Heathfield Primary School

About Heathfield Primary School

Heathfield Primary School in Bolton was rated Good by Ofsted in its most recent graded inspection, a significant improvement from its previous rating of Requires Improvement in 2011. The school’s leadership and management were also judged Good. When it comes to academic outcomes, the most telling metric is the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which stood at 74% in the 2023/24 academic year. That is comfortably above the Bolton local authority average of 66% for primary schools, placing Heathfield 27th out of 87 schools in the borough. Nationally, the school sits in the top 22% of all primary schools on this measure, and in the top 21% across the North West region. This suggests a school that is performing well above the local norm, even if it is not among the very highest-scoring in Bolton.

Digging deeper into the Key Stage 2 results, the school’s strongest subject was maths, where 87% of pupils reached the expected standard and 42% achieved a higher score. The average maths score was 107, a solid result. Reading saw 77% at expected and 26% at a higher level, with an average score of 105. Writing was slightly lower, with 81% at expected and just 16% at a higher standard. The proportion of pupils reaching the higher standard across all three subjects was 10%, which is in line with national expectations. The school does not publish progress scores for reading, writing or maths, so it is not possible to compare how much value it adds relative to pupils’ starting points. However, the attainment data alone paints a picture of a school where the majority of children are meeting or exceeding the benchmarks, particularly in maths.

Heathfield is a state primary for mixed genders aged 2 to 11, with a nursery on site. It has 272 pupils against a capacity of 276, so it is nearly full. The school is oversubscribed: for the 2025/26 intake, there were 73 applications for 29 places, with 24 offers made to first-preference families. That works out at 2.5 applications per place, so securing a spot is competitive. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is 30.8%, above the national average, which adds context to the strong academic results. Facilities include playing fields, a library, music rooms, an ICT suite and a chapel. Sports on offer include cricket, football, gymnastics and swimming, while clubs range from drama and choir to eco club and science club. The school supports a wide range of SEND needs, including dyslexia, speech and language difficulties, hearing impairment and social, emotional and mental health needs. This is a solid, well-regarded local school that delivers above-average outcomes without being flashy.

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