St William of York Catholic Primary School

About St William of York Catholic Primary School

St William of York Catholic Primary School sits comfortably above the Bolton local authority average for Key Stage 2 outcomes, with 76% of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined, compared with the LA average of 66%. That ten-point gap places the school in the top quarter of all primary schools in Bolton, ranked 24th out of 87. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, in January 2025, awarded Outstanding across every graded category — quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management — as well as Outstanding for early years provision. This marks a clear improvement from its previous Good rating in 2017, when early years provision was judged Requires Improvement. The school is Roman Catholic and mixed, serving children aged 3 to 11, and currently has 230 pupils on roll, slightly above its official capacity of 210.

Academic results at Key Stage 2 are strong across the core subjects. Reading and maths average scores sit at 108 and 106 respectively, and the proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading is 93%, with maths at 90% and writing at 83%. At the higher standard, 21% of pupils achieved above the expected level in both reading and maths, while 7% reached that level across all three subjects. The school’s ranking in the North West region places it in the top 17% of primary schools, and nationally it sits in the top 19%. Parent feedback is overwhelmingly positive: 96% of respondents would recommend the school, and 82% strongly agreed that their child is happy at the school and does well there. Behaviour is also a clear strength, with 79% strongly agreeing the school ensures pupils are well behaved.

The school is oversubscribed: for 2025/26 entry, there were 60 applications for 29 places, with all first-preference applicants offered a spot. Facilities include a library, art studios, gymnasium, sports hall, playing fields, forest school area, outdoor playground and a chapel. Sports on offer include football, gymnastics, cricket, swimming, cross country, dance and netball, while clubs range from coding and chess to eco club, science club, film club and choir. The school has identified SEND provisions covering specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, moderate learning difficulty, social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and physical disability. With its strong academic record, Outstanding Ofsted rating and clear Catholic identity, St William of York will particularly suit families who prioritise high expectations, good behaviour and a faith-based primary education within a popular Bolton school.

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