Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School
110%
Capacity
230
Pupils
2.1x
Demand
About Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School
Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School is a state-funded Roman Catholic primary in Bolton, and it holds its own very well in a competitive local landscape. Among 97 primary schools in the local authority, it ranks 11th, placing it comfortably in the top tier. The top three peers in Bolton are The Olive School, The Oaks Primary, and Beaumont Primary, but Our Lady of Lourdes sits just behind them, outperforming the vast majority of its neighbours. The school is oversubscribed, with 60 applications for 29 places in the 2025/26 admissions round, and 25 of those 29 offers went to first-preference families. It serves a mixed community, with 21.5% of pupils eligible for free school meals, and the school’s capacity of 210 is currently exceeded by its roll of 230, suggesting strong local demand.
Academically, the school performs well above the Bolton average. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 81% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with a local authority average of 66%. The school also excels at the higher standard, with 16% of pupils achieving that benchmark. In reading, 45% of pupils reached the higher standard, and the average scaled score was 108. Maths was similarly strong, with a 108 average score and 45% hitting the higher threshold. Writing saw 19% at the higher standard. Ofsted’s most recent inspection, in October 2024, rated the school Good overall, with Outstanding marks for early years provision and for behaviour and attitudes. The previous inspection in 2015 also rated it Good, so the school has maintained a solid track record.
The school offers a broad set of facilities, including a sensory room, ICT suite, library, art studios, playing fields, gymnasium, and a chapel. Sports include gymnastics, football, cross country, swimming, dance, netball and tennis, and clubs range from coding and gardening to film club and choir. SEND provisions cover specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, and speech and language communication needs. Parent View responses, collected between September 2024 and September 2025, show strong satisfaction: 93% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that their child is happy, and 93% felt their child is safe. 84% would recommend the school. This is a good fit for Catholic families in Bolton who want a faith-based primary with strong academic outcomes, a nurturing pastoral environment, and a clear track record of behaviour and early years excellence.
Key Details
| School Type | Primary (State) |
| Age Range | 3 to 11 years |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Religious Character | Roman Catholic |
| Address | Beech Avenue, Bolton, Bolton, BL4 0BP |
| Headteacher | Linda Chadwick |
| Local Authority | Bolton |
| Number of Pupils | 230 |
| Free School Meals (FSM) | 21.5% |
| School Capacity | 230 / 210 (110% full) |
| Nursery Classes | Yes |
Ofsted Inspection Breakdown
15 Oct 2024Quality of Education
Good
Since Sep 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade
Additional Provisions
Source: Ofsted, 27 Nov 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.
League Table Position
Based on KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths (81%)
1276th of 13,686
Nationally
155th of 2,065
In North West
11th of 87
In Bolton
Source: Classpot analysis of DfE KS2 Reading, Writing & Maths data
KS2 SATs Results
2023/24Reading, Writing & Maths Combined
81%
Expected Standard
16%
Higher Standard
'22/23
74%
'23/24
81%
Source: Department for Education, 2023/24. National expected standard benchmark is around 65%.
Ofsted Parent View
45 responsesWould Recommend This School
Source: Ofsted Parent View (GOV.UK statistical data), Sep – Sep 2025
SEND Support
Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.
Facilities
9Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.
Extracurriculars
11Sports
Clubs & Activities
Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.
Admissions
2025/26Oversubscribed29
60
Good Demand
Popular school with more applications than places
25 families put this school as their 1st choice (42% of all applications)
Source: Department for Education, 2025/26. Data reflects national offer day applications and offers.
Class profile
2024/25Better than half of schools in England.
75% of schools in England do better than this.
Lower is generally better — fewer pupils per teacher or per class means more individual attention. Sources: DfE School Workforce Census & Schools, pupils and their characteristics, 2024/25.
Pupils & demographics
2024/25Below the national average (25%).
Among the highest 25% — a diverse linguistic intake.
Ethnic background
- White British34.8%
- Asian24.7%
- White (other)9.1%
- Black5.2%
- Mixed3.0%
Source: DfE Schools, pupils and their characteristics (2024/25). Percentages may not sum to 100% — pupils classified as “unclassified”, “refused” or minor categories are not shown.
Attendance & Behaviour
2024/25Better than 75% of schools in England.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
Pupils missing 10% or more of sessions.
Better than 75% of schools in England.
A pupil temporarily sent home for behaviour.
Like most schools in England, no pupils were permanently excluded this year.
Ranks vs all state-funded schools in England. Source: DfE Pupil absence in schools & Suspensions and permanent exclusions.
Catchment & Local Competition
No catchment data published for this school
The dashed grey ring is a generic 1-mile reference area — it's not an admission boundary. Real catchment depends on year, demand, and council criteria. We currently have real data for about 6% of UK schools and are actively expanding the database.
⚠ This school is oversubscribed — without published cutoff data we can't show how far places reach. Check your council's admissions page.
Schools within 1 mile (reference area)
1 mile is a fixed reference, not this school's catchment.
13
Total schools
11
Oversubscribed
9
Primary
Don’t use the dashed grey ring as a catchment boundary — it’s a reference area for counting nearby schools only. Real admission boundaries depend on year-by-year demand and council criteria; ask the school or council for authoritative info.
Frequently Asked Questions About Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School
Helpful Guides for Parents
Ofsted Ratings Explained
Understand the 4 Ofsted ratings and what they mean
How to Choose a Primary School
Step-by-step guide to choosing the right primary school
KS2 SATs Explained
A parent's guide to Year 6 SATs and how results are reported
SEN & EHCP: A Parent's Guide
Understanding SEN support, EHC Plans and your legal rights
Contact Information
Beech Avenue, Bolton
Bolton, BL4 0BP
Journey to School
Journey times are estimates based on current conditions. Actual times may vary.
Opening Hours
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