Voluntary aided school · Bolton

Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School

4–11Ages
417Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Roman CatholicReligious character
105243URN

Central Drive, Westhoughton, Bolton, BL5 3DU · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Apr 2024 Previous framework

Outstanding

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

1.8per place

0.3 below Bolton median (2.0)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Bolton

103 applications for 59 places · 66th of 91 in Bolton

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

74%met the expected standard

Bolton 66% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Overall effectiveness: Outstanding · 16 April 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good	Requires improvement	Inadequate
Quality of education	Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes	Outstanding
Personal development	Outstanding
Leadership and management	Outstanding
Early years provision	Outstanding

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

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

103 applications · 59 places offered · 57 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 1.8; Bolton median median 2.0
2025 1.6; Bolton median median 2.0
2024 1.9; Bolton median median 2.1
2023 1.8; Bolton median median 1.9
2022 1.9; Bolton median median 2.1
2021 1.9; Bolton median median 2.1
2020 1.7; Bolton median median 2.2
2019 1.9; Bolton median median 2.1
2018 2.1; Bolton median median 2.1
2017 1.7; Bolton median median 2.0
2016 2.2; Bolton median median 2.1
2015 1.8; Bolton median median 2.2
2014 1.9; 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	59	103	1.8	57	0.97
Sep 2025	60	98	1.6	59	0.98
Sep 2024	59	110	1.9	49	0.83
Sep 2023	60	110	1.8	52	0.87
Sep 2022	52	97	1.9	49	0.94
Sep 2021	60	112	1.9	62	1.03
Sep 2020	55	94	1.7	46	0.84
Sep 2019	60	115	1.9	60	1.00
Sep 2018	60	125	2.1	70	1.17
Sep 2017	58	96	1.7	62	1.07
Sep 2016	58	125	2.2	68	1.17
Sep 2015	51	92	1.8	45	0.88
Sep 2014	58	108	1.9	64	1.10

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 89% · Writing 87% · Maths 84% → all three 74% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard74%23rd of 87 in Bolton

Bolton 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard89%

Bolton 79% England 78%

Higher standard31%

Bolton 31% England 33%

Average scaled score 107 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard87%

Bolton 77% England 75%

Greater depth34%

Bolton 15% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard84%

Bolton 78% England 77%

Higher standard39%

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	74%	21%	107	107
2023/24	79%	19%	107	106
2022/23	76%	22%	106	107

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

Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Outstanding2024

1.8applications per place 74%met the SATs standard
The Gates Primary School
0.5 km · Bolton

Remains Good2023

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

Graded · no overall grade2025

3.4applications per place 63%met the SATs standard
Woodland Primary Academy
1.0 km · Bolton

Good2020

1.4applications per place
St Thomas CofE Primary School
1.1 km · Bolton

2026

2.5applications per place 78%met the SATs standard
Eatock Primary School
1.5 km · Bolton

Remains Outstanding2024

3.5applications per place 70%met the SATs standard
St George's CofE Primary School
1.6 km · Bolton

2026

2.7applications per place 60%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
Lostock Primary School
3.1 km · Bolton

Outstanding2024

4.3applications per place

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: 105243 · 350/3359
Admissions policy: Non-selective
Religious character: Roman Catholic
Capacity: 420 pupils · 417 on roll
Free school meals: 9.1% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Central Drive, Westhoughton, Bolton, BL5 3DU
Local authority: Bolton

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