Sharples Primary School

About Sharples Primary School

Sharples Primary School in Bolton holds a Good rating from Ofsted, a grade it has maintained across its most recent inspections, including an ungraded visit in February 2025 where inspectors confirmed standards were being maintained. The most telling academic metric for this primary is the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, which sits at 69% for the 2023/24 academic year. That figure is three percentage points above the Bolton local authority average of 66%, placing Sharples 38th out of 87 primary schools in the borough. Drilling into the individual subjects, 81% of pupils met expectations in both maths and writing, while 75% did so in reading. The school’s average scaled scores of 104 in maths and 105 in reading are solid, though the proportion reaching the higher standard in all three subjects combined is just 6%, suggesting the school’s strength lies in getting the majority securely to the expected level rather than pushing large numbers into the top tier.

Ofsted’s graded inspection from May 2019 gave the school Good marks across the board, with leadership and management, early years provision, and overall effectiveness all rated 2. The early years provision was again judged Good in the most recent ungraded inspection. Parent feedback is overwhelmingly positive, with 95% of respondents saying they would recommend the school. In the Parent View survey, 91% strongly agreed that their child is happy at the school, and 95% strongly agreed that their child feels safe. Behaviour is a particular strength, with 73% strongly agreeing that pupils are well behaved and none disagreeing. The school also scores highly on communication, with 86% strongly agreeing that the school makes them aware of what their child will learn and lets them know how they are doing.

Sharples is a popular school, oversubscribed for the 2025/26 intake with 70 applications for 28 places, a ratio of 2.5 to one. Twenty-one of those applications were first preferences, and all received offers. The school has a nursery provision and caters for children aged 3 to 11. Facilities include playing fields, a library, art studios, music rooms and a sports hall, and there is a chapel on site. The school offers a range of clubs including coding, book club and film club, and sports such as rounders, netball, gymnastics and dance. For SEND, the school lists provisions for specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, visual impairment and autistic spectrum disorder. With 17.4% of pupils eligible for free school meals, the school serves a mixed catchment and would suit families looking for a well-regarded local primary with strong parent satisfaction and a clear focus on core academic standards.

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