The Oaks Primary School

About The Oaks Primary School

The Oaks Primary School in Bolton stands out sharply against the local authority average for primary schools. While the LA average for pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths combined sits at 66%, Oaks achieves a remarkable 91% — a full 25 percentage points higher. This places the school second out of 87 primary schools in Bolton, and in the top five per cent nationally. The school is also oversubscribed by a factor of 4.4, with 132 applications for just 30 places in the 2025/26 intake, and 43 families naming it as their first preference. That level of demand is a strong signal that local parents see the school as punching well above the typical state primary in the area.

Academic outcomes at Oaks are consistently strong across the board. In the 2023/24 Key Stage 2 results, 97% of pupils met the expected standard in maths, 94% in reading, and 91% in writing. At the higher standard, 36% achieved that level in maths, 18% in reading, and 15% in writing — with 12% hitting the higher bar across all three subjects. Average scaled scores were 108 in maths and 107 in reading, both comfortably above the national average of 100. The school’s most recent Ofsted inspection, in December 2023, rated it Good across all five categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. This is a step down from its previous Outstanding rating in 2010, but the inspection found no areas of weakness, and the school remains one of the highest-performing primaries in Bolton.

The school is a mixed, non-religious state primary for children aged 5 to 11, with 220 pupils on roll — slightly above its capacity of 210. It offers a broad range of facilities including art studios, a library, music rooms, playing fields and a chapel. Sports include rounders, netball, football, cross country, athletics and dance, while clubs cover coding, film, chess and book club. The school has identified SEND provisions for specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, moderate learning difficulties, social and emotional mental health needs, speech and language communication needs, and physical disabilities. With just 7.3% of pupils eligible for free school meals — well below the national average — the intake skews towards more advantaged families. This is a school for parents who prioritise strong academic results and a structured, well-resourced environment, and who are prepared to compete for a place.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About The Oaks Primary School

Helpful Guides for Parents