Best primary schools in Bolton (2026)

Bolton has 53 ranked primary schools with published results. The top-ranked is The Olive School, Bolton, in the top 1% in England. The average reading, writing & maths here in 2025 was 65%, against 62% for England. 7 are in England's top 10%, and 2 are rated Outstanding by Ofsted.

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Rank	School	Reading, writing & maths (2023–2025 average)	Reading, writing & maths 2025	Higher standard	Ofsted
1 Top 1% in England	The Olive School, Bolton Bolton · Muslim	93%	95%	32%	No rating
2 Top 2% in England	Beaumont Primary School Bolton	87%	84%	29%	Not judged
3 Top 3% in England	The Valley Community Primary School Bolton	85%	83%	27%	Outstanding
4 Top 6% in England	The Oaks Primary School Bolton	86%	79%	12%	Good
5 Top 6% in England	Oxford Grove Primary School Bolton	77%	80%	31%	Outstanding
6 Top 9% in England	Markland Hill Primary School Bolton	75%	77%	32%	Not judged
7 Top 10% in England	St William of York Roman Catholic Primary School Bolton · Roman Catholic	81%	84%	10%	Not judged
8 Top 14% in England	St Paul's CofE Primary School, Astley Bridge Bolton · Church of England	75%	79%	12%	Not judged
9 Top 15% in England	Heathfield Primary School Bolton	76%	75%	13%	Report card
10 Top 17% in England	Sunning Hill Primary School Bolton	73%	74%	16%	Not judged
11 Top 23% in England	Eagley Junior School Bolton	72%	70%	17%	Not judged
12 Top 25% in England	St Maxentius CofE Primary School Bolton · Church of England	71%	61%	12%	Good
13 Top 26% in England	The Olive Tree Primary School Bolton Bolton · Muslim	73%	75%	12%	Good
14 Top 26% in England	Lever Edge Primary Academy Bolton	72%	63%	3%	Good
15 Top 27% in England	Devonshire Road Primary School Bolton	68%	68%	14%	Good
16 Top 27% in England	Gaskell Community Primary School Bolton	72%	79%	11%	Not judged
17 Top 30% in England	St Mary's CofE Primary School, Deane Bolton · Church of England	68%	66%	13%	No rating
18 Top 30% in England	St Peter's Smithills Dean Church of England Primary School Bolton · Church of England	65%	59%	16%	No rating
19 Top 35% in England	St Columba's RC Primary School Bolton · Roman Catholic	70%	69%	7%	Good
20 Top 36% in England	Sharples Primary School Bolton	68%	66%	6%	No rating
21 Top 38% in England	St Joseph's RC Primary School, Halliwell, Bolton Bolton · Roman Catholic	67%	61%	13%	Good
22 Top 39% in England	Ladybridge Community Primary School Bolton	67%	69%	8%	Report card
23 Top 40% in England	St Bernard's RC Primary School, Bolton Bolton · Roman Catholic	64%	72%	9%	No rating
24 Top 42% in England	St Stephen and All Martyrs' CofE School, Lever Bridge Bolton · Church of England	68%	65%	3%	Good
25 Top 43% in England	Castle Hill Primary School Bolton	67%	67%	0%	Good
26 Top 43% in England	St Thomas of Canterbury RC School Bolton · Roman Catholic	62%	52%	8%	No rating
27 Top 44% in England	Moorgate Primary School Bolton	64%	67%	9%	No rating
28 Top 44% in England	Harwood Meadows Primary School Bolton	67%	62%	0%	Report card
29 Top 45% in England	Hardy Mill Primary School Bolton	64%	69%	9%	No rating
30 Top 46% in England	Church Road Primary School Bolton	64%	62%	10%	Good
31 Top 48% in England	High Lawn Primary School Bolton	63%	61%	8%	Not judged
32 Bottom 50% in England	Red Lane Primary School Bolton	61%	63%	7%	Not judged
33 Bottom 50% in England	Haslam Park Primary School Bolton	63%	74%	9%	Good
34 Bottom 45% in England	Clarendon Primary School Bolton	56%	63%	24%	No rating
35 Bottom 44% in England	Blackshaw Primary School Bolton	58%	69%	7%	Not judged
36 Bottom 43% in England	St John the Evangelist RC Primary School, Bromley Cross, Bolton Bolton · Roman Catholic	59%	58%	3%	No rating
37 Bottom 42% in England	Bishop Bridgeman CofE Primary School Bolton · Church of England	60%	61%	5%	Good
38 Bottom 42% in England	St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton Bolton · Roman Catholic	57%	55%	13%	Good
39 Bottom 41% in England	Brandwood Primary School Bolton	58%	56%	8%	Good
40 Bottom 40% in England	St Ethelbert's Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy Bolton · Roman Catholic	62%	62%	0%	No rating
41 Bottom 39% in England	Ss Simon & Jude CofE Primary School, Bolton Bolton · Church of England	58%	62%	4%	Good
42 Bottom 37% in England	St Michael's CofE Primary School, Great Lever Bolton · Church of England	57%	59%	16%	No rating
43 Bottom 37% in England	St Bede Academy Bolton · Church of England	58%	49%	1%	Good
44 Bottom 37% in England	SS Osmund and Andrew's R.C. Primary School Bolton · Roman Catholic	57%	57%	10%	No rating
45 Bottom 35% in England	Pikes Lane Primary School Bolton	56%	54%	8%	Not judged
46 Bottom 29% in England	Brownlow Fold Primary School Bolton	55%	53%	3%	Report card
47 Bottom 24% in England	Essa Primary Academy Bolton	53%	66%	3%	Not judged
48 Bottom 20% in England	Tonge Moor Primary Academy Bolton	51%	44%	3%	Good
49 Bottom 19% in England	Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School Bolton · Roman Catholic	51%	52%	0%	Report card
50 Bottom 19% in England	St Thomas C of E Primary School, Halliwell Bolton · Church of England	49%	50%	2%	Report card
51 Bottom 11% in England	Leverhulme Community Primary School Bolton	46%	45%	2%	Report card
52 Bottom 8% in England	St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Bolton Bolton · Church of England	44%	47%	0%	No rating
53 Bottom 5% in England	Gilnow Primary School Bolton	39%	53%	3%	No rating

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Questions

What is the best primary school in Bolton?

On exam results over the last three years, The Olive School, Bolton is the top-ranked primary school in Bolton, in the top 1% of schools in England.

How are the schools ranked?

By published Department for Education exam results averaged over three years: for secondary schools, Attainment 8 plus a quarter of the share getting grade 5+ in English and maths; for primary schools, the share reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths plus half the share reaching the higher standard. The order uses the three-year average, so a school can rank above one with a higher single-year result. Schools with fewer than 10 pupils taking the tests are not ranked. Exam results are only part of the picture: visit, read the Ofsted report and check admissions rules, as living nearby does not guarantee a place.