Voluntary aided school · Bolton

St Thomas CofE Primary School

3–11Ages
239Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
105234URN

Molyneux Road, Westhoughton, Bolton, BL5 3HP · 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

2.5per place

0.5 above Bolton median (2.0)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Bolton

74 applications for 30 places · 24th of 91 in Bolton

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

78%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 19 May 2026Published 25 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

19 May 2026
Report card · 1 Strong standard, 6 Expected standard
9 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

2.5applications per place, Reception

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

74 applications · 30 places offered · 28 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.5; Bolton median median 2.0
2025 2.5; Bolton median median 2.0
2024 2.9; Bolton median median 2.1
2023 2.6; Bolton median median 1.9
2022 2.6; Bolton median median 2.1
2021 2.9; Bolton median median 2.1
2020 2.9; Bolton median median 2.2
2019 2.7; Bolton median median 2.1
2018 2.8; Bolton median median 2.1
2017 2.3; Bolton median median 2.0
2016 3.4; Bolton median median 2.1
2015 3.2; Bolton median median 2.2
2014 3.0; Bolton median median 2.1

More applications per place than the Bolton median in 13 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	30	74	2.5	28	0.93
Sep 2025	31	76	2.5	25	0.81
Sep 2024	26	74	2.9	30	1.15
Sep 2023	30	77	2.6	25	0.83
Sep 2022	30	79	2.6	30	1.00
Sep 2021	24	69	2.9	21	0.88
Sep 2020	30	88	2.9	39	1.30
Sep 2019	30	82	2.7	35	1.17
Sep 2018	31	88	2.8	35	1.13
Sep 2017	30	69	2.3	31	1.03
Sep 2016	30	103	3.4	38	1.27
Sep 2015	30	97	3.2	37	1.23
Sep 2014	29	86	3.0	35	1.21

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 81% · Writing 81% · Maths 84% → all three 78% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard78%16th of 87 in Bolton

Bolton 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard81%

Bolton 79% England 78%

Higher standard47%

Bolton 31% England 33%

Average scaled score 107 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard81%

Bolton 77% England 75%

Greater depth9%

Bolton 15% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard84%

Bolton 78% England 77%

Higher standard38%

Bolton 26% England 24%

Average scaled score 106 (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	78%	9%	107	106
2023/24	77%	23%	108	108
2022/23	73%	10%	105	105

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 Thomas CofE Primary SchoolThis school
This school

2026

2.5applications per place 78%met the SATs standard
Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School
1.1 km · Bolton

Outstanding2024

1.8applications per place 74%met the SATs standard
Woodland Primary Academy
1.2 km · Bolton

Good2020

1.4applications per place
The Gates Primary School
1.4 km · Bolton

Remains Good2023

2.6applications per place 84%met the SATs standard
St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School
1.5 km · Bolton

Graded · no overall grade2025

3.4applications per place 63%met the SATs standard
Eatock Primary School
1.9 km · Bolton

Remains Outstanding2024

3.5applications per place 70%met the SATs standard
St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill
2.0 km · Bolton

Remains Good2024

1.5applications per place 65%met the SATs standard
St George's CofE Primary School
2.2 km · Bolton

2026

2.7applications per place 60%met the SATs standard
St Andrew's CofE Primary School, Over Hulton
2.4 km · Bolton

2026

1.4applications per place 90%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: 105234 · 350/3345
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 210 pupils · 239 on roll
Free school meals: 9.9% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Address: Molyneux Road, Westhoughton, Bolton, BL5 3HP
Local authority: Bolton

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