Bullying
Let's talk about bullying – together
Bullying happens in every school. What makes the difference is whether it's noticed, talked about and dealt with. We've asked every school in Bolton to share its figures openly, so parents and schools can learn from each other – not to point fingers.
If your child is being bullied
Start by listening – let your child tell you what's happened, write it down with dates and ask how they'd like you to help. Then raise it with the class teacher or head of year, ask for the school's anti-bullying policy (every school must have one), and agree when you'll hear back.
Full step-by-step guide for parents →
Other help: the Anti-Bullying Alliance and Kidscape.
What's working in Bolton schools
We're asking schools what has made the biggest difference in tackling bullying – how they help pupils speak up, how they work with parents, and what they'd tell another school. Their answers will be shared here, so every school can learn from the best.
Look up your child's school
See a school's own figures, alongside everything else we know about it.
See every school's figures
114 schools asked · 1 shared their figures · 0 declined · 113 yet to reply. Schools record incidents in different ways, so small differences don't mean much. Figures from 1 to 4 may be shown as "<5" to protect pupils' privacy. The line in each list marks the typical school here – there's no national figure, because nobody else collects these.
Ordered by the bars – fewest recorded incidents per 100 pupils first. More recorded incidents often means pupils feel able to speak up and staff write every report down – so ask a school how it responds, not just how many it records.
Primary and junior schools
- Masefield Primary School under 2 per 100 (<5 incidents, 2025/26)
Yet to reply (93): All Saints CofE Primary School, Beacon Primary School, Beaumont Primary School, Bishop Bridgeman CofE Primary School, Blackrod Anglican/Methodist Primary School, Blackrod Primary School, Blackshaw Primary School, Bolton Parish Church, Church of England Primary School, Bowness Primary School, Brandwood Primary School, Brownlow Fold Primary School, Castle Hill Primary School, Cherry Tree Primary School, Chorley New Road Primary Academy, Church Road Primary School, Clarendon Primary School, Claypool Primary School, Devonshire Road Primary School, Eagley Junior School, Eatock Primary School, Egerton Community Primary School, Essa Primary Academy, Gaskell Community Primary School, Gilnow Primary School, Hardy Mill Primary School, Harwood Meadows Primary School, Haslam Park Primary School, Heathfield Primary School, High Lawn Primary School, Highfield Primary School, Holy Infant and St Anthony RC Primary School, Horwich Parish CofE Primary School, Johnson Fold Community Primary School, Kearsley West Primary School, Ladybridge Community Primary School, Lever Edge Primary Academy, Leverhulme Community Primary School, Lostock Primary School, Markland Hill Primary School, Moorgate Primary School, Mytham Primary School, Our Lady of Lourdes RC Primary School, Oxford Grove Primary School, Pikes Lane Primary School, Prestolee Primary School, Queensbridge Primary School, Red Lane Primary School, SS Osmund and Andrew's R.C. Primary School, Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Primary School, Spindle Point Primary School, Ss Simon & Jude CofE Primary School, Bolton, St Andrew's CofE Primary School, Over Hulton, St Bede Academy, St Bernard's RC Primary School, Bolton, St Brendan's RC Primary School, Harwood, Bolton, St Catherine's CofE Primary School, St Columba's RC Primary School, St Ethelbert's Roman Catholic Primary School, a Voluntary Academy, St George's CofE Primary School, St Gregory's RC Primary School, A Voluntary Academy, St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill, St James CofE Primary School, Farnworth, St John Church of England Primary School, Farnworth, St John the Evangelist RC Primary School, Bromley Cross, Bolton, St Joseph's RC Primary School, Halliwell, Bolton, St Mary's CofE Primary School, Deane, St Mary's RC Primary School, St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Bolton, St Matthew's CofE Primary School, Little Lever, St Maxentius CofE Primary School, St Michael's CofE Primary School, Great Lever, St Paul's CofE Primary School, Astley Bridge, St Peter and St Paul RC Primary School a Voluntary Academy, St Peter's CofE Primary School, St Peter's Smithills Dean Church of England Primary School, St Saviour CofE Primary School, Ringley, St Stephen and All Martyrs' CofE School, Lever Bridge, St Stephen's CofE Primary School, St Teresa's RC Primary School a Voluntary Academy, St Thomas C of E Primary School, Halliwell, St Thomas CofE Primary School, St Thomas of Canterbury RC School, St William of York Roman Catholic Primary School, Sunning Hill Primary School, The Ferns Primary Academy, The Gates Primary School, The Oaks Primary School, The Olive School, Bolton, The Olive Tree Primary School Bolton, The Valley Community Primary School, Tonge Moor Primary Academy, Walmsley CofE Primary School, Woodland Primary Academy
Not asked yet (2): Sharples Primary School, St Bartholomew's CofE Primary School
Secondary schools
No school here has shared its figures yet.
Yet to reply (19): Bolton Muslim Girls School, Bolton St Catherine's Academy, Canon Slade School, Eden Boys' School, Bolton, Essa Academy, Harper Green School, Kearsley Academy, King's Leadership Academy Bolton, Ladybridge High School, Little Lever School, Mount St Joseph RC High School a Voluntary Academy, Sharples School, Smithills School, St James's Church of England High School, St Joseph's RC High School, Thornleigh Salesian College, Turton School, University Collegiate School, Westhoughton High School
Across Bolton: suspensions for bullying and sexual misconduct
From the Department for Education, which publishes these for council areas rather than individual schools. Most bullying never leads to a suspension, so these show only part of the picture.
- Secondary schools, 2024/25: bullying 28 (1.3 per 1,000 pupils; England 1.9); sexual misconduct 65 (2.9 per 1,000 pupils; England 1.7)
- Primary schools, 2024/25: bullying 6 (0.2 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2); sexual misconduct 2 (0.1 per 1,000 pupils; England 0.2)
Figures: each school's reply to our Freedom of Information request. Council-wide suspensions: Department for Education. Pupil numbers: Get Information About Schools.