Blackrod Primary School

About Blackrod Primary School

Blackrod Primary School sits comfortably ahead of the Bolton local authority average for primary schools, with 83% of its pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined at Key Stage 2, compared with the LA average of 66%. That 17-point gap places the school 10th out of 87 primaries in the borough, putting it in the top tier locally. It’s one of only 16 outstanding-rated primaries in Bolton, and its most recent Ofsted inspection in 2024 awarded top marks across every category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision all rated outstanding. That consistency is notable: the school’s previous inspection, back in 2011, also judged it outstanding overall, so this is a school that has sustained high standards over a long period.

Academic outcomes at Blackrod are strong across the core subjects. In reading, 95% of pupils met the expected standard and 48% reached the higher standard, with an average scaled score of 110. In maths, 90% met the expected standard and 30% hit the higher standard, with an average score of 106. Writing is slightly lower, with 88% at expected and 13% at the higher level. The combined expected figure of 83% is well above the national average for primary schools and puts Blackrod in the top 8% nationally. Progress scores aren’t available in the data, so it’s not possible to say how much value the school adds relative to pupils’ starting points, but the raw attainment figures are clearly strong. The school ranks 136th out of 2,065 primaries in the North West region, which places it in the top 7% regionally.

The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 112 applications for 45 places, with 49 first-preference applications and 44 offers made to first-preference families — an oversubscription ratio of 2.49. Facilities include a forest school, gymnasium, library, chapel, playing fields and an outdoor playground. Sports offered cover gymnastics, tennis, dance, rounders, athletics and cross country, and there are clubs including book club, drama and art club. SEND provision is broad, covering specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, speech and language needs, hearing impairment, autistic spectrum disorder and social, emotional and mental health support. With a relatively low proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at 9%, Blackrod is a high-attaining, well-subscribed community primary that will particularly suit families prioritising strong academic outcomes and a broad range of enrichment activities within a state-funded setting.

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