Community school · Bolton

The Valley Community Primary School

2–11Ages
538Pupils
PrimaryPhase
133980URN

Hibbert Street, Off Blackburn Road, Bolton, BL1 8JG · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Oct 2023 Previous framework

Outstanding

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.0per place

close to Bolton median (2.0)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Bolton

122 applications for 60 places · 43rd of 91 in Bolton

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

83%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 · 17 October 2023Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024)
Area	Outstanding	Good
Quality of education	Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes	Outstanding
Personal development	Outstanding
Leadership and management	Outstanding
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

2.0applications per place, Reception

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

122 applications · 60 places offered · 65 named it first

HistoryEarlier years not shown: formed from, or split from, other schools.

2026 2.0; Bolton median median 2.0
2025 2.0; Bolton median median 2.0
2024 1.8; Bolton median median 2.1
2023 1.8; Bolton median median 1.9
2022 1.8; Bolton median median 2.1
2021 2.0; Bolton median median 2.1
2020 1.7; Bolton median median 2.2
2019 1.6; Bolton median median 2.1
2018 1.8; Bolton median median 2.1
2017 1.5; Bolton median median 2.0
2016 1.7; Bolton median median 2.1
2015 1.5; Bolton median median 2.2
2014 1.5; 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	60	122	2.0	65	1.08
Sep 2025	58	114	2.0	55	0.95
Sep 2024	60	109	1.8	53	0.88
Sep 2023	60	106	1.8	63	1.05
Sep 2022	59	104	1.8	49	0.83
Sep 2021	60	119	2.0	67	1.12
Sep 2020	60	103	1.7	65	1.08
Sep 2019	60	94	1.6	59	0.98
Sep 2018	60	110	1.8	66	1.10
Sep 2017	60	92	1.5	68	1.13
Sep 2016	60	99	1.7	68	1.13
Sep 2015	60	89	1.5	60	1.00
Sep 2014	60	92	1.5	61	1.02

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 92% · Writing 87% · Maths 90% → all three 83% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard83%8th of 87 in Bolton

Bolton 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard92%

Bolton 79% England 78%

Higher standard47%

Bolton 31% England 33%

Average scaled score 109 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard87%

Bolton 77% England 75%

Greater depth33%

Bolton 15% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard90%

Bolton 78% England 77%

Higher standard55%

Bolton 26% England 24%

Average scaled score 110 (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	83%	27%	109	110
2023/24	88%	30%	108	111
2022/23	83%	17%	106	110

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

The Valley Community Primary SchoolThis school
This school

Outstanding2023

2.0applications per place 83%met the SATs standard
St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Bolton
0.5 km · Bolton

Remains Good2023

1.1applications per place 47%met the SATs standard
The Olive School, Bolton
0.8 km · Bolton

Standards maintained2025

3.1applications per place 95%met the SATs standard
St Paul's CofE Primary School, Astley Bridge
0.9 km · Bolton

Graded · no overall grade2024

3.0applications per place 79%met the SATs standard
St Thomas C of E Primary School, Halliwell
0.9 km · Bolton

2026

1.8applications per place 50%met the SATs standard
Brownlow Fold Primary School
0.9 km · Bolton

2026

2.3applications per place 53%met the SATs standard
Gaskell Community Primary School
1.0 km · Bolton

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.6applications per place 79%met the SATs standard
Castle Hill Primary School
1.1 km · Bolton

Good2023

2.1applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
Tonge Moor Primary Academy
1.2 km · Bolton

Good2023

1.8applications per place 44%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: Community school
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 133980 · 350/3370
Capacity: 420 pupils · 538 on roll
Free school meals: 16.2% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 September 2003
Address: Hibbert Street, Off Blackburn Road, Bolton, BL1 8JG
Local authority: Bolton

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