Schools by area › Bolton › Essa Primary Academy
Essa Primary Academy
Primary · Mixed · Ages 4–11 · Free school
Lever Edge Lane, BOLTON BL3 3HH · esp.northerneducationtrust.org · 01204 201310
Overview
- Ofsted
- No overall grade
- 2019 framework · inspected Nov 2024
- Key stage 2, 2024/25
- 66%
- reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths. Bolton 64%, England 62%
- Demand for places
- 0.8
- first choices for each place · Reception, September 2026
- Pupils
- 387
- 92% of 420 places
- Local authority
- Bolton
- Nursery class
- Yes
- Free school meals
- 43.9%
- First language not English
- 68.2%
- School census 2025/26
The official school record (Department for Education)
Admissions
For Reception in September 2026, 20 families put the school first and 25 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 | 25 | 20 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2025Sept 2025 | 42 | 31 | 0.7 | 100% |
| September 2024Sept 2024 | 38 | 31 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2023Sept 2023 | 22 | 18 | 0.8 | 100% |
| September 2022Sept 2022 | 30 | 29 | 1 | 100% |
Results
In 2024/25, 66% of pupils reached the expected standard in reading, writing and maths at the end of key stage 2, and 3% 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 | |||
| ▲66% | 62% | ||
| ▼3% | 8% | ||
| Average scaled score | |||
| ▼103 | 106 | ||
| ●104 | 105 | ||
| ●105 | 105 | ||
Ofsted
Ofsted inspected Essa Primary Academy on 5 November 2024 under its 2019 framework. Inspections from September 2024 give no overall grade.
- Overall
- No overall grade
- Inspected
- 5 Nov 2024
- Graded inspection
Safeguarding effectiveInspection reports
Graded areas
| Quality of education | Good |
|---|---|
| Behaviour and attitudes | Good |
| Personal development | Good |
| Leadership and management | Good |
| Early years | Good |
Previously: Good, graded inspection, Oct 2019
Earlier inspections
September 2019 to November 2025
Oct 2019Good
Quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years Outstanding Safeguarding Effective
Before September 2019
Jun 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
What parents said
70% of the parents who answered Ofsted’s Parent View survey would recommend the school (10 replies, to 1 September 2025).
- Recommend
- 70%
- Replies
- 10
- 2% · 1 Sept 2025
based on the 50% who raised concerns
based on the 60% who had a child bullied