Voluntary aided school · Bolton

St Mary's RC Primary School

5–11Ages
214Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Roman CatholicReligious character
105250URN

Victoria Road, Horwich, St Mary's Rc Primary School, Horwich, Bolton, BL6 6EP · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded GoodMar 2020

Standards maintainedUngraded inspection · Mar 2025

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

72 applications for 29 places · 23rd of 91 in Bolton

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

56%met the expected standard

Bolton 66% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded GoodMar 2020

Standards maintainedUngraded inspection · Mar 2025

The graded inspection, 3 March 2020Ofsted'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

12 March 2025
Ungraded inspection: Standards maintained
3 March 2020
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

2.5applications per place, Reception

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

72 applications · 29 places offered · 30 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 2.5; Bolton median median 2.0
2025 2.3; Bolton median median 2.0
2024 2.6; Bolton median median 2.1
2023 2.4; Bolton median median 1.9
2022 2.6; Bolton median median 2.1
2021 2.2; Bolton median median 2.1
2020 2.4; Bolton median median 2.2
2019 2.1; Bolton median median 2.1
2018 2.6; Bolton median median 2.1
2017 2.0; Bolton median median 2.0
2016 2.9; Bolton median median 2.1
2015 1.9; Bolton median median 2.2
2014 2.7; 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	29	72	2.5	30	1.03
Sep 2025	29	67	2.3	33	1.14
Sep 2024	30	78	2.6	36	1.20
Sep 2023	30	71	2.4	28	0.93
Sep 2022	24	63	2.6	23	0.96
Sep 2021	30	65	2.2	28	0.93
Sep 2020	29	70	2.4	23	0.79
Sep 2019	30	63	2.1	29	0.97
Sep 2018	30	77	2.6	40	1.33
Sep 2017	29	57	2.0	26	0.90
Sep 2016	30	87	2.9	48	1.60
Sep 2015	30	58	1.9	39	1.30
Sep 2014	29	79	2.7	41	1.41

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 75% · Writing 72% · Maths 69% → all three 56% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard56%68th of 87 in Bolton

Bolton 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard75%

Bolton 79% England 78%

Higher standard22%

Bolton 31% England 33%

Average scaled score 105 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard72%

Bolton 77% England 75%

Greater depth6%

Bolton 15% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard69%

Bolton 78% England 77%

Higher standard22%

Bolton 26% England 24%

Average scaled score 103 (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	56%	6%	105	103
2023/24	78%	19%	107	105
2022/23	69%	22%	109	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 Mary's RC Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Standards maintained2025

2.5applications per place 56%met the SATs standard
Chorley New Road Primary Academy
0.1 km · Bolton

Remains Good2023

2.2applications per place 60%met the SATs standard
Horwich Parish CofE Primary School
1.0 km · Bolton

2026

1.9applications per place 73%met the SATs standard
Claypool Primary School
1.0 km · Bolton

2026

2.3applications per place 34%met the SATs standard
St Catherine's CofE Primary School
1.4 km · Bolton

2026

2.2applications per place 62%met the SATs standard
Beacon Primary School
1.6 km · Bolton

Good2023

1.6applications per place 36%met the SATs standard
Blackrod Primary School
2.5 km · Bolton

Outstanding2024

2.0applications per place 78%met the SATs standard
Lostock Primary School
3.3 km · Bolton

Outstanding2024

4.3applications per place
Blackrod Anglican/Methodist Primary School
3.6 km · Bolton

Remains Good2023

2.3applications per place 56%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: 105250 · 350/3367
Religious character: Roman Catholic
Capacity: 218 pupils · 214 on roll
Free school meals: 15.0% of pupils (England median 23%)
Address: Victoria Road, Horwich, St Mary's Rc Primary School, Horwich, Bolton, BL6 6EP
Local authority: Bolton

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