Free schools · Bolton

Essa Primary Academy

4–11Ages
387Pupils
PrimaryPhase
140973URN

Lever Edge Lane, BOLTON, BL3 3HH · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded inspection · Nov 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

2.6per place

0.6 above Bolton median (2.0)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Bolton

66 applications for 25 places · 17th of 91 in Bolton

Every year since 2014

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

66%met the expected standard

Bolton 66% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded inspection · 5 November 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		Good
Behaviour and attitudes		Good
Personal development		Good
Leadership and management		Good
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

2.6applications per place, Reception

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

66 applications · 25 places offered · 20 named it first

2026 2.6; Bolton median median 2.0
2025 2.0; Bolton median median 2.0
2024 2.0; Bolton median median 2.1
2023 2.5; Bolton median median 1.9
2022 2.4; Bolton median median 2.1
2021 3.1; Bolton median median 2.1
2020 1.9; Bolton median median 2.2
2019 2.0; Bolton median median 2.1
2018 2.2; Bolton median median 2.1
2017 1.5; Bolton median median 2.0
2016 2.0; Bolton median median 2.1
2015 2.4; 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	25	66	2.6	20	0.80
Sep 2025	42	85	2.0	31	0.74
Sep 2024	38	74	2.0	31	0.82
Sep 2023	22	55	2.5	18	0.82
Sep 2022	30	71	2.4	29	0.97
Sep 2021	22	67	3.1	19	0.86
Sep 2020	48	89	1.9	35	0.73
Sep 2019	31	62	2.0	10	0.32
Sep 2018	29	65	2.2	22	0.76
Sep 2017	42	63	1.5	21	0.50
Sep 2016	47	92	2.0	33	0.70
Sep 2015	26	62	2.4	19	0.73
Sep 2014	22	46	2.1	16	0.73

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 75% · Writing 78% · Maths 78% → all three 66% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard66%40th of 87 in Bolton

Bolton 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard75%

Bolton 79% England 78%

Higher standard12%

Bolton 31% England 33%

Average scaled score 103 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard78%

Bolton 77% England 75%

Greater depth3%

Bolton 15% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard78%

Bolton 78% England 77%

Higher standard23%

Bolton 26% England 24%

Average scaled score 104 (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	66%	3%	103	104
2023/24	59%	5%	104	103
2022/23	35%	2%	101	100

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

Essa Primary AcademyThis school
This school

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.6applications per place 66%met the SATs standard
St Bede Academy
0.4 km · Bolton

Good2023

1.5applications per place 49%met the SATs standard
Lever Edge Primary Academy
0.6 km · Bolton

Good2023

1.9applications per place 63%met the SATs standard
The Olive Tree Primary School Bolton
0.9 km · Bolton

Standards maintained2025

3.4applications per place 75%met the SATs standard
St William of York Roman Catholic Primary School
1.0 km · Bolton

Graded · no overall grade2025

2.2applications per place 84%met the SATs standard
Brandwood Primary School
1.1 km · Bolton

Good2023

1.6applications per place 56%met the SATs standard
Sunning Hill Primary School
1.1 km · Bolton

Graded · no overall grade2024

2.6applications per place 74%met the SATs standard
Heathfield Primary School
1.1 km · Bolton

2026

2.4applications per place 75%met the SATs standard
Bishop Bridgeman CofE Primary School
1.3 km · Bolton

Good2022

2.2applications per place 61%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: Free schools
Phase: Primary
URN · DfE number: 140973 · 350/2003
Trust: Northern Education Trust
Capacity: 420 pupils · 387 on roll
Free school meals: 43.9% of pupils (England median 23%)
Nursery: Has nursery classes
Opened: 1 September 2014
Address: Lever Edge Lane, BOLTON, BL3 3HH
Local authority: Bolton

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