Academy sponsor led · Bolton

The Ferns Primary Academy

3–11Ages
445Pupils
PrimaryPhase
138399URN

Plodder Lane, Farnworth, Bolton, BL4 0DA · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Report card · inspected Jan 2026

Exceptional
Strong standard
Expected standard
Needs attention
Urgent improvement

Safeguarding standards met

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

90 applications for 46 places · 49th of 91 in Bolton

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

76%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 6 January 2026Published 15 March 2026 · safeguarding standards met · no overall grade
Area	Exceptional	Strong standard	Expected standard
Inclusion			Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching		Strong standard
Achievement		Strong standard
Attendance and behaviour			Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing		Strong standard
Early years		Strong standard
Post-16 provision	Does not apply to this school
Leadership and governance		Strong 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

6 January 2026
Report card · 5 Strong standard, 2 Expected standard
1 July 2021
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

2.0applications per place, Reception

close to Bolton median (2.0) 0.2 below England median (2.2)

90 applications · 46 places offered · 39 named it first

2026 2.0; Bolton median median 2.0
2025 1.9; Bolton median median 2.0
2024 2.2; Bolton median median 2.1
2023 1.6; Bolton median median 1.9
2022 1.9; Bolton median median 2.1
2021 1.8; Bolton median median 2.1
2020 1.9; Bolton median median 2.2
2019 2.0; Bolton median median 2.1
2018 2.3; Bolton median median 2.1
2017 1.6; Bolton median median 2.0
2016 1.8; Bolton median median 2.1
2015 1.5; Bolton median median 2.2
2014 2.1; 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	46	90	2.0	39	0.85
Sep 2025	55	105	1.9	53	0.96
Sep 2024	60	129	2.2	60	1.00
Sep 2023	59	95	1.6	55	0.93
Sep 2022	60	111	1.9	55	0.92
Sep 2021	58	107	1.8	54	0.93
Sep 2020	55	103	1.9	49	0.89
Sep 2019	45	91	2.0	39	0.87
Sep 2018	42	96	2.3	39	0.93
Sep 2017	54	84	1.6	37	0.69
Sep 2016	49	87	1.8	37	0.76
Sep 2015	51	75	1.5	41	0.80
Sep 2014	26	54	2.1	22	0.85

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 85% · Writing 81% · Maths 85% → all three 76% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard76%20th of 87 in Bolton

Bolton 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard85%

Bolton 79% England 78%

Higher standard37%

Bolton 31% England 33%

Average scaled score 108 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard81%

Bolton 77% England 75%

Greater depth15%

Bolton 15% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard85%

Bolton 78% England 77%

Higher standard39%

Bolton 26% England 24%

Average scaled score 108 (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	76%	12%	108	108
2023/24	87%	3%	107	106
2022/23	75%	11%	105	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

The Ferns Primary AcademyThis school
This school

2026

2.0applications per place 76%met the SATs standard
Queensbridge Primary School
0.4 km · Bolton

Good2023

2.1applications per place 58%met the SATs standard
Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School
0.6 km · Bolton

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.0applications per place 79%met the SATs standard
St James CofE Primary School, Farnworth
0.7 km · Bolton

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.2applications per place 67%met the SATs standard
Highfield Primary School
0.7 km · Bolton

2026

1.8applications per place 66%met the SATs standard
All Saints CofE Primary School
1.1 km · Bolton

2026

1.9applications per place 66%met the SATs standard
St Michael's CofE Primary School, Great Lever
1.2 km · Bolton

Remains Good · improving2024

1.3applications per place 59%met the SATs standard
St Peter's CofE Primary School
1.2 km · Bolton

2025

1.9applications per place 58%met the SATs standard
St Gregory's RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy
1.4 km · Bolton

Good2024

2.4applications per place 82%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 sponsor led
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 138399 · 350/2001
Trust: Northern Education Trust
Capacity: 420 pupils · 445 on roll
Free school meals: 32.0% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 September 2012
Replaced: Plodder Lane Primary School (URN 105183)
Address: Plodder Lane, Farnworth, Bolton, BL4 0DA
Local authority: Bolton

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