding2023

3.0applications per place 80%met the SATs standard
Brownlow Fold Primary School
0.4 km · Bolton

2026

2.3applications per place 53%met the SATs standard
St Thomas C of E Primary School, Halliwell
0.4 km · Bolton

2026

1.8applications per place 50%met the SATs standard
The Olive School, Bolton
0.4 km · Bolton

Standards maintained2025

3.1applications per place 95%met the SATs standard
Gaskell Community Primary School
0.9 km · Bolton

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.6applications per place 79%met the SATs standard
Church Road Primary School
0.9 km · Bolton

Standards maintained2025

1.9applications per place 62%met the SATs standard
St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Bolton
1.0 km · Bolton

Remains Good2023

1.1applications per place 47%met the SATs standard
St Thomas of Canterbury RC School
1.2 km · Bolton

Remains Good2023

2.0applications per place 52%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: Voluntary aided school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 105223 · 350/3320
Religious character: Roman Catholic
Capacity: 240 pupils · 220 on roll
Free school meals: 36.8% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: Shepherd Cross Street, Halliwell, Bolton, BL1 3EJ
Local authority: Bolton

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