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St Columba's RC Primary School

Bolton, BL2 3ARPrimaryAges 3–11MixedState
Ofsted Rating
Good
Apr 2024
KS2 Results
68%
meeting expected standard in RWM
Competition
0.9×
Not oversubscribed
24 1st-choice / 27 places
Ranking
#4,826
of 13,686 nationally

About St Columba's RC Primary School

St Columba's RC Primary School is a state-funded Roman Catholic primary in Bolton, serving 236 pupils aged 3 to 11. In the local authority's primary school rankings, it sits at 39th out of 87 schools, placing it in the top half of Bolton primaries. The top-performing peers in the area are The Olive School, Bolton, The Oaks Primary School and Beaumont Primary School, all of which score higher on the same ranking metric. The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, it received 42 applications for 27 places, with 24 first-preference offers made. That oversubscription ratio of 1.56 suggests a solid local reputation, particularly among Catholic families who prioritise faith-based education. The nearest Outstanding-rated primary is St Paul's CofE Primary School, Astley Bridge, 1.4 km away. St Columba's itself was rated Outstanding at its 2013 inspection but dropped to Good in its most recent graded inspection in April 2024, with all key areas — quality of education, behaviour, personal development, leadership and early years provision — judged Good.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range3 to 11 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterRoman Catholic
AddressRipley Street, Bolton, Bolton, BL2 3AR
HeadteacherSarah Deary
Local AuthorityBolton
Number of Pupils236
Free School Meals (FSM)30.1%
School Capacity236 / 210 (112% full)
Nursery ClassesYes

The full report on this school

The inspection in plain English, admissions context, and how this school compares to nearby alternatives — all in one full school report.

  • Ofsted inspection in plain English
    Strengths, concerns and what inspectors flagged
  • Parent View survey results
    What parents told Ofsted — when the school has 10+ responses
  • Where Ofsted and parents disagree
    Gaps to probe + questions to ask at the open day
  • Admissions & catchment
    Admission criteria, distance cutoffs (where the LA publishes them)
  • Nearby schools compared
    Backup options with Ofsted, demand and distance
  • Attendance & behaviour data
    Persistent absentees, suspensions and exclusions vs national
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Ofsted Inspection Breakdown

10 Apr 2024
View Report
Overall Effectiveness
Good
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Early Years Provision
Good

Source: Ofsted, 16 May 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

8
Forest SchoolLibraryPlaying FieldsSensory RoomMusic RoomsArt StudiosSports HallChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

10

Sports

SwimmingRoundersCricketTennis

Clubs & Activities

Art ClubCodingGardeningScience ClubChessChoir

Activities may vary by term. Contact the school for current offerings.

SEND Support

DyslexiaMental HealthSpeech & LanguageHearingLearning Difficulty

Source: Department for Education, 2024/25. Support availability based on current student population.

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Frequently Asked Questions About St Columba's RC Primary School

St Columba's RC Primary School has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.