Academy converter · Bolton

St Paul's CofE Primary School, Astley Bridge

2–11Ages
251Pupils
PrimaryPhase
Church of EnglandReligious character
138851URN

Newnham Street, Astley Bridge, Bolton, BL1 8QA · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Oct 2024 Previous framework

No overall grade given

Quality of education
Behaviour and attitudes
Personal development
Leadership and management

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

3.0per place

1.0 above Bolton median (2.0)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Bolton

89 applications for 30 places · 10th of 91 in Bolton

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

79%met the expected standard

Bolton 66% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 22 October 2024Ofsted's previous 4-point scale (to August 2024). Between September 2024 and November 2025 Ofsted graded areas but gave no overall grade.
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

3.0applications per place, Reception

1.0 above Bolton median (2.0) 0.8 above England median (2.2)

89 applications · 30 places offered · 36 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 3.0; Bolton median median 2.0
2025 2.6; Bolton median median 2.0
2024 3.2; Bolton median median 2.1
2023 2.6; Bolton median median 1.9
2022 2.5; Bolton median median 2.1
2021 3.4; Bolton median median 2.1
2020 3.2; Bolton median median 2.2
2019 2.4; Bolton median median 2.1
2018 3.3; Bolton median median 2.1
2017 3.1; Bolton median median 2.0
2016 3.4; Bolton median median 2.1
2015 2.5; Bolton median median 2.2
2014 2.5; 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	30	89	3.0	36	1.20
Sep 2025	30	77	2.6	38	1.27
Sep 2024	29	93	3.2	35	1.21
Sep 2023	30	79	2.6	31	1.03
Sep 2022	30	75	2.5	28	0.93
Sep 2021	30	102	3.4	40	1.33
Sep 2020	30	95	3.2	36	1.20
Sep 2019	30	72	2.4	24	0.80
Sep 2018	30	99	3.3	35	1.17
Sep 2017	26	81	3.1	23	0.88
Sep 2016	28	94	3.4	28	1.00
Sep 2015	28	71	2.5	22	0.79
Sep 2014	28	70	2.5	23	0.82

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 82% · Writing 85% · Maths 85% → all three 79% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard79%12th of 87 in Bolton

Bolton 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard82%

Bolton 79% England 78%

Higher standard36%

Bolton 31% England 33%

Average scaled score 106 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard85%

Bolton 77% England 75%

Greater depth24%

Bolton 15% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard85%

Bolton 78% England 77%

Higher standard27%

Bolton 26% England 24%

Average scaled score 106 (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	79%	12%	106	106
2023/24	77%	23%	107	105
2022/23	69%	13%	106	105

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 Paul's CofE Primary School, Astley BridgeThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2024

3.0applications per place 79%met the SATs standard
Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School
0.5 km · Bolton

2026

1.3applications per place 52%met the SATs standard
The Valley Community Primary School
0.9 km · Bolton

Outstanding2023

2.0applications per place 83%met the SATs standard
Sharples Primary School
1.0 km · Bolton

Standards maintained2025

2.7applications per place 66%met the SATs standard
St Thomas C of E Primary School, Halliwell
1.1 km · Bolton

2026

1.8applications per place 50%met the SATs standard
High Lawn Primary School
1.1 km · Bolton

Graded · no overall grade2024

1.7applications per place 61%met the SATs standard
The Oaks Primary School
1.2 km · Bolton

Good2023

2.8applications per place 79%met the SATs standard
The Olive School, Bolton
1.3 km · Bolton

Standards maintained2025

3.1applications per place 95%met the SATs standard
Castle Hill Primary School
1.3 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: 138851 · 350/3009
Trust: Forward As One Church of England Multi Academy Trust
Religious character: Church of England
Capacity: 210 pupils · 251 on roll
Free school meals: 27.2% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 October 2012
Replaced: St Paul's CofE Primary School, Astley Bridge (URN 105206)
Address: Newnham Street, Astley Bridge, Bolton, BL1 8QA
Local authority: Bolton

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