St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill

About St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill

St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill, is a popular choice among local families, and the numbers back that up. For the 2025/26 admissions round, the school received 84 applications for just 46 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.83. Of those, 39 families put it as their first preference, and all 39 were offered a place. That kind of demand suggests a school that parents trust and actively want their children to attend. While the school doesn't publish a specific parent recommendation percentage, the high level of first-preference applications relative to total places is a strong signal of local satisfaction. The school is a Church of England primary in Bolton, led by headteacher Joanne Robinson, and currently has 424 pupils on roll, just shy of its 450-capacity. It also offers nursery provision, which can be a practical bonus for families looking for a single-site journey from early years through to Year 6.

Academically, St James holds a steady Good rating from Ofsted, confirmed in its most recent ungraded inspection in 2024, which found the school 'remains Good'. The previous graded inspection in 2019 also rated overall effectiveness as Good, with leadership and management, early years provision, and the quality of education all judged at the same level. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 63% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined. That's slightly below the Bolton local authority average of 66%, but the school's average scaled scores tell a more nuanced story: 107 in reading and 105 in maths, both above the national benchmark of 100. A higher proportion of pupils hit the higher standard in maths (37%) than in reading (27%) or writing (24%). In Bolton's primary school rankings, St James sits at 47th out of 87 schools, placing it in the top 50 locally.

The school offers a solid range of facilities and activities that give a sense of a well-resourced environment. There are playing fields, a sports hall, art and music rooms, a library, a sensory room, a forest school area, and a chapel. Sports include football, cricket, athletics and dance, while clubs range from art and gardening to science, film, choir and eco club. For families with children who have additional needs, the school lists support for a wide range of SEND categories, including autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language difficulties, and social, emotional and mental health needs. With oversubscription running at nearly two applicants per place, it's a school that clearly appeals to a broad cross-section of local families, particularly those who value a Church of England foundation and want a full primary journey from nursery through to Year 6 in one place.

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