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St James CofE Primary School, Farnworth

Bolton, BL4 9QBPrimaryAges 2–11MixedState
Ofsted Inspection
Ofsted inspected
5 Good
Oct 2024
KS2 Results
45%
meeting expected standard in RWM
Competition
1.0×
Not oversubscribed
29 1st-choice / 30 places
Ranking
#11,684
of 13,686 nationally

About St James CofE Primary School, Farnworth

St James CofE Primary School, Farnworth, is a state primary in Bolton that parents clearly want to get into. For the 2025/26 intake, the school received 55 applications for just 30 places, giving an oversubscription ratio of 1.83. Of those, 29 were first-preference applications, and 29 first-preference offers were made, meaning every family who put it top of their list got a spot. That level of demand suggests a strong local reputation, though the school doesn't publish a parent-view survey percentage to back that up directly. The school is Church of England, takes children from age 2 through to 11, and currently has 359 pupils on roll, just shy of its 362 capacity. It's a mixed school with nursery provision, and nearly half of its pupils (48.8%) are eligible for free school meals, which is well above the national average and points to a genuinely inclusive intake.

Key Details

School TypePrimary (State)
Age Range2 to 11 years
GenderMixed
Religious CharacterChurch of England
AddressHillside Avenue, Bolton, Bolton, BL4 9QB
HeadteacherChris Booth
Local AuthorityBolton
Number of Pupils359
Free School Meals (FSM)48.8%
School Capacity359 / 362 (99% 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

15 Oct 2024
View Report
Quality of Education
Good
Behaviour & Attitudes
Good
Personal Development
Good
Leadership & Management
Good
Early Years Provision
Outstanding

From September 2024, Ofsted no longer assigns a single overall grade in inspections of state-funded schools.

Source: Ofsted, 13 Nov 2024. Ratings: 1=Outstanding, 2=Good, 3=Requires Improvement, 4=Inadequate.

Facilities

7
Sports HallMusic RoomsSensory RoomPlaying FieldsDining HallGymnasiumChapel

Facilities may vary. Contact the school for current availability.

Extracurriculars

10

Sports

RoundersGymnasticsAthleticsCricket

Clubs & Activities

Art ClubScience ClubFilm ClubDramaBook ClubCoding

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

SEND Support

AutismMental HealthSpeech & LanguageLearning DifficultyOther

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

School day

Verified

Teaching hours

08:45 – 15:15

Source: st-james-farnworth.bolton.sch.uk. Extracted automatically — confirm with the school before relying on these times.

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Frequently Asked Questions About St James CofE Primary School, Farnworth

St James CofE Primary School, Farnworth has been rated "Good" by Ofsted. This means the school provides a good standard of education and effectively supports all pupils to succeed.