Schools by area › Bolton › St Joseph's RC Primary School, Halliwell, Bolton
St Joseph's RC Primary School, Halliwell, Bolton
Primary · Mixed · Ages 3–11 · Voluntary aided
Shepherd Cross Street, Halliwell, Bolton BL1 3EJ · st-josephrcp.bolton.sch.uk · 01204 333055
Overview
- Ofsted
- Good
- 2019 framework · inspected Sept 2019
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 61%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Bolton 64%, England 62%
- Demand for places
- 0.9
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 220
- 92% of 240 places
- Local authority
- Bolton
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 36.8%
- First language not English
- 45.5%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, 17 families put the school first and 18 places were offered; 100% of those families were offered a place there. Admission depends on the school’s own rules.
First choices against places
| Reception | Places | First choices | Per place | % offered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026Sept 2026 | 18 | 17 | 0.9 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 23 | 16 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 28 | 18 | 0.6 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 30 | 12 | 0.4 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 22 | 22 | 1 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25, 61% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 13% the higher standard. Across Bolton it was 64%, and across England 62%.
Expected standard reading, writing and maths
| 2024/25 | Trend | School | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading, writing and maths | |||
| ●61% | 62% | ||
| ▲13% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ●104 | 106 | ||
| ●105 | 105 | ||
| ●105 | 105 | ||
Ofsted
St Joseph's RC Primary School, Halliwell, Bolton was judged Good at its last graded inspection, on 11 September 2019, under Ofsted’s 2019 framework. An ungraded inspection in Nov 2024 found: Standards maintained.
- Outcome
- Standards maintained
- Inspected
- 19 Nov 2024
- Ungraded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Sept 2019
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Sept 2019Good
Quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years Good Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Mar 2017Requires improvement
Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years Good Safeguarding Effective Nov 2012Good
Outcomes for pupils Good Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Leadership and management Good
What parents said
93% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (15 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 93%
- Replies
- 15
- 7% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 67% who raised concerns
based on the 53% who had a child bullied