Free schools · Bolton

The Olive School, Bolton

4–11Ages
422Pupils
PrimaryPhase
MuslimReligious character
142898URN

Darley Street, Bolton, BL1 3DX · School website

Applications per placeCircle size: applicationsThis school

Latest Ofsted

Graded OutstandingJul 2019

Standards maintainedUngraded inspection · Feb 2025

What Ofsted found

Applications per place · Sept 2026

3.1per place

1.1 above Bolton median (2.0)

Fewer applicationsMore

This schoolOther primary schools in Bolton

184 applications for 60 places · 9th of 91 in Bolton

Every year since 2017

SATs · reading, writing and maths · 2024/25

95%met the expected standard

Bolton 66% England 64%

Reading, writing and maths

What did Ofsted find?

Ofsted data to 30 September 2026

Graded OutstandingJul 2019

Standards maintainedUngraded inspection · Feb 2025

Inspection history

12 February 2025
Ungraded inspection: Standards maintained
10 July 2019
Graded inspection: 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

3.1applications per place, Reception

1.1 above Bolton median (2.0) 0.9 above England median (2.2)

184 applications · 60 places offered · 108 named it first

FaithMay give priority to families of the faith.

2026 3.1; Bolton median median 2.0
2025 3.0; Bolton median median 2.0
2024 3.4; Bolton median median 2.1
2023 2.7; Bolton median median 1.9
2022 2.6; Bolton median median 2.1
2021 2.3; Bolton median median 2.1
2020 2.7; Bolton median median 2.2
2019 2.2; Bolton median median 2.1
2018 1.6; Bolton median median 2.1
2017 1.4; Bolton median median 2.0

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	184	3.1	108	1.80
Sep 2025	59	177	3.0	87	1.47
Sep 2024	60	202	3.4	102	1.70
Sep 2023	59	157	2.7	87	1.47
Sep 2022	60	158	2.6	97	1.62
Sep 2021	61	139	2.3	75	1.23
Sep 2020	60	161	2.7	88	1.47
Sep 2019	60	134	2.2	78	1.30
Sep 2018	60	96	1.6	51	0.85
Sep 2017	47	65	1.4	36	0.77

How did pupils do in SATs?

DfE KS2 · 2024/25

Reading 98% · Writing 95% · Maths 98% → all three 95% met the expected standard, End of Year 6

Reading, writing and maths: expected standard95%1st of 87 in Bolton

Bolton 66% England 64%

Reading

Expected standard98%

Bolton 79% England 78%

Higher standard76%

Bolton 31% England 33%

Average scaled score 111 (100 = expected standard)

Writing

Expected standard95%

Bolton 77% England 75%

Greater depth39%

Bolton 15% England 12%

Maths

Expected standard98%

Bolton 78% England 77%

Higher standard58%

Bolton 26% England 24%

Average scaled score 111 (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	95%	32%	111	111
2023/24	92%	20%	111	109
2022/23	92%	28%	111	111

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 Olive School, BoltonThis school
This school

Standards maintained2025

3.1applications per place 95%met the SATs standard
Brownlow Fold Primary School
0.1 km · Bolton

2026

2.3applications per place 53%met the SATs standard
St Thomas C of E Primary School, Halliwell
0.3 km · Bolton

2026

1.8applications per place 50%met the SATs standard
St Joseph's RC Primary School, Halliwell, Bolton
0.4 km · Bolton

Standards maintained2024

2.2applications per place 61%met the SATs standard
Oxford Grove Primary School
0.5 km · Bolton

Outstanding2023

3.0applications per place 80%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
Gaskell Community Primary School
0.6 km · Bolton

Graded · no overall grade2025

1.6applications per place 79%met the SATs standard
The Valley Community Primary School
0.8 km · Bolton

Outstanding2023

2.0applications per place 83%met the SATs standard
St Paul's CofE Primary School, Astley Bridge
1.3 km · Bolton

Graded · no overall grade2024

3.0applications per place 79%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: 142898 · 350/2009
Trust: Star Academies
Religious character: Muslim
Capacity: 420 pupils · 422 on roll
Free school meals: 18.2% of pupils (England median 23%)
Opened: 5 September 2016
Address: Darley Street, Bolton, BL1 3DX
Local authority: Bolton

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