Academy converter · Bolton

Harwood Meadows Primary School

3–11Ages
224Pupils
PrimaryPhase
137991URN

Orchard Gardens, Harwood, Bolton, BL2 3PS · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Apr 2026

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

2.4per place

0.4 above Bolton median (2.0)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Bolton

59 applications for 25 places · 27th of 91 in Bolton

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

62%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 28 April 2026Published 23 June 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
Area	Exceptional	Expected standard
Inclusion		Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching		Expected standard
Achievement		Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour		Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing		Expected 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

28 April 2026
Report card · 7 Expected standard
22 February 2022
Graded inspection: Good
6 November 2019
Ungraded inspection: School remains Good (Concerns)

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

2.4applications per place, Reception

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

59 applications · 25 places offered · 23 named it first

2026 2.4; Bolton median median 2.0
2025 3.1; Bolton median median 2.0
2024 3.1; Bolton median median 2.1
2023 2.4; Bolton median median 1.9
2022 3.2; Bolton median median 2.1
2021 3.5; Bolton median median 2.1
2020 3.0; Bolton median median 2.2
2019 3.2; Bolton median median 2.1
2018 2.7; Bolton median median 2.1
2017 2.4; Bolton median median 2.0
2016 3.0; Bolton median median 2.1
2015 2.8; Bolton median median 2.2
2014 3.7; 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	25	59	2.4	23	0.92
Sep 2025	19	59	3.1	18	0.95
Sep 2024	25	78	3.1	23	0.92
Sep 2023	26	62	2.4	27	1.04
Sep 2022	30	97	3.2	38	1.27
Sep 2021	30	106	3.5	25	0.83
Sep 2020	24	72	3.0	18	0.75
Sep 2019	30	97	3.2	41	1.37
Sep 2018	25	68	2.7	23	0.92
Sep 2017	31	73	2.4	29	0.94
Sep 2016	29	86	3.0	31	1.07
Sep 2015	29	82	2.8	34	1.17
Sep 2014	30	110	3.7	43	1.43

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 76% · Writing 79% · Maths 79% → all three 62% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard62%51st of 87 in Bolton

Bolton 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard76%

Bolton 79% England 78%

Higher standard38%

Bolton 31% England 33%

Average scaled score 107 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard79%

Bolton 77% England 75%

Greater depth7%

Bolton 15% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard79%

Bolton 78% England 77%

Higher standard14%

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	62%	0%	107	105
2023/24	59%	4%	103	103
2022/23	79%	7%	107	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

Harwood Meadows Primary SchoolThis school
This school

2026

2.4applications per place 62%met the SATs standard
Hardy Mill Primary School
0.5 km · Bolton

Standards maintained2024

2.0applications per place 69%met the SATs standard
St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton
0.9 km · Bolton

Standards maintained2024

2.5applications per place 55%met the SATs standard
Red Lane Primary School
1.1 km · Bolton

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.2applications per place 63%met the SATs standard
St Maxentius CofE Primary School
1.7 km · Bolton

Good2023

2.6applications per place 61%met the SATs standard
Christ Church Ainsworth Church of England Primary School
1.7 km · Bury

Remains Good2022
St Columba's RC Primary School
1.9 km · Bolton

Good2024

1.3applications per place 69%met the SATs standard
Leverhulme Community Primary School
2.0 km · Bolton

2026

1.3applications per place 45%met the SATs standard
Castle Hill Primary School
2.1 km · Bolton

Good2023

2.1applications per place 67%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: Academy converter
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 137991 · 350/2072
Trust: Harwood Meadows Community Primary School
Capacity: 236 pupils · 224 on roll
Free school meals: 18.5% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 April 2012
Replaced: Harwood Meadows Primary School (URN 105194)
Address: Orchard Gardens, Harwood, Bolton, BL2 3PS
Local authority: Bolton

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